Varghese, 1

Kevin Varghese
Wilson
HELA 10
25 February, 2015
Technology: Not as Benign as We Think
According to Albert Einstein, the renowned genius of our modern age who made
significant contributions to the advancement of technology in our society, It has become
appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. In todays world,
technology has become one of the largest influences in our lives. The latest iPhone, a new tablet,
the biggest game: these are all the things that are running through peoples heads from a very
young age. We say that the new generation is one of technological geniuses because they have
become proficient in many aspects of technology already, but this mastery is not necessarily a
positive thing. Over exposure to technology is harmful to youth because it is detrimental to
physical health, there is minimal control of the content that children view, and it cuts vital social
skills.
First, over exposure to technology is harmful to youth because it is detrimental to
physical health. According to Erica Loop, a journalist for the renowned Demand Media, our new
generation of kids is on average more obese because they are always sitting in front of a
computer or television. (Loop) This is a sadly true commentary on our up and coming
generation. Children of any time period love to spend leisure time enjoying themselves. Ten or
fifteen years ago, after getting back from school, the neighbourhood kids would gather in the culde-sac and plan that afternoons activities. This outdoor activity gave children the physical
activity that they needed in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as most games entailed running

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or practicing hand-eye coordination through various sports. Also, just breathing outdoor air is
beneficial for the body. But the new generation of kids is an extreme opposite. After getting
home from school, most youth set themselves down in front of the computer or television for
unrestricted hours on end of playing intense video games. With their friends, they play online
games until they tire themselves out, or until they have to sleep. Netflix is also a major cause for
extended screen times, as people participate in binge sessions of whole entire TV shows. This
entails watching twenty-five thirty-minute episodes of a show and sitting sedentary. This lack of
physical activity is made even more sad by the fact that adolescence is one of the crucial times
that human bodies actually require exercise. In the early phase of life, exercise is used to
strengthen bones so that they can support the body later on. Also, cardiovascular conditioning is
essential to prevent life threatening cardiac diseases or issues. As Chris Rowan, a pediatric
occupational therapist states, Child obesity and diabetes are now national epidemics in both
Canada and the U.S., causally related to technology overuse. (Rowan) This proves that the
youth of today have a physical disadvantage.
Second, over exposure to technology is harmful for youth because there is little control
over the content that they view. One counter argument that many advocates of technology use is
that it broadens the horizons of children is they have access to new information and resources
that they would not have had otherwise. (Smith) While this may be true, there are many things on
the internet that youth should not be exposed to. This cynical view on society and human nature
as a whole is unfortunately an accurate one. Pornography, brutality, and promotion of substance
abuse are all available in surplus. Handy tools like Incognito Mode allow someone to search
any disturbing image that they wish without any repercussions at all. As states Clinton Steyer of
CNN states, Your child can develop a warped sense of reality and what is, and isn't, acceptable

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when it comes to his actions. (Steyer) A political cartoon by Michael Farrington demonstrates
this idea. The cartoon features an adult reading the newspaper. On the front page, there is an
article detailing a recent school shooting. The father is wondering where kids learn to be violent,
and behind him, his son is playing a video game named Cop Killer. (Appendix) This acerbic
view on a major social issue is a valid commentary on the adverse effect that violent media has
on the cognitive function of the developing brain of a child. Today, the majority of kids play
video games with themes and content that is meant for people that are eighteen and older, and
these games will affect them for the rest of their lives. Exposure to violence put kids in a high
state of adrenaline and stress, which causes unease.
Finally, over exposure to technology is harmful for youth because it cuts some of their
vital social skills. The best evidence of this is a social experiment that was conducted by National
Public Radio. Twenty youth were tested on their ability to recognize social cues and to read
emotion. They were then taken to a summer camp where they had no access to any form of social
media, and they could only interact with each other. Two weeks later, they scored markedly
higher on the same test to read emotions on a face. (Summers) This proves that oversaturation of
social media and online interactions actually restricts the ability to interact in real-world social
interactions. It is safe to make the assumption that the majority of adolescents have some form of
social media. While some use social media in moderation, for most people social media is an
essential part of the human experience. Having over one thousand followers on Twitter is
considered an achievement in todays world. But the new generation has to be able to interact in
the real world as well. Scientific research is showing that they will have difficulty doing essential
tasks like interviewing for a job. (Summers) This fact is troubling because this future generation
is going to be the ones in power soon, and they will be expected to deal with society's problems.

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But how can they be expected to solve social issues if they cant even communicate and interact
with each other?
Technology is a tool, an asset that is meant to improve the quality of our lives. This tool
has become an essential part of our lives today, and it will continue to remain so in the years to
come. Many people who advocate the usage of technology will point to the fact that computer
literacy is essential if one wants to succeed in practically any field conceivable. They claim that
technology has brought us far from the Stone Ages when we squabbled over little things. (Smith)
And they would be accurate is stating these facts. Technology will always be a cornerstone of our
human experience that will help us to achieve previously inconceivable feats. But like anything
else in life, technology should be used in moderation and this is most crucial for developing
youth who are easily affected. If care is not taken, an overexposure to technology harm physical
health, expose children to inappropriate content, and it can undermine the development of vital
social skills. The duty lies upon parents to restrict the technology usage of their children.
Hopefully, the world that Einstein envisioned can be undone.

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Appendix

Farrington, Michael. A political cartoon about video games and school shootings. Digital image.
Procon.org. Pro-Con, 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.

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Works Cited
Farrington, Michael. A political cartoon about video games and school shootings. Digital image.
Procon.org. Pro-Con, 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.
Loop, Erica. "Exposing the Negative Effects of Technology on Kids." Everyday Life. Global
Post, 12 Apr. 2014. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.
Rowan, Cris. "The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 7 May 2013. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
Smith, Nick. "Ten Ways Technology Is Good for Kids." Herald-Review.com. Herald Review, 23
Mar. 2014. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.
Steyer, Clinton. "Is the Internet Hurting Children? - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 21
May 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
Summers, Juana. "Kids And Screen Time: What Does The Research Say?" NPR. NPR, 28 Aug.
2014. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.