Are today’s youth addicted to the vast amount of technology found in our society? Many people are so addicted they are willing to lose social skills “She is willing to sacrifice some degree of social interaction to achieve this effect” (Harris 1). I believe that many of the kids in our society are addicted to technology thus resulting in a negative influence to their social skills.
Many times the kids that spend a lot of time on technology end up with depression and loneliness. A study at Carnegie Mellon University says “that internet use leads to small but statistically significant increases in misery and loneliness” (Affonso 1). In my mind, I believe this is due to the lack of actual human contact. Also if it does cause these feelings they aren’t going to want to talk to others and make friends. When your depressed you just want to be left alone.
But an increase in depression isn’t the only problem it causes, another problem is the lack of social virtues, “That is why it won’t due for children to learn in settings of their own choosing,” says Postman (1). If you spend all of your time on the internet you won’t learn how to socialize or act in public, and if you don’t act correctly in public you won’t make friends. If you don’t make friends outside of your computer you will become more attached to your computer. It’s a cycle that never ends yet needs to be broken.
With many forms of technology you can go out in public and not have to unplug yourself. Many times people will listen to their iPod or other form of MP3 player which “are a major deterrent to conversation,” (Song 1). If you’ve ever tried to talk to someone listening to an iPod they often don’t hear you nor seem to want to. If people that listen to iPods won’t talk back you’ll stop trying to make friends with them.
However, many people say that technology brings them together rather than pulling them apart. But according to a study at Stanford University, Internet user spent a total of 136.7 minutes less time with family and friends as non Internet users do (Nie and Hillygus 1). If you don’t spend time with friends you don’t make new ones.
Others often say that it allows for people too depressed to make friends regularly the ability to gain friends. One of these such people is Jean-Francos Coget, he says “The Internet can foster openness, self-confidence, and a greater sense of ease and comfort in dealing with others.” But how does confidence online equate to confidence in real life. When your on your computer there is no actual human contact.
In conclusion, kids are often addicted to technology so much that it leads to a decrease in social skills. Think of how this could affect all of society, if everyone becomes antisocial and depressed the art of actual human interaction would be lost.