To count the amount of articles, columns, and books there are on scientific studies of our generation would take far too long for my nimble fingers to count. What certainly baffles my mind is that they are all correct. However, is it possible to play an accurate level of devil's advocate on the topic? Probably not, but here's to trying.
With the increase of technological advancements, human communication has become far less genuine than the days of letter-writing and calling your significant other's home telephone and praying that their parents don't answer. Ignoring a text is a social acceptability in society and the anxiety and depression we feel as a result has certainly been on the rise. These habits and generational social cues have formed immensely throughout the years and create such a negative stigma about relationships as a whole. But who is to blame? Ourselves, clearly.
We are a generation that promotes these poor habits. We allow these tendencies to perpetuate as a result of our inability to make it stop. We legitimately advertise certain emotions on social media which prompts viewers and readers to relate to these emotions. Of course, we all have these emotions, but is it far-fetched to think that we feel unprecedented emotions because someone else is advertising theirs? Sure, the Instagram posts about "bae" actually being a slice of pizza is hilarious and I love seeing them and relating to them. But are they actually exacerbating society's acceptability of poor manners and our depletion of chivalry? In a way, isn't viewing certain posts on Facebook or Instagram or Snapchat a means of allowing our generational habits? The number of posts I've seen regarding men finding humor in parody videos about their "night-chicks" meeting their "day-chicks" is quite honestly foul and done in poor taste. These are not films by renowned directors that people want to criticize in newspapers to gear towards all age types. These are seven-second videos that are geared towards millennials who laugh and encourage these behaviors.
Our technological advancements have prompted users to be more flakey, more narcissistic, and more dogmatic in their views. Making plans are rarely ever followed through….this is clearly exemplified by the plethora of Instagram posts about flaking on friends in "group chats" or "when I tell my friends I'm too busy at work to go out" and the picture shows a person in bed watching Netflix. That's clearly not a bad thing because I love staying in and watching Netflix, but if that's what I prefer to do, then shouldn't I not make a plan in the first place? When I look at these Instagram posts or Snapchats or Facebook posts or Vines, etc. I think that since a plethora of other people that participate in this behavior, it must mean it's okay for me to do that too. It's not, and advertising these poor habits isn't either.
