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Yoong Ahn

Professor Jennifer Cayer

Writing the Essay Art and the World Fall 22 Sec 73 76 77

14 Nov 2022

Word Count: 2708

How increased communication mediums and frequency will shape the way we interact with and

perceive others as well as ourselves?

To increase comfort and reduce labor, humans invent, create, and discover at any cost.

Continuously, we have seen new technological advancements, significant or not, rapidly appear

all around the world despite any opposition. Though our initial relationship with technology has

been generally tangible - the wheel, the compass, the Rolodex - the last two centuries have

introduced a new age of digital discoveries that essentially reshaped its definition, thereby

making “technology” interchangeable with terms such as electronics, cyber, and automation.

Even more recently, with the smartphone now mainstream, communication within digital spaces

has been a top priority in the technological industry. As I notice how this technology develops at

such breakneck speeds, I find it hard to imagine that all of the problems within these new

discoveries have been accounted for.

Smartphones’ ability to allow people to instantaneously communicate with one another

from every corner of the globe has drastically increased the frequency in which humans intake

information. In turn, a new set of problems has been introduced that revolves around our changes

in social behavior. The source of this issue is inarguably a new communication medium that has
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taken the world by storm: social media. As many more recognize the negative impacts apps

including Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok can have, especially on adolescents, the widely

accepted solution has been to enforce self-discipline and simply refrain from using them as often

(Mayo Clinic Staff). American psychologist Jean M. Twenge reinforces this idea in her 2017

Atlantic article “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” adapted from her book “iGen:

Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less

Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood—and What That Means for the Rest of Us.”

(Twenge). The article introduces readers to a flurry of insights regarding teenage in/dependence,

socialization, as well as mental and physical health in order to present a clear correlation and

causation behind the majority of challenges Generation Z faces and smartphones.

Throughout the article, Twenge presents anecdotal evidence while also comparing

previous generations to the current youth through an academic yet relatable tone. With these

tools in place, Twenge consolidates a strong argument built around teenage health that appeals to

logos, ethos, and pathos in order to confidently place smartphones as the flaw that should be

avoided. Evidence of this is first seen in the overarching story Twenge retells that displays

Athena’s, a 13-year-old girl living in Houston, struggle with decreased personal interactions and

increased digital socialization (Twenge). As Athena states that “I’ve been on my phone more

than I’ve been with actual people,” and “More often, [she] and her friends spend time together on

their phones, unchaperoned”, Twenge illustrates a picture that many modern households may

find relatable. Whereas in previous generations teenagers would find any excuse to stay out late

and “...inhabit a world of their own, a world where they could drink, smoke, and make out in the

backs of their cars”, Twenge presents Athena as an example of how in today’s adolescents, more
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and more prefer their devices rather than physical interaction (Twenge). Why wouldn’t they?

With thousands of friends in the digital ether, alongside short-form entertainment and headline

news, smartphones can easily become a source of addiction. To confirm this, Twenge provides

statistics linking decreased physical interaction between teenagers to the advent of the

smartphone: “only about 56 percent of high-school seniors in 2015 went out on dates; for

Boomers and Gen Xers, the number was about 85 percent.” (Twenge). Furthermore, Twenge

includes infographics indicating that teenage sex and sleep decreased while loneliness and

depression increased more rapidly since the release of the iPhone (Twenge). As the article

continues, Twenge also considers other factors within lifestyle that are negatively affected by

technology including sleep, the development of social skills, and suicide (Twenge). Finally, by

wrapping up the article with a story about Athena slapping her friend for focusing on her phone

and ignoring her, Twenge provides a comical quip to allow the readers to develop a personal

connection with the writer and trust her findings (Twenge). However, even with all this

knowledge about the detrimental effects of smartphones, Twenge leaves her audience with a

solution akin to “just put it down”.

If one explained all the negative effects of a drug to an addict and concluded with “so

stop using”, it would be considered a great first step to help and possibly even a short-term

solution. However, sooner or later the craving re-ignites. Though smartphones specifically seem

like the antagonist, technology en masse has become a drug that holds information, finances,

assets, communities, and entertainment, thereby also making it a necessity. Therefore, despite the

many articles vocalizing Twenge’s exact same message, continuous technological developments

in social media have created further traction and caused addicts to maintain engaged. According
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to Pew Research Center, “The number of teens using social media, constantly have risen from

24% to 46%, from 2014-15 to 2022.” (Lenhart et al.). Though social media usage has continued

to increase, Twenge’s hope that “kids themselves are beginning to link some of their troubles to

their ever-present phone.” is going in a fruitful direction (Twenge). As a teenager myself, I have

personally seen many peers recognize the negative consequences behind smartphones and excess

integration with technology on a daily basis. Yet, it remains our main communication medium:

rather than using the call app, me and my friends would instead call with Instagram or Snapchat.

Technological literacy has increased, but I doubt Twenge is satisfied with this outcome.

Twenge’s dream for a reduced technological environment has indubitably already failed.

However, her main goal of providing teenagers with a mentally and physically healthier

upbringing can still persist. Ironically, the eventual solution may be even more and even better

technology.

Currently, this dip in teenage health and happiness due to technology is unavoidable.

Consumers at large will continue to struggle as the products they love continue to harm them.

However, considering the newest technological findings and theoretical projections for what’s to

come in the near future, the cliche “Rome wasn’t built in a day” may stand to be true in this

scenario. Instead of a downfall, this era could be a divot that will later project us into a safer

digital future. By comparing Twenge’s insights regarding how increased technology will ruin

generation Z alongside representations of the near future in works of art as well as recent

technological discoveries, I will explore how this new era of communication will shape the way

we interact with and perceive others as well as ourselves.

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Socially, technology has created an uprise in teenage unrest. In terms of why teenagers

online are more prone to depression, loneliness and suicide, Twenge alludes to the issue being

the lack of personal connection (Twenge). Whereas parties induce liveliness and socialization,

chat rooms feel disconnected and less human. Therefore, those who spend the majority of their

time online would feel more lonely. Furthermore, as Twenge states, “when they do congregate,

they document their hangouts relentlessly”, thereby “[exacerbating] the age-old teen concern

about being left out.” (Twenge). With the addictive nature of technology, a paradox is created

where teenagers want to go out and socialize in-person but are unmotivated to do so as they are

satisficed with their digital ecosystem. However, there is also an perspective Twenge fails to

view where technology can enhance both indoor and outdoor social experiences, thereby

allowing users a healthy balance between the digital and physical spaces we inhabit. As the

Netflix animated TV show Cyberpunk: Edgerunners presents, a more technologically integrated

future may prove to benefit teenagers in the long run.

Through Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, creator Rafal Jaki answers the question: what would

the world look like in 2076 if the tech-firms were left unhindered by the government (Kim).

Other than the dire economic and political consequences the show presents, Jaki includes

miniature vignettes into how a more digitally integrated society would function. For instance, in

contrast to Twenge’s statistically supported theory that smartphones are making us stay inside

more, Jaki’s future teenagers, including the main character David, continue to traverse the city

(Jaki). In order to highlight and romanticize the idea of outdoors, Jaki provides the audience with

many establishing scenic shots of both nature and cityscapes while implementing infrared and
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neon color palettes. With these visualizations alongside smooth animation, lens flares, and

cinematic lighting effects, who wouldn’t want to engage with Cyberpunk’s Night City?

As these futuristic kaleidoscopic skyscrapers grace my projector, I recognise its

inspiration from my hometown: Hong Kong. Looking back, my peers and I split our time fairly

evenly between outdoor activities and screen time. Being in a densely built city with

considerably the best public transport system in the world, forms of active and reasonably priced

entertainment such as laser tag, escape rooms, food arts, malls, and pub crawling were all within

10 minutes away from each other. As I was able to grow up in a region where technology is

further prioritized and provided with never ending funding, Hong Kong was able to help me

fulfill the same dopamine levels in different Physical social environments. Furthermore, during

COVID, I was more than satisfied with video chatting with my friends, playing video games

together, and even watching movies in the same virtual reality spaces. Of course, the advent of

higher definition graphics and more efficient system operators have guided the youth towards a

pathway directed to screens. However, Jaki’s show and my experience in Hong Kong both

display that when the social opportunities outdoors seem just as exciting and desirable as the

ones in a VR headset or a computer, a sustainable balance can be met.

With all this being said, Twenge’s argument on unhealthy teenage screen practices still

holds significance in the States. Throughout the many suburbs in America, there is a vast

difference between indoor-technological and outdoor entertainment when compared to Night

City or Hong Kong. However, even when considering American cities, the cost of entertainment

is outrageously expensive, thereby deterring the low-to-no-income teeangers from engaging with
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friends in a stimulating environment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New

Yorkers spend approximately 2509 USD on culture and entertainment per month; when

compared to the Koreans’ 108 USD per month, it’s clear as to why an American 13 year olds

would rather buy a 1 dollar Fortnight skin while Koreans spend that dollar on a full bottle of

Soju. These factors cause teenagers, especially young males, to turn towards gaming. The social

impacts of this are not limited to seclusion, but instead spans from consistent toxicity to racial

slurs and homicide threats. Though single-player role playing games will maintain as a

prominent genre, 10 out of 10 of the most popular games of 2022 are all focused on the concepts

of multiplayer, shooting, and sandbox - a video game genre in which the player is not

constrained to achieving specific goals and has a large degree of freedom to explore (Twinfinite

Staff). As both teammates and opponents are faceless strangers and constant communication is

heavily employed, it can be very difficult to extend empathy and the urge to get angry or make

someone else angry ensues, thereby giving way to rampant trolling and griefing - Gaming jargon

to describe cyberbullying.

This issue regarding constant online rudeness and bigotry extends past gaming and is

found prevalently in instagram, twitter, and youtube comment sections. Due to the anonymity

and safety behind a screen, any rude impulses teenagers have, which many know can be

frequent, can easily be fulfilled in an online space with little to no consequences. Furthermore,

the dehumanization of an opposition when they are nothing more than a username and a profile

photo diminishes one's obligation to treat others with respect, thereby giving way to bullying.

This may be one of the biggest reasons as to why one of Twenge’s statistics shows that “All

screen activities are linked to less happiness…” (Twenge). Logically, promoting the outdoors
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would be the solution - in fact, it is Twenge’s solution - but with so much of the teenage

ecosystem intertwined with the internet, it would be unreasonable to assume that any teenager

would give up their devices that easily. Instead of crucifying social media for allowing such

behavior, the problem could be tackled by improving digital empathy and prioritizing

humanization in virtual spaces.

Maudie thought her father had been dead for three years. However, upon realizing he

existed as a technologically uploaded intelligence, she decided to play a virtual reality game

alongside him. There was no human being on the other end, but within the digital realm, she saw

him through her VR headset, felt his hug through a haptic suit, and stood alongside him slashing

goblins left and right. Out of happiness, tears stream down Maudie’s eyes (Silverstein). Soon

after I, acting as the audience, shed a tear.

Through this scene AMC produced animated TV show Pantheon, creator Craig

Silverstein provides proof that when there are enough human characteristics, empathy can be

extended within social online platforms. In a TEDed speech, digital creator Dylan Marron

recounts how he decided to call and interview a few of his “haters” in his comment sections

(Marron). By casually conversing with them, they were able to quickly see the errors in their

ways and understand that on the other end of the keyboard lies another human being. One of the

interviewed named Doug states:

“...When I said that you were a "talentless hack" I had never conversed with you in my

life. Really. I didn't really know anything really about you. And I think that a lot of times that"s
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what the comment sections really are it's really a way to get your anger at the world out on

random profiles of strangers, pretty much.” (Marron).

When people are reduced to a photo and a name, few see the need to extend kindness or

even common decency. However, when there is a clear face, visible emotion, movement, among

a few other human features, social media users would feel more obligation to simply treat others

with respect. The question as to whether fabricating these human characteristics is possible in the

real world has already been answered by Meta, bHaptics, George Burger, OVR Technologies,

and Apple. Collectively, these companies have solved face tracking, haptic gloves and suits, VR

treadmills, virtual smell, and spatial audio. As technology continuously improves and further

integrates into our lives, every single one of these features will help immerse us into a digital

space where we can socialize with strangers in a more human-like fashion. However, even now

when commercial VR is nothing more than a headset and a pair of controllers, tens of thousands

of players are flocking to VRchat (aptly named virtual reality chatroom) to converse with

random individuals all around the world (VRChat Inc.). Though Twenge believes that the issue

is technology, I believe that the issue lies in people. Many are capable of empathy even when

traversing the internet; we see it in wholesome youtube videos’ comment sections, gofundme

campaigns, and answered reddit questions. However, for those who are not able to see the bigger

picture, it is clear that technology will soon provide them with everything necessary to force

them to act digitally as they do in reality.

Despite the many problems technology solves, another always seems to replace it. Most

recently the problem has been technology itself, and yet it still seems as if more and better
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technology will be the hero we desperately need and deserve. Due to smartphones, teenagers are

suffering through new social phenomenons - as Twenge blatantly presents throughout her article.

However, considering the trajectory in which society is creating and adapting to new technology,

a brighter future where we further coexist with our devices may slowly come to fruition.

Generations to come will continue to become more technologically literate; the gap between

organic and digital will inch closer and closer; Social entertainment indoors and outdoors will

progressively increase in quantity and quality; Communication will continue to become more

streamlined; and digital empathy will slowly become more achievable. So far, we taped our toes

into the hot bath of communicative technology and got singed. However, after waiting a few

more years for development, improvement, and innovation, hopefully we can properly slip into

the tub with more comfort.

Works Cited
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Jaki, Rafal. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. 12 Sept. 2022.

Kim, Matt. “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Review.” IGN, 13 Sept. 2022,

www.ign.com/articles/cyberpunk-edgerunners-review.

Lenhart, Amanda, et al. “Chapter 1: Basics of Teen Romantic Relationships.” Pew

Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, Pew Research Center: Internet, Science &

Tech, Oct. 2015, www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/10/01/basics-of-teen-romantic-

relationships/.

Marron, Dylan. “Empathy Is Not Endorsement | Dylan Marron | TED.” YouTube, 18 May

2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=waVUm5bhLbg&ab_channel=TED.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Meet Our Medical Editors - about This Site - Mayo Clinic.”

Mayoclinic.org, 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/about-this-site/meet-our-medical-editors.

Silverstein, Craig. “Pantheon.” AMC, 1 Sept. 2022.

Twenge, Jean M. “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” The Atlantic, 3 Aug.

2017, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-

generation/534198/.

Twinfinite Staff. “F2P Fantasy ARPG Tower of Fantasy Releases Massive Game

Update.” Twinfinite, 7 Nov. 2022, twinfinite.net/2022/11/f2p-fantasy-arpg-tower-of-

fantasy-releases-massive-game-update/.

VRChat Inc. “VRChat on Steam.” Store.steampowered.com, 1 Feb. 2017,

store.steampowered.com/app/438100/VRChat/.
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