Final Post: Societies Relationship with Technology

 The Beauty and Devastation of Technology

In our society we use technology for absolutely everything; school, work, finding jobs, communicating with friends, photography, etc. It's a huge part of our lives and we have to accept that. Unfortunately technology can also take a life, cause depression, isolation, anxiety, and a plethora of negatives. 

As a girl in today's society social media and technology is essential. I learn new skin care tips on TikTok, find new favorite items being promoted by influencers, share funny videos with my friends, and participate in new trends.

I love technology. I couldn't imagine my life without it! But I also hate the constant comparing, not getting enough likes on a post, dissecting images of myself, and the loss of tone in a text. Despite all of the negatives me and my peers face, I'm chronically online and up to date on all the latest TikTok trends. 

My main form of technology is my phone. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is check my phone and it's also the last thing I do before I go to bed. I view my phone as my lifeline and personal time capsule, my entire life fits in a 5 by 2 inch chunk of metal. 

The biggest flaw I see in technology is the invention of social media. Although I use it as my source of entertainment everyday I find that it has impacted me and my peers more negatively than positively. In a University of California article titled Social media’s impact on our mental health and tips to use it safely; it's written that, "Social media can negatively impact our overall wellbeing by fueling anxiety, depression, loneliness and FOMO (fear or missing out). These issues are especially prevalent in teens and young adults." The constant need to be "be my best self" is one I feel all the time when sharing my presence on social media

My main form of social media is Instagram, a platform where everyone shares what's going on in their lives; aka what exciting things they're doing. No one's going to post themselves on a regular day, Instagram is used for big events like concerts and vacations. 

Taking photos is one of my favorite things to do, it doesn't matter if I'm behind or in front of the camera I love it regardless. But when it comes time to post the photos on Instagram, I find myself constantly checking the like count, seeing who viewed and commented on it, and I never like the answers I receive. I find that it doesn't matter how much I love the photos, if they don't "get enough likes" I suddenly hate them. 

Although technology is here to stay, I believe that everyone could benefit from hanging up and hanging out, putting the phone down and acknowledging what's in front of us. Live in the moment. Sure, pick up your phone and take a couple photos, there's no harm in that; but don't be sitting around at dinner with your family or friends sitting on your phone instead of appreciating who's around you.