English 101 Dr. Rhodes Amber Rinder 10/1/17 Rhetorical Analysis of Jean Twenge’s “Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation?” Technology has always been at the forefront of the world’s mind, for as long as anyone can remember. The idea of “advancing” has been a consistent goal among developers. However, recently the invention of smartphones broke out into the world of technology, causing millions of people to become encapsulated in a world of knowledge at their fingertips. Jean Twenge elaborates on the impacts of the smartphone on the younger generation in her article “Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation?” Twenge’s article is just a sliver of the analysis that she presents in her book “IGen.” Twenge, a professor of psychology at San …show more content…
She analyses how her data collections began to change around 2012, when smartphones really began to advance. Twenge’s article maintains the argument that, while many people have different ideas about the cause for the change in teen attitudes in recent years, she believes that smartphones are greatly to blame. To support her claim, Twenge states that the rates of depression have “skyrocketed” (p. 61) (Pathos). She also says that “There’s not a single exception …. screen activities are linked to less happiness” (p. 63) (Logos). Lastly, Twenge states “In all my analyses of generational data- some reaching back to the 1930’s- I had never seen anything like it” (p. 59) …show more content…
That alone provides a great source of credibility to the paper. The idea that this is an author who has done the research, gathered the numbers, and analyzed the data, allows the reader to rest in the idea that they are reading a valid article, and receiving good, hard, evidence. Twenge also uses a very logical tone throughout her article, maintaining the idea that the data is as clear as day, and that there is no disproving it; the numbers show true facts. Twenge provides background and numbers on how teen actions are constantly changing, as the years advance. Twenge provides specific data from Monitoring the Future, a program funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The use of graphs in the article support Twenge’s logical approach by providing a visual representation of the number being presented. Twenge goes on to link the use of cellphones with sleep deprivation. She uses the example of sleep deprivation to describe the snowball effect of health issues. Sleep deprivation leads to depression which leads to bigger problems, the longer it goes
Turkle argues that technology has fundamentally changed how people view themselves and their lives (271). She reports that, “BlackBerry users describe that sense of encroachment of the device on their time. One says, ‘I don’t have enough time alone with my mind’; another, ‘I artificially make time to think…’” (274). Her point is that people have to make a deliberate choice to disconnect, to exist in their own mind rather than the virtual world (Turkle 274). Another point Turkle brings up is that in this technologic age children are not learning to be self- reliant. Without having the experience of being truly alone and making their own decisions, children are not developing the skills they once did (Turkle 274). As Turkle reports, “There used to be a moment in the life of an urban child, usually between 12 and 14, when there was a first time to navigate the city alone. It was a rite of passage that communicated, ‘you are on your own and responsible.
Thesis: Twenge affectively uses emotional appeals to persuade her readers into believing that the excessive use of smartphone has ruined a generation.
As Twenge continues her argument she compares it back to her own experiences which ties up this argument in the successfulness of it. She uses these comparisons to help emphasize important parts of her argument. Beginning with “they think we like our phones more than we like actual people.” This state of unhappiness around teens forms her bigger argument that this is a main reason smartphones have destroyed a generation, “It was exactly the moment where the proportion of Americans who owned a smartphone surpassed 50%”. The owning of smartphones “placed in the young people’s hands are having profound effect on their lives -- and making them seriously unhappy.” Their social interactions decrease and their screen time increases as the years go
Technology use among teens and students has been on the rise. Students have technology ranging from cell phones to laptops to iPads. First off, more and more students own cell phones. In 2004, an average of 53.5% of high school students owned cell phones (Jon, 2009). By 2013 that number was up to 78% of students (Madden, Lenhart, Duggan, Cortesi, & Gasser, 2013). Now 47% of those students own smartphones, which is up 23% from 2011 (Madden et al., 2013). The internet and computers are also on the rise. 74% of teens have access to the internet (Madden et al., 2013). 93% have access to a computer and “one in four teens (23%) have a tablet computer, a level comparable to the general adult population” (Madden et al., 2013). This increase in accessibility of technology to students has resulted in changes in the classr...
Our modern day society depends on technology for everything, can anyone imagine a life without their phone or computer? Probably not, social media and other popular applications have become so ingrained into our daily lives. Not only can we connect with people anytime throughout the day but we also have so many useful applications that help us on a daily basis. Thinking back to when I was eight years old, I couldn 't wait for sixth grade because my parents had promised to get me a cell phone, I remember counting down the days till the summer of fifth grade was over because I already knew which cell phone I wanted. Once I got it I couldn’t stop showing my mom all of the cool things it could do. Which looking back at it today, it really couldn
Technology has been involved in people’s lives forever, especially in the Millennial Generation. This generation consists of individuals born between the years of 1982-2004. The articles “The Flight From Conversation,” “Teens and Technology 2013,” and “Leading The Charge For Change” deals with teens interacting with technology today.Each article has different topics, but they connect through the over dependence of teens to technology. The Millennial Generation becomes less and less in touch with the real world and morphs into a quasi-reality.
Technology has changed our world dramatically over the last several decades. Several generations before us did not have air conditioning, telephones, television much less internet. However, today we have access to all of this and more. Technological advances have not only made changes in how we communicate, but also in how everyday tasks are done. The New York Times explains how social media affects children’s behavior and academics, and how the concept of dating has been altered while Louis C. K. explains how the 21st century takes little things for granted and YouTube channel charstarlineTV shows how daily activities can no longer be done without the use of cellphones.
As we grow older and older, technology seems to be taking a toll in our daily lives. Everywhere we go, we see people glued on to their cell phones, ipads and laptops. Many of us can agree with the fact that at the dinner table everyone is on some type of electronic device. Everyone seems to be more interested in checking emails, taking phone calls and even playing games on their phone. Technology has everyone stuck on their phones instead of carrying on a conversation with each other about their day. It seems as if everyone is in their own little world. In the article “Attached to Technology and Paying a Price ”, Matt Ritchel argues that technology has become a big part of society, and it’s impacting not only ourselves, but our families and
In the past few years, personal technology has exploded and society has begun to feel it’s effects. The introduction of social media and personal electronics has had a large impact on our day to day interactions and how we go about communicating with each other. In The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury, a society is described where people have become so obsessed with television that no one leaves their house anymore and the police will question you if you do. In “How Smartphones Destroyed a Generation,” Jean M. Twenge details the negative effects that have emerged out of the rapid rise in personal technology. The texts raise the question about how much communication is necessary in society, and can too much have negative consequences? The increase
In Renee Wilson’s article, “In Defence of the iGeneration” (2013), she explores her belief of the iGeneration being the smartest generation yet. Through the use of many anecdotes, Wilson reflects on her experiences of teaching the iGeneration and their ability to ignore negative criticism and still show their full potential. In her article, Wilson discusses the iGeneration’s reliance on technology and social media; however, she does not engage the disadvantages of technology, in particular laptops in the classroom, which, as I argue here, is in need of more study. In this essay, I argue that the use of laptops by students in a university classroom is distracting not only to the student, but also to surrounding students. Inevitably, multitasking
Cell phones have crept into an owner’s possession at all times. “The mobile phone has become a part of us: our best friend who will save all our secrets, pleasures and sorrows” ("Exploring"). Teens have developed the need to know the latest news on social media every minute of every day; they do not want to miss any little detail. Since the beginning of smart phones, high school students have felt the need to have their media open on their smart phone in front of them so they do not feel empty. Once someone has become attached or addicted to something, it is hard to change their habits. Cell phones have changed people socially, especially with the availability to social media with electronics.
It is interesting to note that an article written in 2003 discussed text messaging as a young adult phenomenon. It addressed the difficulty of older fingers using tiny keyboards (Lacoheé 206). Things have changed. Text messaging is used by young and old alike today. Interestingly, other predictions in the article, which was written over ten years ago, still haven’t happened yet such as video tattoos and smart make-up and perfume (Lacoheé 209).What is clear is that we are living in a world that is ever-changing and with those changes come implications for how we behave as individuals and as a society. Does cell-phone enabled easy access to information on the internet hinder our quest for knowledge or enhance it? In our schools, does it make our students lazy or more efficient? Does our ability to bury ourselves in our phones enhance our communication with each other or isolate ourselves from each other? Whether we consider our “advances” in mobile technology as steps forward or steps back still remains to be
Technology is a vast body of knowledge in which it is used to create tools, develop skills, and to collect materials. Technology includes anything that can improve your life overall. The most used technology in today’s age and time is the internet. Mark Griffiths, Ph.D. in Psychology, states that the internet has become a space for individuals to freely communicate with others who share the same interests at little or no cost (217). In 1973, communication overall went to a greater level with the creation of the mobile phone. Cell Phones have made it possible to keep people in touch while there on the go. Over time cell phones have evolved at such a fast rate that they now are capable of using the internet which was once limited to your desktop computer. When I walk down the street I constantly see people walking with their phones up and their heads down looking at the device in their hands. Adolescents are very guilty of these actions. Sherry Turkle, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, states that the internet can be used as a “safe space for the personal experim...
The Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project studies the behavior and attitudes towards cell phones and highlights the generation of teens and young adults who use cell phones, a setting between 18-29- year- olds. This project conducted up to 100 surveys and wrote up to 200 reports on teens and internet use, as Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, and Zickuhr explained in the research. She also reported with other colleagues how their findings on social media and internet use situated among older children compared within the data between adolescents and older children. Lenhart’s current data draws a hypothesis conducted from this study-this research had started between June and August of 800 teenagers between 12 and 17 who use cell phones as a source of how they behave online more than they do in the real world.
Technology is one of life’s most impressive and incredible phenomena’s. The main reason being the shockingly high degree to which our society uses technology in our everyday lives. It occupies every single realm, affecting people both positively and negatively. There are so many different forms of technology but the two most often used are cell phones, and the internet/computers in general. Today’s younger generation was raised alongside technological development. Kids now a days learn how to operate computers and cell phones at a very early age, whether it be through their own technological possessions, a friend’s, or their parents. They grow up knowing how easily accessible technology is, and the endless amount of ways in which it can be used. This paper will be largely focused on the effects of technology on the younger generation because your childhood is when these effects have the largest impact. I am very aware of the subject because I am the younger generation. Aside from major effects on study and communication skills, there also exist the media’s effects on teen’s self-esteem and mental health. Maybe more importantly, there is our world’s growing problem of over priced and unnecessary consumerism. Over time, our society has created a very unhealthy form of reliance and dependency on technology as a whole. People essentially live through their devices. Cell phones are always with people making it nearly impossible to not be able to reach someone at anytime, day or night. In 2011, there were 2.4 trillion text messages sent, and 28,641 cell phone towers were added across the US. 1 We use our phones and Internet for directions, communication, information, self-diagnosis, games, movies, music, schoolwork, work, photos, shoppi...