The children of today: Have smartphones destroyed a generation? Part I
Todays generation grew up using mobile devices such as smartphones, laptops, cameras etc. etc... I was never an opponent against smartphones but did this technology destroyed a generation?
I grew up in a small village in north Germany. I had 5 siblings who were a lot older than me. I´m obviously the youngest which was the reason I experienced mobile phones last. I grew up with no wifi connection in whole house, not having any phones nor using electronics. It was the best feeling because I learned so much about myself and I´m thankful that my parents gave me the opportunity to live in the nature so I got to experience a lot of different things which is impossible for todays generation! I was able to play outside in the garden, in the forest nearby and the farm where we got our milk and eggs wasn´t far neither. My family wasn´t against technology at all. We got a TV, a radio and this whole equipment. My older siblings also had a playstation, X-Box and Nokia phones. But since I´m the youngest of them all, I wasn´t experiencing the technology by myself. I was just looking to my sisters and brothers how they would use such a device. I remember when I first got my Nintendo DS Light. I had so much fun playing around on that touch screen. This was the beginning of my obsession for electronics...
I love being able to make a call whenever I want or to search for a question at any time! Smartphones give me the opportunity to feel free, using this device as a supporter for my work. I think it´s such a great invention but we should keep the control about it as long as our kids are unable to decide what´s wrong and what´s right.
The suicide rate and depression among teenagers increased since the first iPhone 2007 appeared massively!
" I think we love our smartphones more than real life people " - admits a girl from the US in an article that investigates the taboo phenomenon. Teenagers of today will become independent later, have fewer friends, are more often depressed and suicidal. "I've been more with my [smart] phone than with real people. My bed has a body print from me, "says a questioned teenager, whose lifestyle is exemplary for the (not only) American youth. Isn´t this crazy to read? I mean who prefers electronic devices instead of real people? Feeling emotions, laughing straight out of the soul and being able to really feel and laugh.
Always online but not in real life....
It is really disconcerting that its not about the extreme fall ( Child kidnapped by a pedophile after playing mobile phone games, unsettling "teenagers unintentionally radicalized and burnt to the IS" ). It is rather the impairment of the quality of life and health of the average user, which is thoughtful. Twenge examined the generations in comparison and found massive conspicuities in the generation, which they called "iGen" - the "generation iPhone". They interviewed their students curios what they do with their smartphones when they go to bed and at least 90% of them are taking the smartphone into the bed, almost all slept with the device, put it under the head pillow or the mattress.
Smartphone usage also affects the duration and quality of sleep. According to experts, adolescents should sleep 9 hours per night. In 2015, 57% more teenagers suffered from sleep deficits than in 1991. On average, the iGen falls below seven hours of sleep, which affects its daytime performance.
Social life and general passivity
In todays generation, people do not meet much often anymore, which has a statistically positive effect on the murder and car accident rate among American teenagers..
As I already mentioned above, the suicide rate and the frequency of depression among teenagers have increased massively since the appearance of the first iPhones (in 2007).
Do you remember those days where you got hyped up because you turned 16 ( in Europe 18 ) to finally make your drivers license? Things have changed. Teenies are doing it later than ever and often just because their parents press them to finally do it! Also sexual activities have grown because the access is just too easy...
I feel lucky to say that I am an aunt of 4 babies at the moment and seeing them growing up so fast hurts a little but it´s is also an amazing feeling at the same time. When I first touched a mobile phone (which is very different from a smartphone as you might know) I was something around 10 years old. I got a the phone of my sister who is just 5 years apart from me, just to be able to call home if anything happens to me... 2-3 years later I got my own phone which was a gold motorola phone and I was able to unfold it.
Oh how I loved this cute little baby. Anyway, what I wanted to say was, that I see my nieces and nephews growing up totally different and I´m not quite sure yet if its good or bad! Smartphones have changed not only our lives, it also has destroyed the lives of our new generation.
Is there any way to stop this?
Can we use smartphones for positive reasons only?
I will answer to your comments and can not wait to start writing on part II for you guys!
x Have a great weekend x
Thanks for reading
Stay focused
Love, Soldier
"Not hanging out with friends" looks like the graph of steem's price :P
I agree 100% We need to see more "the real world"!
Very very well put ! I must agree .. most people these days can not even go a second without their phone , I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing but it seems to get harder to have a face to face conversation. I did not have a phone until I was 16, now I see 6-7 year old kids who have phones , the generations are changing . And I think it's bad for kids to have such influence at such a young age . Your story was really nice , and I can relate to it so much . Yes , it does help to search for an answer fast , make a call, I just feel like if we use t for the right purposes , then it's fine . Just not sit on it all day , on social media , playing games , etc. progress your life without phones . Times are changing , phones are everything to people now
I don't know? Do you think automobiles destroyed our parents generation? Every generation will have major changes. But that's what makes it so exciting. Im giving this post a resteem.
I totally agree and I think this topic is so important for you because of your soon to be born child! You should be aware of friends having smartphones at a young age, do you want to give your child the same? Do you want to keep him/her away until your child reached a specific age? Control is the way to say it. There are so many positive things about smartphones IF YOU USE IT RIGHT! Should we teach the younger generation how to handle a smartphone ? Would this be useful.... I think there is much more to talk about in part of this series
There could be a never ending conversation over technology . Control is important and if it's done from the start , it's much better . I feel like I can breath without a phone . Last year when I was in Pakistan , I lived without any phone , wifi , laptop for 5 months and literally I felt like a human again . Technology destroys life
Yes we have become more and more addicted to it...I think using smart phone is not bad but addicted to it is bad..we should not be slave of technology !! ((have a look at my post too Having The iPhone But Missing The I
I don't think destroy is the right word, but there is negative effects going on people should at least be aware of
This might be right. Maybe destroy is really the wrong word but I think we should tak a closer look of what happened with the younger generation !
I agree, if not just all generations using these things. That video link above was recent, this one below was just a couple of weeks ago
I guess at the least with these videos, your post, people are starting to get aware. It's so hard to keep up with information of all kinds coming at us all. Thanks phones! lol
I was 15 of 16 aswell when I got my first phone.
An LG, didn't even had wifi.
And today you see 6 year olds playing with the phone of their parents. And 9 year olds who have their owner phone.
But when I was young In wasn't allowed to spend all day on the PC. 1h a day (max 2).
When I got older it didn't mather that much anymore, but maybe all of this is a little bit the fault of the parents?
And I believe that in the future the smartphone could be gone.
Just like the normal mobile phone is old right now.
In that time who thought the mobile phone would be replaced?
good question. I know the time where kids were were allowed to spend 1h a day on the pc and things have definitely changed
Many child using technology just for fun instead to help their lives.
Just think that with technology they can make their job and some nice money instead go to work in an industry for the minimum salary.
I think that is only parent's fault.
I am constantly in a battle with my son to get him off his phone!
Good! Children are spending just too much time on their smartphones. Try to win the battle
But I agree with what someone previously said. Every generation has their changes and innovations. :)
Can't believe you posted the Motorola Razer 😆
haha that was my first phone :D
Like I said in a reply down below, maybe not destroyed, certainly altered. What kids have these days in terms of distractions is unprecedented... How it will change them when they are adults? Only time will tell.
I agree. Altered but in a good or bad way?