What form of technology does the youth have in their hands right now? It would be an automatic guess if they are using their phones or tablets right now. By today’s standards, it is not just a phone but a smartphone on your hand. iPhones, android phones and all other existing phone brands, you name it, are cramming to get into every people’s hand. We are really on the age of mobile computing. A lot of advancement in technology happened in the past decades, and we, end-users, are enjoying the good benefits of it.
But even before that, the progress of technology is an understatement because it is not just a progress but rather a revolution of what human mind have been fascinated long before the start of a new era. This have brought humans to the next stage of evolution where thinking, interpretations, and actions are done simultaneously.
The emerging problem with technology
This is the 21st century. A revolutionary century that brought many changes which magically made how people works different around and how it made an impact to everyone.
Great difference between generations are very prevailing. If a comparison has to be made between you grandparents’ lifestyle to today’s youth’s way of life, a large gap is existing indeed. Tasks, things and processes worked in a different manner. The systems and machines like mobile phone and computers with different operating systems, with just one click on it, one job worth of hours of work could be done as fast of few seconds.
Technology became an integral part of living. An increasing number of people have gained and established connection to technology. People use technology for many purpose. It could be for entertainment, informative or just using free time for leisure. Innovation on Internet and mobile phones play a huge role in every person's life especially for youth. Therefore, technology had helped us in countless of ways in every aspects.
However, there is a growing dispute in the technological dimension. It has nothing to do with the development of fancy new e-gadgets, computer games, or apps. But the debate boils down to how are the youth generation, how are their relationships and how do they affect the community. The question that needs to be answered is “How does the technology affect the over-all development of today’s generation of the youths?”. Even though the question might seem easy to answer, there are a lot of considerations such as the advantages and disadvantages of technology. Answers to this question varies from person to person and it could be positive, negative or both ways. No one could fully elaborate what technology will bring to people in the succeeding decades.
Social Media revolution
Connecting and communicating to one another is basic to human structure, hence upon the advancement of technology, it had aided the development of connections and communications to one another in a deeper phase. Advancement in technology molded and recreates the manner of how people choose to socialize which could be an advantage in our business or how we live. Development of handy devices such as mobile phones and computers and creation of “social networking sites” made a madness in the social culture. This madness had led the people of sharing and interacting with other people of what are they doing in their lives in the most free and most versatile routine. The development of these technologies provides us with the advantages in terms of accessing information, communication and entertainment. In this case, these advantages could be captures just by clicking small devices in the modern times. It could also be recognized today that people could instantly communicate with each other using cellphones and social media. These technologies removed the barriers of geographic location for communication.
Youth and the social façade
Nowadays, the youth are becoming fonder and more attached to their technology. The internet and mobile phones had created highways that leads to building relationships. Even though that technology had made a channel for communication for the today’s youth, it had created at the same time a barrier that prohibits communicating to the today’s youth. One situation that prove this true is that the today’s youth is making lesser real life interaction and has made its negative effect on the social capabilities of the youth today.
One of today’s purpose of technology to provide entertainment but it is making people disconnected somehow. By the use of the Internet, there is a lot possible thing that could be done online. These days we have the ability to communicate on media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social networking sites. People also have ways to watch TV shows and clips mostly on streaming sites such as YouTube. They can also play entertaining games through gaming sites. All of this can be done while on the computer. Keeping this habit, one should not wonder why there’s no lasting friendship or relationship or broken families. It is because those who don’t switch off their computers, switches off all personal relationships with family and friends. Technology like iPods and mobile phones make a personal bubble and make it portable at the same time. Mobile phones create a distraction from real life experiences and because of their ability to be taken anywhere, there exist a portable distraction. For example, many of the youths today texted while talking to someone else, at the dinner table, in the car if driving or not, at the movies, and even on sacred places. These bubbles are growing around so many people and someone just needs to pop them.
Let’s talk or let’s chat?
What would happen if someone removed all the thing people are currently enjoying? What if technology had not come this far to satisfy and fulfill the human needs? What if today’s youth came to time and place without the entire thing they are experiencing currently? Benefits such as comforts are basically the things that were satisfied by technology in the current situation. However, other people do not see the great importance of having this privilege especially to communication aspect. People nowadays could communicate easily even without opening your mouth or leaving your homes. It could be done using texting in cellphones or social media in the internet. The world is changed or evolved through the help of these technological developments. As most people believed, the modern times are experiencing another type of revolution.
Influence of internet
The generation of today’s youth is very much exposed to the usage of internet. Teenagers are having a difficulty of not seeking the help they needed through searching the web when it comes to their academic works. The youth also made use of the internet when it comes to showcasing their talents to others. The internet is really influential which gives the youth the power to reach anyone they want. The availability of this technology also presents advantages to the present generation through serving as a communication channel to connect with their friends (i.e. social media sites). However, too much exposure to the web will also result to disadvantages of this technology.
Are we going on the right path?
Some people have trouble making new friends and the internet provides ways to meet new people through chat rooms. Online-built relationship can be considered a little bit eccentric but, the time it takes to develop is far longer than relationships made face-to-face. And also, online relationships can be dangerous because you never know who’s on the other side of the chat
Technology had open a lot of doors and opportunities for mankind to enter and discover. The youth, as the largest foundation of the human society, serve a very important role in community building, therefore, the adult generation should take care of the youth and teach them on how to use the things that they are using nowadays which are technically products of technology. The adult generation should have made a way of breaking barriers created by the technology that keeps the youth isolated in their own world. Connecting generations and everyone will make a good foundation of a great society.
Works Cited:
The Moment of Youth. Psychology Today. Web. October 22, 2014
Generation What? Connecting with today’s Youth. A.S.C.D. Web. October 22, 2014
Is Technology Harming Today’s Youth? Mark Greenfield. Web. October 22, 2014
Technology: Good or Bad for today’s youth? Teen Ink. Web. October 22, 2014
The Effect of Technology on Youth. BookRags. Web. October 22, 2014
Technology’s Impact on Youth’s Social Development. Technology’s Impact on Youth. Web. October 22, 2014
The Influence of Modern Technology on Society. UKessays. Web. October 22, 2014
