Technology can be very helpful, however, I think at this point we have a problem. Technology has taken over. The more time we spend snap-chatting moments the less time we spend actually living those moments. The more time we spend looking at a screen instead of looking at loved ones or our pets or nature the more reality we are missing. When was it more important to tweet something funny or find the right filter for a picture than it was having fun and laughing with everyone around you? We spend more time worrying about the memory on our phones than we do about making memories with friends. There is so much we can do and some much we can explore that we can't fully experience on the internet.
Communication has changed since technology came into the picture. Instead of talking in person or on the phone we are texting and tweeting. Instead of fixing the problem alone we get everyone else involved. It's easier to type on a screen than dealing with emotions and problems in person. It's gotten to the point where instead of words we use pictures. We avoid the problem and disconnect ourselves from each other that we ruin friendships just by clicking send. We don't see the hurt in the other person's eyes when we call them names and we screenshot messages to show everyone later. We are more concerned about justifying what we did was okay that we take those screenshots and we build an army of people who don't understand the context or the tone of the conversation in order to change the reality of what actually happened. We create battlegrounds for our enemies to walk on when they return to the friend group, leaving them unsure of who has taken a side and who realizes it was a trap. We need to talk face to face instead of creating "sides" and trying to "win" the battle.
We are turning each moment of our lives into a book in snip-its of improper grammar in 120 characters or less. Instead of laughing we look at something funny and type "lol". Instead of writing down our feelings in a journal to ourselves we are writing them on a public stage for everyone to watch and review. We have become wrapped up in the number of likes and views we get and what others think about us that we forget how beautiful or talented we are. A picture is worth a thousand words but a memory lasts forever.
We have become spoiled. We type in our address and get food and anything else we need/want shipped to our doors. We stay in and watch Netflix instead of going out to the movies. We have all the information we desire at our fingertips so we save time by looking something up instead of learning it ourselves. We need to stop let technology control what we see, stop letting social media come in the way of having social interactions. Technology shouldn't be our safety net when a situation is uncomfortable. We should be talking in person, making memories in person, and doing more than starring at a screen.
I challenge you to put away your laptops, turn off your t.v and put your phone in your pocket. Listen to what people are saying around you, make memories without documenting 10 seconds of it to show later. In fact take those memories and write them down or share it with another friend. Take more time to experience life as you should experience it because you never know when your chance is going to be over. Learn something new, make a new friend, take more chances and live your dreams. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing and live your own life.
