What has technology and social media done to your life? Have you ever been bullied, ridiculed or embarrassed on social media? Have you ever seen a post on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest that made you feel less highly of yourself? As if you needed that top, or that cellphone, or those shoes or that body. Well, stop looking at it, because it isn't real. Technology and social media has become damaging to our lives, society and our self-esteem. Don't let technology take over your life. Life was meant to be worth so much more.
Throughout history, we notice several diverse trends that spread out among generations. Nothing is more beautiful than seeing the changes of society through time. This generation has sky-rocketed with the advancement of technology and the use of social media. Although this generation may be similar to others in the past, such as similar social movements and issues, the discovery of new music styles, and fresh fashion trends, today we can consider our society to be more diverse than any other.
We do not see how effective technology and social media is today. You can stroll down any neighborhood and find it odd that not many children are outside. As a millennial, I can remember not one day of summer had I not rested in the grass, played ball with all the other kids, or rode my bike until my leg muscles ached. The use of video games, televisions, cellular devices, tablets and laptops have taken over most of our lives. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this as of now.
How does this affect us negatively? You may be familiar with the new discovery of “text claws," a condition where humans have developed a deformity in the pinky finger, which tends to drift from the palm due to the excessive and adaptive tendency to hold a cell phone. You may also be familiar with the dangers of sleeping next to your cell phone, the dramatic sensitivity in the human eye due to a bright cell phone screen, or the fatality rate of car accidents caused by texting while driving. Not only has technology hurt us biologically, but it has made a significant effect on us mentally, emotionally and morally.
Social media has made an immense impact on society and affects how we perceive ourselves as well as others. We are able to identify that social media is dangerous because it sets extreme, unrealistic standards in society. You may have seen the spreading videos of a girl holding her significant other’s hand while standing in an exotic background, or Kylie Jenner’s $600 daily makeup routine. You may also see a 20-something with a large house, spouse, children, nice car and expensive diet routine and workout that no middle-class civilian could ever live up to. You may also see groups or individuals being criticized and bullied by thousands online. Maybe someone has targeted you on social media. Maybe you have targeted someone on social media. The images, posts and videos we see on social media can influence us to change the standards we have set personally for ourselves. These posts can also not only change how we perceive ourselves, but as well as how we perceive others.
There is no doubt social media and technology have begun to dominate our lives; it is everywhere. We all have sat at the dinner table texting someone who was only a room away, or even glanced at our phones while driving. We have the tendency to always have our phones with us, and feel naked without it. Technology and media is a distraction and detaches us from reality. With the lack of true and honest communication throughout our lives, we are more susceptible to depression and loneliness. Humans are found to be happier when belonging and communication needs are met. Internet interaction has been proven to be less effective than real interaction.
Although there are not many resolutions for this issue, we must first acknowledge this as an important problem in today’s generation. Not only has society changed, but it has changed us. Addressing the excessive use of social media and technology is the first step to realizing we’ve stared at a bright screen for hours. It’s time we take our lives back. It’s time we actually maintain a one-on-one conversation with someone without questioning where our phone is. It’s time to enjoy ourselves and accept reality. It’s time to change what we have adapted to because it’s not the life we were meant to live; because we were meant to live.
