Is My SmartPhone Hurting Me?

 Are Smartphones Ruining People? Two Different Perspectives Compared!

People have discussed the impact that smartphones have had on younger people for years. In Jean Twenge's essay, "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation," She argues that smartphones have contributed to the rise of loneliness, depression, and a lack of social connections among younger people. However, In Sarah Rose Cavanagh's essay "No, Smartphones Are Not Destroying a Generation", It takes a very different stance, it suggests that Twenge’s ideas are an exaggeration and that the effects that technology has had is more nuanced than she is making it out to be. 

Now looking at my own experience with smartphones, I got my first smartphone when I was 13. Having a smartphone definitely changed the routine of my daily life. Their were some positive things about having a smartphone like it helped me stay in touch with my friends, sometimes helped me with my schoolwork, and most of all it entertained me. However, I also noticed that spending too much time on my phone made me feel sort of depressed and like I am wasting my life. I noticed myself getting pretty addicted quickly. For example, If I did not have my phone with me all the time of is someone took it from me, I would get stressed out and upset. However, the older I got the more time I could spend away from my phone and live in the moment. 

What we can learn from these two arguments is that Twenge raises an important point about the negative effects that too much screen time can have on you. Cavanagh reminds people to look at the bigger picture before blaming smartphones for all the problems. The key idea is to balance between using technology to benefit you in a good way and to not letting it completely control your life.