A boy at my school never likes to talk to his friends in the hallways and at lunch. He his just awkward in public and he makes every conversation seem very eerie. It’s a whole different ball game when he is on his computer or phone. He talks so electrifying, extrovert, and humorous only on his technical devices. His technology has made this boy more socially awkward due to not learning how to communicate in person. Instead it has made him think that technology is the true way of communicating when truthfully its not! People say that technology has made teenagers more socially awkward and has distracted them from the real world. Such as distracting them from their school studies and spending time with family and friends. Also they say that the online chatting makes people become more socially awkward. The other side of the argument says that technology bring the teenagers closer and expands their relationships. Also insist that it draws them closet to their soundings by news and updates. The use of today’s technology has total affect on teenager’s social skills, which makes their social skill weaken.
The teenagers today are having trouble spending less time with family and friends due to their busy schedules. The technology such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Ichat has stolen countless hours of teenagers’ time. That doesn’t help the teenager become more protective with its busy schedule. It’s a huge procrastination tool that abuses teenagers with every aspect. Those hours are useless to the teenager while using it on the computer. When they could use that time with doing stuff that would benefit them, such as talking to their families. Has Affronso has said, ”Data showed that as people in this sample used internet more, they reported keeping up with fewer friends. They also reported spending less time with families…”(1). The rate of friendships are decreasing said Song, “Interaction between individuals is slowly diminishing as people turn to their technological devices instead of attempting to make new acquaintance…” (1). When teenagers depend only on communicating by technology it’s going to make their social skills decreases. As Nie and Hillyguns agrees, “The data shown in the chart show that non-internet users are more social than internet uses-so when a person uses internet for communication they spend less time face to face with anyone”(1). I totally agree and the perfect example is the boy at my school. He realizes on the internet to make more friends and to become closer with his current friends.
The other side of the argument states that teenager’s technology improves their social skills and makes friendships stronger. “There are also those who claim that the Ipod does more to unite people than it does divide them”(Harris1). There is noting wrong with listing to some music but it is something wrong when teenagers try to block out their soundings by the music. In no way it can make them more social when they cant talk or listing to other people when music is blaring in their ears. It can also be very rude to be in public when listing to you music it tells people that you don’t want to hear them. While some people disagree like Coget and Yutaka, “The internet can foster openness, self confidence, and a greater sense of ease and comfort in dealing with others”(1).
The technology used by teenagers doesn’t help them, it hurts them by losing the understandings of social skills and true communication. The teenagers today are going to be the leaders in this country in the future. That’s why it’s more than important to develop them to be highly educated and well mannered. While improving their social skills well make them more successful in the future. We don’t need teenagers to be concentrated on useless technology, instead they should be focused on the right priorities they have.