This article can go one of two ways. It will either be really well accepted, hated or both — depending on the person. But it's something I think is really effecting our generation and needs to be talked about: technology.
Us millennials have been criticized constantly by older generations on our use of technology. Whether it's our phones, iPads or tablets, we're always on them. In a way, I think the baby boomer generation is right about our use of technology; it's slowly ruining our social skills as well as our communication skills. Technology does have its benefits, such as keeping us in touch with family members who live far away. But it will be the destruction of our generation.
We lack social skills.
I can't tell you how many times I've walked into a lecture hall and everyone is glued to his or her phone. Whether their just scrolling through their camera roll to keep busy, or catching the latest post on Facebook, everyone is face down to the screen. We don't know how to interact with one another, not even with a simple "hello." If someone came to sit down next to us and struck up a conversation, most of us would hop onto our phones and text our roommates "omg this girl next to me in chem lecture legit just sat next to me and started talking to me." This makes me incredibly sad and frustrated. Why is it we can text our friends so enthusiastically, but as soon as we come face to face with someone, we shut down? We are so used to only making and growing friendships via the Internet that we have completely lost all of our social skills.
We lack communication skills.
No one wants to talk on the phone anymore. It's always a "no you do it" when a friend group wants to order pizza. When we come face-to-face with a professor or in a job interview we are constantly using "um" and "uh" because we can't relay our thoughts into actual words, we're so used to just texting them. We assume that because someone didn't use two exclamation points that they're mad at you and it causes a fight. Because we rely so much on our smartphones, we have slowly but surely started to lose our communication skills — some of us more than others.
We lack patience and focus.
We are so used to everything being at our fingertips that when we have to wait for answers, we become frustrated and angry with whoever is looking up the information. We lose our patience with our parents and grandparents because they don't know how to share a picture on Facebook, because they never grew up with access to technology. We don't focus on driving, we would rather read the text Kelsey sent us 10 minutes ago than watch the oncoming traffic. We don't listen when people talk because we're engrossed with who liked our Instagram pictures.
It's disgusting. It's disgusting that we are lacking what makes us a solid generation because we are too consumed with what's happening online. I don't blame the baby boomer generations for getting upset when we over use our technology. It makes us rude and disrespectful. We are taught to respect our elders but many people don't because of simple issues, such as the elderly man not knowing how to use Facebook. Really? Let's grow up. Let's show the baby boomer generation that technology WON'T ruin our generation, only benefit it with lifesaving technology and faster communication. This isn't meant to offend any millennials, just open their eyes to the world.
