Teenagers Today
According to Wikipedia, the definition of technology is the relationship that society has with its tools and crafts, and to which extent society can control its environment. Taking a closer look at society, teenagers use technology more so then ever. However, technology has disconnected teenagers from the world. Teens spend more time watching TV, playing videogames, using the computer, or talking on the phone. Because they are doing so many things they cannot concentrate and it is getting harder for them to study. In classes students would be texting on another instead of listening to the teacher and learning.
Teenagers spend their time watching television, using the computer, playing video games, or talking on the phone. Technology has allowed people to communicate and gather information quickly through the phone, the internet, and the television. Without knowing teenagers waste their whole day just doing those things. When on the computer or watching television minutes feels like seconds and hours feel like minutes. From a survey of 21 teenagers, 17 teens use the computer for more than 3 hours. During this time teenagers could be outside playing sports or going out just because the weather was nice. Also from the survey, 8 teenagers watch television for more than 2 hours. Also due to technology teens have been getting lazier because they don’t need to move around. They have everything they need at home; they have cell phones to communicate, the internet to search for information, and the television for entertainment. They can also get food and other supplies by just dialing the phone number or shopping online. Teenagers are forgetting about the simple pleasures of going to the mall without any money and just eye shopping or just talking a stroll in the park. They even forget about the pleasure of meeting people face to face.
There are many new programs and technology such as the webcam and the cell phone to communicate with. Online programs such as MSN and AOL instant messaging are used a lot by teens. With all these types of programs teenagers don’t need to meet face to face, then they lose the simple pleasure of just meeting people and hanging out. Teenagers are constantly talking and even without their mouths moving they have other things that would help them communicate such as text messaging. A survey taken by 50 teenagers says that 42 teenagers text message. During school, teenagers text message nonstop. This enables them to learn anything in class. Then after taking a test or a quiz, they would complain that the test or quiz was difficult.
Teenagers are unable to concentrate on one thing because they are too busy texting. They are not focused on studying because when they try to a text message comes in and they waste all their time text massaging their friend. With the access of anything through the internet, it tempts teenagers to go in and use it instead of doing what they are supposed to be doing. Also while using the internet to do homework; teens also go on Myspace or Facebook to check up on any new comments they got. Teenagers can’t concentrate at home or at school. If this keeps up the future could turn in t a mess and chaos could occur.
Others might say that technology has made finding information and communicating easier and faster, but it has only slower the teens down. Because of short hand text language, teenagers are forgetting how to spell simple words. Also because the computer can figure out the word that they are looking for, teens don’t really need to know how to spell. Teens would stop going to libraries and taking out books, then in the future there might not be libraries. The simple pleasures of taking a book out or finding the on shelves would disappear.
Teens are less connected to the world than the generation before them. Teenagers are wasting their time checking their blogs and texting their friends. Teen should start going outside more and spending less time on the computer or on the sofa watching television. Technology should be reduced or the production and new inventions should be halted for a while, so the teens can enjoy the things that they have with them instead of trying to get the new cell phone or computer that just came out.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
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4 comments:
So what about the good points of technology? Like how without technology we would have not idea about what is going on in Iraq.I don't agree with blaming it on technology, but the way it's used. The disconnection lies with in the teens themselves. Technology isn't disconnecting anyone, it's trying to connect people. I think teens abuse that, and use it for the wrong reasons.
Sara -
Since your essay focused a lot on the negative effects of texting, it made me realize the dangers and consequences that texting really can bring about, however; I feel that these dangers were a bit exaggerated. I think that most teens understand the balance that school requires and do not substitute texting for studying, at least not to the point where it would be extremely distracting. Erika expressed the same views as you in her essay, but she still admitted the positive effects that texting can have. I agree that some teenagers take it overboard, but I think that the reasons for this are exaggerated in your essay.
Sarah
The point of my rebuttal is to express that that not all technology makes you disconnected. I don't feel that technology is evil. That's not what I'm trying to say nor is the topic of the essay. The topic was never about the evils of technology.
Your essay points out the negative aspects of using a cell phone for text messaging. Although you have a compelling argument, i must disagree. I happen to text practically all day and it has not slowed me down at all. My grades are where they should be and i still do everything to full capacity. As for Facebook and Myspace, it is not so much a distraction as a hobby or a means of communication between friends and family who are far away. For instance, i have a friend who lives in Manalapan and a majority of our conversations happen over the internet via Facebook or text messaging.Also, you argue that because teens use short hand text messaging language, "text speak", they tend to spell words wrong and downgrade their vocabulary. I am able to say that whenever i text someone i spell every word correctly and use proper english. It is valid to say that some teens take it a little too far, but there are teens out there who do use technology for good, productive use.
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