Dependence is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the state of needing something or someone else for support and help.” As technology becomes a more integrated part of our lives, people question how dependent we are on it and how antisocial it makes us. Many have split opinions on whether or not we, as a society, are becoming addicted or the use of technology is simply benefitting our productivity.
College students spend a few months every year returning to their families for breaks and holidays. The use of technology at home versus at school is debated: when do we use it more?
Elizabethtown College junior Juliana Mowen said, “I use my cell phone more when I’m at school, I think. When I’m around my family at home, I rarely use it unless I talk to people at school or am trying to make plans with people from home.”
When separated from friends and professors that we want to keep in contact with, technology becomes very convenient. Emailing and messaging applications on cell phones make it incredibly easy to send a quick note to someone far away. Senior Marissa Jones agrees with Mowen. “All of our communication with professors and other students to organize meetings and events is facilitated through email or messaging systems. We start using the Internet for academic purposes, like finishing projects or doing research. However, there are so many distractions that we end up focusing more on various types of entertainment and social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, we come across,” she said. On the other hand, junior Michael Lammer uses his cell phone more at home. “All my friends are at school, so when I’m home, we’re far apart from each other. I like to keep in contact with them, see how they’re doing and what they’re up to.”
When it comes to making students antisocial, there is less agreement among them. “I do think technology makes us antisocial,” Lammer said. “Our dependence on it makes our society lonelier because talking through text or social media isn’t the same as face-to-face contact.” We find ourselves to be braver when we can hide behind our cell phones or a keyboard. There are often times things we say behind the safety of our technology we would never say to someone’s face.
Jones says technology makes her antisocial because “technology melts my brain. You don’t have to try hard to watch Netflix, you don’t have to go into the real world, and you don’t have to look good when you’re talking to someone through the phone.” Some people, however, take a different stance on this subject. Mowen, for instance, is split in her opinion: “I think certain kinds of technology make us antisocial. For instance, while playing video games such as Xbox, Play Station, Wii and Nintendo DS, you’re involved in a game and don’t talk to people or socialize while playing. Sometimes, even some games do allow you to interact with other gamers. But I think texting and calling do not make us antisocial because we’re talking to those people via that technology.”
While some people believe too much technology can take us away from reality, others say it helps us to stay connected. I believe there should be a happy medium when it comes to how much we use. We shouldn’t allow cell phones and technology to dominate our life or our communication with others. If we have the ability to meet with someone face-to-face, I find that much more appealing than texting for hours on end.
Whether or not society is dependent or addicted to technology is widely debated and often studied by psychologists. Jones despises the dependence she observes in people.
“I hate when we go out and everyone is always on their phones. It makes it that much harder to connect with the ones surrounding you when they should be your main priority at the time. I feel like technology makes things more complicated and I wish it were all simpler.”
When asked about her opinion on the usage of social media by students, she said, “I actually kind of like social media because it’s really good for homework. I am a music therapy major and we actively message each other concerning questions on assignments. It’s easy to get answers quickly if we need them because we know everyone constantly checks their phones. I also like social media because it’s nice to see posts from people I live far away from. I feel like I can still be a part of their lives, however, it becomes such a habit that it is almost like an addiction for our generation.”
