Racheal Smith
Professor Adisa
English 099
12/5/18
Society’s Drastic change
The Statics portal states that in 2016, 62.9 percent of the world owned a phone. Technology is becoming addictive for many people and it is affecting their life. Technology is continuing to advance more and more every day. Since it is advancing, it is changing people to the point they feel like they cannot live without it. Society continues to change in various ways, and technology is a contributing factor to most of these changes. On June 26th, 2015, gay marriage was legalized in the United States. The passing of this law was beneficial because it allowed people to express love to each other regardless of their gender, but also caused many controversies and changes in traditional families.
First and foremost, technology is one of the main reasons why society is changing. Technology is becoming so advanced that it is taking over our lives. For an example, in the article “The Flight from Conversation” by Sherry Turkle, she writes about how technology is changing the way we communicate with others. She writes how technology has negatively impacted younger generations’ communication skills due to their dependence on cell phones. This generation has become accustomed to texting instead of having face to face conversations. Similarly, Alex Williams’ article “Quality Time Redefined” explains how technology is also affecting the way families spend time together. For example, Williams writes, “families sharing a common space, but plugged into entirely separate planes of existence through technology.” Instead of hanging out in the living room and talking and engaging, families tend to separate and do things on their own things while being next to each other. Some people even have conversation through text even if they are next to the person they are texting. Technology affects more than families and face to face conversations.
In addition, technology also affects driving and performance in school. In the article “The National Institute of Health”, it discusses how many people are so hooked to their phones, and their inability to drive without using it. NHTS reports that in 2013 alone, there were a total of 45 teenage drivers and 161 drivers killed in cell phone distraction crashes. If there were that many crashes from cell phones in 2013, the amount is most likely doubled, or tripled. Cell phone use has increased immensely in the past 5 years, resulting in the amount of car crashes increasing as well. In terms of education, Bringing cell phones to school has both positive and negative effects on the students’ learning environment. It can be beneficial to learning but it can also be a distraction to the students. In the article “ Cell Phones in School” by a Cengage Company, it discusses how students and teachers can use their phones for educational purposes and to stay in touch with their families. However, if the cell phones are used in the wrong way it can distract students from learning. The temptation to look at text messages, or social media is hard to fight. In the article, a study found that 50% of teenagers said they were addicted to their cell phones, 72% said that they respond immediately to calls and text messages and 78% said that they check their phones at least hourly. Technology is more of a distraction than helpful.
Although technology can make our lives easier, it can also have a negative impact on our lives. When people get addicted to their devices, it can create many problems. Knowing how to communicate face to face is an important skill to have because you need to know how to communicate for many important things, such as interviews. Technology is taking away people’s social skills, and it can be hard to learn if you are just used to texting. Families are no longer spending quality time by playing games and talking about random things. Instead, family members tend to focus on their devices instead of focusing on each other. Technology is also increasing the amount of deaths through cell phone related car crashes. Drivers believe they can drive safely while being on their phones, but that can lead to death or injuries. Studies have shown that texting while driving is just as bad as driving while intoxicated. Education is very important and if students are always on their phones, they will not learn. If they do not learn because they are distracted, it can affect their grades, as well as their future. Society is changing in many different ways and some of them are not related to technology.
A traditional family would be seen as a husband, wife and kids. But the traditional family is also changing. The husband usually works, and the wife usually would stay at home and do housework and take care of the children. According to the article “Modern family?” by Mona Charen, the traditional family is being replaced. Now, families can have two moms, or two dads and single moms have picked up the role of being the “ breadwinners.” Even if the traditional families are not changing for the worse, it is still changing. In the article, “Do Millennial Men Want Stay-At-Home-Wives” by Stephanie Coontz, It talks about how gender equality in marriages might end up happening. The husband and the wife would both work and do house work. Some men believe that both parents should make money while others think if men do the working life will be less stressful.
In contrast, In the Memoir A Chance in the World by Steve Pemberton, technology was not involved in his life. Pemberton did not have a traditional family, instead he was in different foster homes throughout his life. In each foster home he was abused and neglected, but he kept pushing forward. Pemberton also was not addicted to technology when he was young. He never lost hope, and he was determined to make his future successful. He ended up making his own family and he shared his journey by making a book for people who can relate to his situation. Even though he did not have a stable family like most people, that did not stop him from overcoming all his challenges.
Technology is becoming an important part of many people’s daily routines. It can result in not becoming successful, and like mentioned above, death. You do not need to be addicted to devices to be successful, and an example of that is Pemberton’s journey. Although it can be helpful, it is making society change for the worse in many ways. Traditional families are also changing but it can be for the better. If both parents have equal roles, they would profit more money and that can make life easier because it is expensive to live in this world. But at the same time, children would not see their parents as much if they are always working. Society will not stay the same forever, but if it is changing for the worse, it can really affect the society.
Work cited page
Charen, Mona. “Modern Family?” 28 Feb. 2014
Pemberton, Steve. A Chance in the World: an Orphan Boy, a Mysterious Past, and How He Found a Place Called Home. Thomas Nelson, 2018.
Williams, Alex. “Quality Time Redefined.” 2011
Turkle, Sherry. “ The Flight from Conversation.” 22 Apr. 2012
National Institutes of Health. “Adolescent cellphone use while driving.” June.2016
Gale. “Cell Phones in School.” 2018
"Number of Mobile Phone Users Worldwide 2015-2020." Statista. Accessed December 10, 2018. https://www.statista.com/statistics/274774/forecast-of-mobile-phone-users-worldwide/.