Katherine Millien, '24
“It’s that phone giving you a headache.” “You are always tired because of your phone.” “The TV will make you go blind.” I am sure some of you can relate to those phrases or similar ones being told to you by members of an older generation. To the older generation, technology was not an everyday tool and the way they interacted with it was more limited. Whether it be through sitting down for a weekly streamed program, a radio, or for a lucky few logging in to a public chunky computer to check their email, technology was not very prevalent. It certainly was not a social necessity. The way we use technology, and even rely on it, has drastically changed since then. Technology is seen everywhere, from our homes, to school, to work. It is how our world connects people to one another, whether socially, professionally, or educationally. Technology for me and many other kids growing up in the 21st century is an everyday tool. Grabbing my phone, computer, and air pods every day is an instinctive part of my routine. Technology has been crafted to make life easier in a multitude of ways. In addition, technology is one of the most adaptable and accessible resources we have. During COVID-19 in particular, technology has shown how helpful it can truly be, by creating special places to increase connectivity. Zoom and Google Meets readjusted my idea of school. Online grocery shopping aided my family and many others, and even Instagram lives and the interactivity of infamous platforms like TikTok helped connect me with friends. The pandemic was, for everyone, a very different experience then it would have been without technology. I stayed as connected as possible to my family and friends all by the touch of a couple buttons and in retrospect, those moments online were crucial to keeping me sane during isolation. As technology has become increasingly at the forefront of our lives and the world, the outlook, especially from its 21st century users who do not know their lives without it, is more optimistic. Concerns shared by older generations about the instability of technology and the fear that their kids will be lost in the superficiality of it all are made in bad faith; technology in this age is a beneficial lesson in itself. Younger generations, including myself, have a more positive outlook on technology and I believe this is because of how often we interact with it and the ways it makes our lives easier and every part of the world more available. As technology is the platform the world functions on, kids’ use of it is important to incorporate all their resources in order to collaborate, communicate with one another, and create a better and more accessible future. So, while I cannot disprove the correlation between my phone and my headaches, technology has without a doubt adapted itself to fit the needs of the times, making life nothing but easier. Sources: https://aginginplace.org/technology-in-our-life-today-and-how-it-has-changed/ https://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au/teachers/scope-and-sequence/f-2/digital-systems/changes-in-technology https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-reasons-positive-impact-technology-human-life-sergii-oliinyk https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/09/09/us-generations-technology-use/#:~:text=While%20generations%20differ%20in%20their,mostly%20a%20good%20thing%20for
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