Who
hasn’t been here? Hanging out with friends, the dinner table, even classes are overrun
by the presence of social media. Every slightly-awkward situation is masked by
simply pulling out a cell phone. But in reality, so much technology is
preventing social development in children and teens. An increasing number of
young adults struggle to read social cues or suffer from psychological
disorders such as social anxiety.
People today also distance themselves from face to face
interaction by looking to technology to quickly resolve problems. There are
apps to recommend everything from restaurants and outfits to gifts, recipes,
and even colleges. People no longer rely on personal interaction to even get to
know one another: sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn allow anyone to learn
about others.
With
so many options, the ubiquity of social media demands nonstop attention. What’s
frightening is how much a generation that depends on constant stimulation will be
able to contribute to society. If we’re too busy tweeting or playing Flappy
Bird to spend more than a moment in deep reflection, who will be our
deep-thinking Confucius or Aristotle? As a generation, we must be conscious of
our obstacles in order to overcome them.
Adapted from a Pecha Kucha presentation given in class November 25, 2014.
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