Technology is a wild thing. Something that has had a rapid growth spurt in the world around us and yet doesn't seem to be slowing down in the slightest. I think it is true that society as a whole has a a very strong relationship with technology, expect I'm to say that I believe it is a very unhealthy relationship with a lot of red flags. I believe in this unhealthy relationship because it is truly based off of obsession; obsession with constantly seeing what other people are doing and trying to "one up" the competition, trying to be better than what is seen on feeds, trying to look better than those around you (don't get me wrong bettering oneself is always great, but when it is done with the intention to one up what you see online - which is typically edited - is not the right reason to be doing so), and constantly worrying about what other people are doing and how they think of you. I also believe that because of this obsession of feeling that you constantly have to check in with the world around you, that it takes up TOO much of your time. I heard recently on a podcast (and had to go to google for the numbers of course) that the average person is on their phone approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes a day - thats 22 hours a week, 88 hours a month, 1,056 hours a year. In a year the average person spends 44 days on their phone, thats more than a month. Image all the amazing things that people are missing out on because they are more consumed with things going on far away from them instead of enjoying the present of what is going on around.
While there is a positive to technology, all the information ever imaginable right at your finger tips. Technology; phones and computers, serve as such an amazing connection to new information that is being discovered constantly. If someone has a question about how things work, google is the place to go. If someone has a concern about an illness, google can serve as a perfect start point to figuring out what is going wrong. If someone has a question about the weather, google can give updates on what the weather is going to be like there or in another country. However, while it can be very beneficial and informative, not all the information is accurate. With the given political condition of the nation it can be hard to figure out if certain news information regarding elections or public figures is correct or if it is partially (or fully) made up to in turn support the opposing side. It also gives a false illusion of what people look like - models and movie stars being falsely portrayed to look good gives the younger generation a false sense of what beauty looks like and very unrealistic unobtainable beauty standards that they will forever trying to reach but will never quite get to because it is completely fake.
I think older generation are 50/50. There are some people who don't have a smartphone simply because they didn't have one growing up and find no need for it. Then there is another part of older generations that have smartphones but it, like younger generations, have been glued to their hand and trying to have a conversation at dinner is near impossible because they are having to update their facebook profiles on their current thoughts of the world around them (speaking from experience from a girl who's father has zero filter when it comes to sharing his thoughts about Trump and Biden on Facebook - and updates on his grandchildren of course).
All in all, although it seems from my writing that I think technology and the social media aspect that comes from it is a terrible thing, I think it can be good. It can keep distant family members connected despite state lines and different time zones, and it can help people when they just need to be heard from someone and share their thoughts and feelings that they may not be able to share with family members out of fear of disappointing them.
