From a 19-year-old Gen Z perspective, my journey with technology began early, vividly recalling the day my parents embraced the iPhone revolution. , and all I wanted to do was take pictures and play games. After that, I got my own iPad, and when I was in fifth grade, I received my first iPhone. Being exposed to technology at a young age has made me have an unhealthy relationship with technology because my generation never knows when to put our technology away. Like most people, we spend countless hours scrolling, texting, and calling each other. We need to realize how many hours we spend on our phones. When I first got my phone, it was because I was going to middle school and needed it for safety reasons, but that was not my focus. All I wanted to do was get involved with social media, which consumed me. My generation also has designed social media, and we are obsessed, which is not a good thing and can lead to depression and a false sense of reality.
The Tears For Fears Mad video was very impactful to watch. It shows how much technology is changing the world we live in. In today's world, we are so attached to our phones, and we don't know how to function when we don't have our phones or when it's time to take a break from our screens. If you walk around this college campus, everyone is walking while looking at their phones, and I am just as guilty; if you go to a dining hall, look how many people are sitting with their friends and are all scrolling on their phones, not having a genuine conversation. When our phones are always in our faces, we miss the beautiful gifts of the world. We miss looking at how beautiful nature is, or we miss watching people fall in love; we miss the unforgettable moments with our friends and family all because a screen was in our faces, taking away from the pure moments of life.
The video also touched on a crucial subject that has become a problem in the world due to technology: we are losing our sense of what is right and wrong. The video shows a fight happening, and instead of people trying to stop and calm the situation, they are seen recording on their phones. Another clip shows a building burning on fire, and instead of calling for help, the lady is seen posing in front and taking a picture. This issue started with the Gen-Z generation. We are losing the ability to care about doing the right thing and having proper emotions. We express ourselves with emojis or gifs. This means we have different versions to show how we love and care for others.
Expanding on the impact of social media, its influence on young kids often leans towards harm rather than good. Cyberbullying emerges as a significant issue, with kids facing harassment from anonymous individuals sending mean messages or assuming false identities. Tragically, this digital form of bullying has contributed to a disturbing rise in teen suicide rates. "Between 2000 and 2007, the suicide rate among youth aged 10 to 24 remained around 6.8 deaths per 100,000 people. However, by 2017, the rate surged to 10.6 deaths per 100,000—a distressing 56-percent increase in less than two decades". Social media and cyberbullying play a substantial role in this alarming trend. Despite guidelines on responsible posting, kids' widespread exposure to social media often results in consequences, as they fail to grasp the potential impact of inappropriate online content.
Reflecting on my digital footprint, when I googled my name online, my LinkedIn came up with VSCO, a social media app where you post and tag pictures on Instagram. This paints the image that I have an online presence, and if a potential job googled me, there would be nothing alarming, but that was because I am very cautious about what I put on social media.
Technology and social media are essential. Being from New York and attending college in North Carolina, I'm immensely grateful for the ability to stay connected with friends and family through these tools. Technology also brings about numerous benefits for us. However, given the rapid pace of global development, I'm concerned that we may encounter significant issues in the future if we fail to recognize our increasing dependence on technology for fundamental human interactions.
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