Do you have the newest iPhone or Samsung? Do your friends? Technology and social media has had such a huge impact on our everyday lives. It’s trendy to have the latest technology and all of the social media; it is useful machinery but sometimes it can get distracting.
Haley is a typical fangirl of all the boy bands and youtubers, she has the need to know what they are doing at all times. She is on her phone at least every 10 minutes and it’s causing her to not focus at what’s a hand such as her subjects. Her parents are giving her a hard time about her grades and so she just hides away and goes on her phone which only worsens the issue. Haley always skips class and locks herself in the bathroom stalls at school, it’s like Alice escaping reality and going to ‘Wonderland’. Haley thinks that school doesn’t really matter to her. She just spends her weekends with her head in her laptop. She hardly talks to her parents even when they try to start a conversation with her fearing that all they will talk about are her grades. She shuts everyone out and is in her own world.
It turns out that this was not an isolated incident, the people interviewed were asked what social media’s weaknesses were and 100% of them said that it is distracting. They mostly all agreed that that was one of social media’s biggest weaknesses alongside cyber-bullying.
What, you may ask, should you do? Well, the choice is up to you really. Social media has a huge impact on our everyday lives as it shapes the way we do things. You’ve probably encountered many times when 2 people that have gone for dinner at a restaurant are found on their phones and not talking to each other. It’s distracting and sad that these people aren’t having a proper conversation with each other and as you keep looking back at them - to check if they’ve put their phones down - you’re disappointed when you find they are still at it. The only time they look away from their devices is to eat their food. It breaks your heart every time but makes you angry unless you’re one of them.Sofia goes on to say “yes, it is distracting but in a certain type of context. It distracts people that are doing work but it doesn’t distract people that are doing nothing. Anonymous then comments about a specific social media called Instagram “Instagram is like a drug, you can’t really get off it, it’s addicting”.
You may be surprised to find that when the world found out when the iPhone 6 was released they bombarded Apple with around 4 million pre-orders. Apple has grown rapidly to be known worldwide for it’s great technology since founded in April 1976.
Millions and millions of people are on some kind of technology at all times, whether it’s doing research for a school project or, having a skype conference or checking people’s status they are always there.
By Lauren
What, you may ask, should you do? Well, the choice is up to you really. Social media has a huge impact on our everyday lives as it shapes the way we do things. You’ve probably encountered many times when 2 people that have gone for dinner at a restaurant are found on their phones and not talking to each other. It’s distracting and sad that these people aren’t having a proper conversation with each other and as you keep looking back at them - to check if they’ve put their phones down - you’re disappointed when you find they are still at it. The only time they look away from their devices is to eat their food. It breaks your heart every time but makes you angry unless you’re one of them.Sofia goes on to say “yes, it is distracting but in a certain type of context. It distracts people that are doing work but it doesn’t distract people that are doing nothing. Anonymous then comments about a specific social media called Instagram “Instagram is like a drug, you can’t really get off it, it’s addicting”.
You may be surprised to find that when the world found out when the iPhone 6 was released they bombarded Apple with around 4 million pre-orders. Apple has grown rapidly to be known worldwide for it’s great technology since founded in April 1976.
Millions and millions of people are on some kind of technology at all times, whether it’s doing research for a school project or, having a skype conference or checking people’s status they are always there.
By Lauren
Great piece Lauren, but I am curious if you could find some examples where people actually use social media and technology to better connect with friends or family. Or to use their devices to actually create art or music like you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how this story was very relatable, as all of us use a form of social media and technology in our daily lives. I learned a lot of statistic and great facts about social media and technology, and I am already trying to use my phone less and less at the dinner table.
ReplyDeleteI also really like your lead, because it clearly showed your point of view and what your article would be about. It hinted at a bigger issue, as social media is a very powerful form of communication and also sucks people into 'wonderland.' I liked the character Haley, how she was a bit of a representation of everyone and social media. I also liked how you kept your narrative craft to a minimum, but it was very effective in the context of the article.
I find this post quite interesting. From what I read, you state that the majority think that social media is a distraction. I'm in two minds about that, meaning that I agree and disagree. My opinion of social media is that it serves as a safe-place to communicate with others around the globe. I do not necessarily think that it is a distraction. It is our choice, human's choice, to will it to become a distraction for themselves. For example, does a gun kill a person? No, it is the shooter who has the power to kill. In the same way, I think it's up to us to decide how we live our lives. A person who isn't technology rich wouldn't really get addicted to social media. Certainly, social media has the potential to be a distraction but one should know how to exercise control before constantly using it. That is the problem with society these days. People as young as 5 are already subjected to the influence of phones and other gadgets. At that young age it is immensely hard to manage your time wisely, thus causing a chain reaction where they quickly get addicted to staring at a screen for 4 hours. Anyways, I understand your motive for this post; you are clearly trying to convey the idea of the immense power of social media. On the main part, I agree with you. Social media is rapidly advancing with no signs of stopping. I just wish that people take care of this extraordinary power.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Jian
-Guadalajara, Mexico