The Evolution of Youth's Reliance on Technology

“When today’s teenagers take an apple to school, it’s more likely a cell phone than a fruit. Dubbed by some the “iGeneration,” many teenagers have become much more computer savvy—and social media savvy—than their parents,” says writer Ellen Niemer. However, in the 1960s, saying an apple certainly referred to the fruit. Although that time period included the first major technological advances, a lot has changed since then. Evidently, today’s youth is becoming more technology oriented. The majority of teens are focusing less on the natural world around them and more on a virtual word. It’s clear that the average youth today has different attitudes towards technology than in the 1960’s.

A teenager using her iPhone, iMac and iPad all at once

Nowadays, the majority of teenagers are more hooked to their cellphones than ever before. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is check my iPhone. This is because I get anxiety knowing that I might have missed an important call or text at some point in the night. Also, while I’m doing homework, I might even check Facebook every couple of minutes because I don’t want to miss something significant that was posted online. This is the result of a very widespread phenomenon called FOMO, which stands for “fear of missing out.” It’s also evident that my life revolves around technology. Every Wednesday night, you can find me in my room watching my favorite TV show called Law and Order. Luckily, we have 6 televisions in the house incase somebody else wants to watch another show at the same time. This isn’t even out of the norm seeing as research shows that in 2013, 65% of homes in the United States have at least 3 televisions.

On the contrary, most societies in the 1960’s did not view certain types of technology as an everyday tool. It was certainly not as accessible as today and therefore many people did not have it; especially not lower income families. Today, 99% of all households have a TV whereas in 1960, only 87% had one. This is demonstrated in Patti Smith’s novel Just Kids, where she and her boyfriend Robert don’t prioritize electronic devices. She says, “We hadn’t the money to go anywhere, had no television, or radio. We had our record player though” (54). A common misconception is that technology didn’t exist back then. However, this is surely false seeing as Patti even had a record player. Her generation did not rely on technology but rather used it as a means for entertainment and leisure. It was not depended on or obsessed with as it is today.

1960's TV

Today's TV

In addition, psychologist Sherry Turtles argues that today’s technological devices are redefining human connection. This means that fifty years ago, youth most likely had better social skills because they spoke face to face rather than constantly over text. Evidently, technology now runs society because it is found in almost every aspect of our lives. It could be viewed that the youth of today, living in a technological world, is becoming more self-absorbed and disconnected. How much does technology impact you?