The Fast Growing Downfall of Teenagers
“Social Media is addictive precisely because it gives us something which the real world lacks: it gives us immediacy, direction, and value as an individual.” said David Amerland, a British journalist. Social media is becoming a problem in society. On average, adolescents spend over 11 hours per day exposed to electronic media (Shapiro). If one was to add an 7 hour school day and 6 hours of sleep to the amount above they would end up with 24 hours. A whole day of going to school, sleeping, and being addicted to their phones. Although much of the 11 hours of electronic media may be used at school or work, that does not excuse the fact that technology is taking over people’s lives. Although some people believe
Information is easier to access than ever before. A student is able to find help for their homework with ease (Health). They no longer need to take long hour to search in books for even the smallest bit of information. With a tap of their fingers, the information that may have taken hours to find in books in now right in front of them. Moreover, communication among peers is also another factor that has improved. Instant communication has become faster and has improved the lives of not only of teenagers. Teenagers are able to stay connected with their peers and compare homework or just talk about life. With 75% of all teenagers having access to a smartphone, group projects or discussions are suddenly easy (Health). Technology also benefits the parent along with the student. Parents and their children are able to easily communicate if a schedule change has happened or if student becomes sick. It has also been important in emergencies and medical
Students want to stand out but also fit in (Shapiro). But as technology begins to take over every aspect of life, it is becoming increasingly difficult for teenagers to pick up and understand body language and this makes it challenging for teenagers to read other people. Additionally, student may act differently online than in person because of these imperative and decreasing social skills. For example, a student who may be outgoing online may reserve themself in face to face conversation (Austin). In addition to the lack of verbal communication, teenager’s identity are often influence upon the opinions of others, which is known as the conformity effect (Wolpert). People want to be liked by others, especially teenagers who are trying to find out what they are meant to do in life. The conformity effect shows the importance of peer acceptance