“Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” – Response

I really enjoyed reading this article by Jean Twenge. It was extremely interesting to me because she is talking about my generation, and I could relate to a lot of the points that she was bringing up. One of the claims Twenge made was that smartphones and what they bring, such as social media, are altering the lives of teenagers. In making this claim, Twenge expresses that, “The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives, from the nature of their social interactions to their mental health.” Her point being, due to the fact that it is becoming more common for teens to be so indulged in their smartphones all the time, they are beginning to lose sight of what is truly important, and it is changing their outlook on life. I agree with this claim completely, teenagers lives are starting to be revolved around technology, social media, and smartphones. They are beginning to forget how to socialize in face-to-face situations, but are completely comfortable with socializing online. It’s a scary thought. Many teens are beginning to develop mental disorders such as anxiety and depression because they have the constant fear that they are missing out. Although I agree with this claim that Twenge makes, I don’t think she should have focused this claim or even this article, on teens alone. Social media is making a large impact on them, that is very true, but they aren’t the only ones. All generations are being influenced greatly. Often times, I’ll see parents on their phones, completely neglecting their child that is standing right next to them, begging for attention. To me, it feels like Twenge is putting all of the negative aspects of social media onto teens, when in reality, social media effects everyone. Most of the claims that Twenge makes in her article are ones that I can most definitely agree with, but they don’t necessarily speak for all teens. For example, she says, “teens described getting their license as something to be nagged into by their parents–a notion that would have been unthinkable to previous generations.” Basically, Twenge is implying that because teens are on their phone, usually at home, and never out with friends anymore, that they have no reason or motive to get their license. From my experience, I agree that more people are starting to get their licenses later in life, but I don’t believe we can make the generalization that it relates to the entire “iGen” population. I am part of this generation, yet I wanted to get my license as soon as I could, and I think that is the same for many teens my age. Overall, I thought Twenge made some really strong and thought provoking arguments, however, some are a little bit assumed.