This article makes a few good points about my generation's technology use, however some of the ideas they convey are not necessarily true. One of the things that the article spends a lot of time talking about is the use of cell phones. The author mentions the things that a ten year old can do with a cell phone, however I don't know of many 10 year olds having cell phones. I didn't get my first cell phone until I was in the 6th grade, around the age of 12. The purpose behind my parents getting me the phone was to be able to call them so that they knew what I was up to. They didn't allow me to use it to text my friends until I turned 13 or 14. When I started to be able to text, I really didn't over use it, in fact I barely used it at all because a lot of my friends still were unable to text. Now though at the age of 16, I find myself texting all day long. Although some people may find this to be excessive, I don't find it to be. I only use my phone when it is allowed at school, and I don't text while I drive. I use it to keep in touch with my close friends and keep in contact with my parents. I still use it to make calls even though I can text and I don't let it consume my life.
Another form of technology that the article talks about is video games. Personally, I own an Xbox 360 and I will play games for hours on end sometimes. However, my game console does not consume my life. My schoolwork, sports, and social life come before my Xbox. I usually only play when I'm bored and have nothing else to do, and sometimes I don't even feel like playing then! The author mentions something about becoming addicted to video games, which I could definitely see. Some people don't know how to manage their time and get way too consumed with their gaming. If you can't find a way to manage your time wisely, then you are at risk of becoming consumed by technology.
One last form of technology mentioned in the article is the internet and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. I personally have a Facebook account and I find myself checking it maybe once or twice a day for about 15 minutes. I don't overuse it and I rarely make posts but it is nice to see what some of your friends are up to. On the flipside of that, I am friends with some people on there who do overuse it. I find them posting new statuses every 10 or 20 minutes! It's ridiculous! I also do not understand how people can accumulate more than 1,000 friends. I just don't understand why some people are so quick to accept people as "friends" when they have no idea who the request is from. On the other hand, I don't have a Twitter account and don't know much about it. I do know some people who have accounts, and based on what I've heard from them it just sounds like another way to tell people every little detail of your life, and at the end of the day who really cares what you’re doing every half hour of your life?
Overall, technology can definitely be used in good ways if you are mature enough to handle it. You have to be responsible about the time you spend online, texting and gaming to make sure that they don't consume your life. You have to have priorities and stick to them, as well as get out and exercise to stay physically and mentally healthy. Technology does not have to be seen as a bad thing, we just need to learn how to make it a good thing by not letting it consume our lives.
