Impact Of Smartphones: How Technology Makes Us Lonely
Were you aware that being alone is as dangerous as being overweight by increasing your death risk by 26%? In a relatively short time, the technology has progressed a great deal. The first computer (Apple Lisa), which was released in 1983, has been replaced by the iPhone. It’s a fact that everyone owns a phone. A lot of teenagers are isolated by technology and their smartphones.
Teens are always on their phones and distracted, preventing them from interacting with the world. You will find that almost everyone is walking around with their phone. You’ll find that almost all families are on their phones in a restaurant. They ignore each other and don’t use the time to speak to one another. Gray (2015) says that during the six-month study, researchers examined 150,000 social media posts. The team found that all teens were motivated by the same thing: popularity. This shows the impact teens have on their phones when they only check social media. This is because teens are lonely. If they were not lonely, they would not check Instagram every day to see how many comments and likes they have received. You use your mobile phone when you are alone. You ignore your friends when you’re on the phone. It is clear that teens are lonely even when they are with other people. They use their phones to fill the silence. Teens should instead block loneliness by doing sports, going to the movies, playing games with family and friends, or exercising.
Some people believe that technology can help us connect with each other and not be lonely. This view is logical because Reisenwitz, an editor-in chief of her state and author, writes.
What future technology will eliminate the need for people to leave their homes (the Stick) but not provide an equally strong incentive to do it anyway (the Carrot)? Check out Pokemon Go. There are thousands of people out in the streets, not just because they must be there but also because a game maker found a new way to make it fun to walk around.
Pokemon GO lasted a short time, but then the consumers returned to using their phones alone. Pokemon GO is only a temporary solution and doesn’t solve the main problem, loneliness. According to Gary’s article from 2015, “…our mobile phones can have a significant impact on our lives, even if we aren’t thinking about them. If you have felt your mobile vibrate or ring only to discover that it was not working, you aren’t alone. Yes, these phantom mobile vibrations”. This can cause people to feel alone and even make them think they’re crazy. It may seem like the phone is ringing but it is not. People create apps to solve loneliness, but they only solve it temporarily.
These points show how technology can make a person feel lonely. Smartphones, in particular, take away the idea of communicating in person with others and going outside. This creates a feeling of loneliness which is difficult to overcome. Smartphones can also lead to a negative perception, causing you to believe you’ve received a text message when you actually are just seeing something. You will feel more alone. Limit your phone use and don’t become a victim as these teens did. Cherish our real world, not the virtual one.
