My Relationship With Technology

Sometimes I like to convince myself that I'm not addicted to my phone, but as I sit here, writing this blog post, my phone is right next to me. Even if I put it in another room, I still wonder if anyone called me, posted anything, etc. Most of my generation is also like this. We grew up in a world of technology. I was only three years old when the first iPhone was released. I remember begging my parents to get me an iPhone in sixth grade because "it was cool". When I finally got an iPhone, my parents had a rule I could only use it for games and to text or call loved ones. I wasn't allowed to bring it to school or use it before finishing my homework. I respected these rules but I always saw my friends or older people on their phones all the time. Once I got a little older, things changed. My parents let me bring it to school. I would Facetime my friends and I downloaded my first social media app, Instagram. Fast forward to now, I have every social media app there is, and all my data is filled. 

Now VS Then

Obviously, there has been a drastic technological change in the last 50 years. While watching the videos in class, I found it interesting that most of the things mentioned are true. We have hotels underwater, people have gone to the moon, we have insane cities. The one thing they should have talked about though was how it would really affect us as humans. Although technology and iPhones have their positives, they still do have negatives. It can create a bubble for people making them forget about social cues. My biggest pet peeve is when I am driving someone and they are sitting on their phone the whole time. I understand if you are texting someone important but the whole drive is crazy! I believe our generation needs to improve in many aspects due to technology, iPhones, and even social media. When watching the second video in class, it had shown iPhone addiction and social media standards. One woman was in a dirty, dark room seeming depressed and sad but once she hoped on social to post something, she was happy, looking beautiful with a nice room. This explains social media exactly. Social media can be a place for catching up with friends, family, and entertainment, but it is also filled with fakeness and filters. Social media can be a great thing, but it is also very scary. Social media is a place to promote small businesses. It can give someone a career or give someone fame. I can think of so many people who use social media as something to give them business. 

How Does Technology Affect Me?

Technology affects my whole life and my future. It has made a whole new world and lifestyle we could have never imagined. It has given people careers, and education. One part of technology that sticks out to me the most is social media. Social media is something that allows people to connect to others. When listening to recent presentations about social media, I found it interesting how it can really change someone's life. Social media is also so important for a digital footprint of yourself. Supervisors, managers, or anyone hiring you can look you up quickly on social media. It can make or break you.

I believe that digital footprints are so important because they allow you to make a brand for yourself. When people look you up, whether that is on social media or Google, they can figure out everything about you. I think it is important to be graceful with what you post on social media or on the internet. Over the many years of being on social media, I have learned a lot. I have learned what to post, what not to post, who to follow, and who not to follow - there are so many rules! Social media can be an amazing place, but it is also scary. Digital footprints can really make you someone you don't want to be.

When I think of my relationship with technology, I believe it is good but I have seen others have some issues with it. While watching the videos in class, I noticed they had mentioned the "beauty standards" of social media. One thing I have seen all over social media is the beauty standard and how it affects women and young girls. I believe this is a huge negative to social media. Influencers can become famous just by the way they look - perfect hair, perfect body, perfect life. Social media has created a bubble for women to compare themselves to others. This can cause depression, eating disorders, or just as simple as insecurities. 

According to an article about People's magazine, around 80% of women tend to compare themselves to others on social media. When watching the video, you can see that not everyone's lives are perfect like the way they post. This can cause many issues as women see these people they want to become but can't get there. There are catfishes, fake identities, and untrustworthy on the internet. From what I have seen, it is hard to find an influencer who is real and doesn't use filters on their videos. 

My Take on Technology

Overall, I really do think technology is a great thing. I think it has expanded our brains and it has become such an important thing in everyone's daily life. iPhones, social media, and other recent technology have all become careers for people. They enable people to show themselves and give themselves a name. Although there are positives, there are so many negatives that we cannot control. On the internet, there will always be fake people. It is so hard to find real, genuine people because they want their money. They want to create a world and a bubble for people to watch. Essentially, they want people to think they can be like them, but in reality, they can't. Some people grow this fame and have platforms solely on how they look. Nothing we do is going to stop that from happening. I think it is so interesting how people complain about this happening when really, it is us letting it happen. Since people are attached to their phones, they continue to make people have these platforms and have these fake lives. If people wanted this to stop, they would have to stop using these apps. 

As I said in the beginning, I would like to convince myself I'm not addicted to my phone. If I am totally honest, I am. As is everyone else my age. I don't feel ashamed of it because it is something I love. As someone studying social media and digital communication, technology is something I have to know and I have to be good at. Do I have bad habits with my phone? Yes. Do I use it when I shouldn't? Yes. Do I compare myself to others yet still support and follow them? Yes, of course I do. That's just the world we are now. I believe that everyone does this, whether you want to admit it or not, everyone has bad habits with their phones. As much of a tool as your phone is, it is also a highly addictive device that some people cannot put down.