In a YouTube video titled, “Look Up,” the speaker Gary Turk says, “We’re a generation of idiots: smartphones and dumb people.” This video hit home for me about a year ago when I took public speaking and presented this video in a speech to my class. I could see the looks of everyone’s faces as I introduced them to this arising concern in this generation. SMARTPHONES. I knew I grabbed attention from everyone in the classroom, who were by the way looking down at their phones, by the direct eye contact I got as I spoke from everyone after I played this video. Everyone put down their phones and for once in that class I had all eyes on me during a speech. If this video and what I spoke about had a huge impact on my classmates, I guarantee it will have a big impact on everyone else.
Each time we look down at our phones, we miss the opportunity to meet new people and experience life as it is in the moment. At one point in time there were no such things as smartphones and people were more likely to step out of their comfort zone to meet new people and not ignore what is going on in front of them. If they survived without being constantly connected to the cyber world, so can we. We have a chance to make a change and it starts now.
I don't know about anyone else, but one day, when I have children, I sure do not want them wasting their life on any sort of technology or smartphone that will suck the life out of them. The next generation is becoming worse than what we are due to the examples we have set for them. The children now know that it is all right to be on their devices whenever because the actions of others they look up to. We should be able to teach that it is all right to use technology, but to a certain extent and not in social situations when they have the chance to use their imagination and creativity with others and make friendships that can last a lifetime. I remember my little brother had a play date and right when his friend got to our house they instantly went right to playing on their iPads. What happened to playing board games and playing outside? How about making pillow forts, crafting, and just being kids? These kids now have a device to type in whatever they want and find out any kind of information they want to know about. They are learning more from their smartphones and iPads than the people surrounding them because they are stuck in the cyber world.
I hope that anyone who reads this article takes a step back from their phones and realize how much time we waste just staring own at our screens. Take a break from the cyber world, look up, and just living a life of social inclusion. We can make a change little by little, but it starts now.
