Technology can be all consuming, but at what cost? photo by Baxter Stein
As technology advances, creativity is limited as youth and adults become glued to their devices.
As a child, I used to go outside when I was bored. I would play on the hammock during the spring, go swimming in the summer, jump into a pile of leaves in the fall, and sled in the winter. I was not allowed to have a phone until I was in the sixth grade, and when I did eventually gain access to a phone, it had no games and a limited amount of data. Nowadays, I walk around the streets and see six-year-olds with iPhones that are better than mine. It is getting more difficult to try and prevent children from being addicted to technology at a young age because having a phone seems to be a part of a popularity contest. Creativity and imagination have been severely limited because both youths and adults spend too much time on these electronic devices.
The most high-tech thing that was around when I was younger was an iPod. Now, there are iPhone X’s and Macs with special features that are hard to resist. It is so much more tempting to purchase these kinds of devices lately, while it was much easier to hold back from splurging on tech ten years ago. Kids now are rewarded with these kinds of devices at young ages, meaning they can become addicted sooner as well. If they spend more time on their phones at such a young age, they will not likely want to play in the backyard or hang out with friends like I did. When they get to school, the only imagination they might have will be based on the apps on their phones, while my age group has memories of playing in the pool and going sledding over the holidays.
Creativity and imagination are so much more limited if the faces of young kids become glued to their screens. Boredom is usually the path to creativity because it helps us to find a way out of a slump. Yet, when games on phones and tablets of young kids are easily accessed, the time no longer needs to be filled. There are fewer people playing in the park, compared to the people sitting on the bench together texting other friends. There needs to be more regulation when it comes to screen time, so kids can be able to develop into a more creative individuals with an inventive thought process that could lead them to be more sophisticated.
Technology does not always hinder the imagination of children. The primary purpose of a cell phone is for it to be used as a tool that boosts the ingenuity of others. Technology does not always block creativity, as long as it is used in the right way. It is essential that we do not spend every minute of our free time on our phones, but that we use them for things like homework and drawing that could further develop our imagination. If everyone uses their phone wisely, their capacity for originality could improve immensely. Center of Communication and Technology (CCT) Magnet teacher Jerry Esparza is a huge supporter of technology. When Esparza was growing up, he only had TV’s and landlines, but as he grew up, he was able to see the evolution of technology, and believes that technology will be a great source as long as it is used properly. He says, “It’s a double-edged sword; it can be destructive if you rely too heavily on it and let it do everything for you, or it can be a very useful tool in enhancing your creativity.” The objective is to be the one controlling the phone, rather than letting it control you. As long as you handle the device as it was meant to be used, it can be very rewarding.
As more and more of us are born in the ‘Gen X’ time period, we will be raised differently than everyone else. Sure, our parents can prevent us from having a phone, but that could be very difficult because technology is so advanced and widely used. By not having a phone at a young age, we could feel left out next to the classmates who do. Ten years ago, the outliers had a phone in elementary school. Although it may be harder to prevent kids from getting phones at a young age, it is important to make sure they are using phones for good reasons that won’t affect their future.
People can prevent having a creativity crusher, as long as they use their device the way it was meant to be used: in a smart, limited manner. Do try and use your phone for as little time as possible, and do put down the phone and hang out with friends, preferably outside, as much as possible. Do not become addicted to the games and features on your phone, and do not allow your phone to rule your life. Enjoy being able to live in a technologically advanced world, because it is a pretty special time to be alive. Put the phone down and enjoy the sunset, rather than taking a picture or selfie in front of it. Lift your head up and realize that yes, there are some really cool devices out there, and yes, you can have one of these cool devices, but you cannot let this new world rule you. You must rule the new world yourself.
