Have Smartphones Destroyed A Generation? By Erin Cotter

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In the article “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” by Jean M. Twenge, published by The Atlantic, and the article “Teens and tech: what happens when students give up smartphones?” by Erin Cotter, published by The Guardian, both authors claim that without technology we would be happier and also more social. Twenge writes about life with technology through facts and comparing the previous generation to the newer generation, such as Millenials and those born with technology which Twenge calls the “iGen.” Meanwhile Cotter surveys students through the use of the “disCONNECT project,” which is a project made specifically to survey how students react emotionally and socially to their phones being taken away. Both of the articles are very similar …show more content…
According to Twenge talking about Athena, a 13-year-old in Texas, “She told me she’d spent most of the summer hanging out alone in her room with her phone. That’s just the way her generation is, she said.” which portrays that according to Athena most people part of the “iGen” tend to talk to people through social media or just use their phones instead of socializing directly. Cotter adds onto this statement by saying “Young people get isolated in their own bubble; they lose their confidence and self-esteem.” Meaning that people part of “iGen” lack social skills and confidence. Twenge also writes, “Only about 56 percent of high-school seniors in 2015 went out on dates; for Boomers and Gen Xers, the number was about 85 percent.” meaning that less people have relationships and people don’t feel as close to each other as they would in the previous generation. Twenge and Cotter have the almost identical views however Twenge writes with facts and statistics, and Cotter writes about …show more content…
According to Twenge, “Psychologically, however, they are more vulnerable than Millennials were: Rates of teen depression and suicide have skyrocketed since 2011.” Which directly correlates depression and suicide rates to technology, as many people have started receiving cell phones even before high school, and it is a basis of our society at this moment. Cotter also talks about how people don’t have the confidence to do simple things due to technology since people are used to hiding behind screens instead of actually directly confronting someone, “It works against effective ways of communication too; students can’t do the simplest tasks, like look somebody in the eye and ask for something they want.” According to Cotter, One student who took part in the “disCONNECT project” states “I’ve been away from games and it’s cheered me up. I’ve been reading more and concentrating on different things.” Which points out that people who take time away from technology can be happier than they are generally used to. Cotter and Twenge both talk about how technology can affect people's moods however Cotter goes more in depth. The conclusion is still the same in both however, technology makes people lose confidence and has potential to make people depressed and even possibly

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