Irene says that the technology of modern day is not to blame for societal issues that have been unaddressed by multiple generations before us.
Social platforms and new technology have been villainized, unless the tech falls into valuable categories like medicine, robotics, or space exploration. While the internet has only existed for a short period of time, a dilemma has gradually proceeded where the blame is placed on new products or social norms, while the problems are actually deeply rooted in humanity.
In my opinion, public perception and peer pressure play a larger role in societal problems more so than the introduction of technology.
One one hand, the older generations provide a convincing narrative where major social issues seem to coincide with the rise of tech or modernization. A common story involves the adoption of social media posing a threat to mental health and self image. On top of privacy concerns and lack of regulation of harmful content, online bullying has characterized apps like Twitter & Facebook as seemingly dangerous to the health of individuals who utilize them.
That being said, it can also be argued that virtual communities can help people struggling through difficult health diagnosis & life traumas to find support & resources with ease; therefore it should be recognized that there’s nuance to the internet as a whole. After all, the internet only exists to house the opinions, thoughts, and actions of the people who consume their services.
The problem lies with the people, not the actual technology or media.
“It’s frustrating to hear elders chastise the younger population, even though they are just embracing the tools given to them."
Despite social media making societal constraints more transparent, the simple reality is that some problems naturally exist, with or without technology. While the statistics about body consciousness are now being highlighted, there has always been the pressure for women to look a certain way. While these pressures are most recognizable in beauty & fashion, the same expectations prevail through entertainment, industry, and politics. Also, video games have been criticized for making children more violent and depriving them of proper development. Again, even though video games can provide negative influences, they aren’t completely to blame because, not only does there have to be a conscious choice in purchasing & participating in game play, but they’re also a product of the current time & generation. Additionally, not all titles revolve around explicit content, since literature and video games have genres ranging from storytelling and history to sci-fi and adventure.
Honestly, it’s frustrating to hear elders chastise the younger population, even though they are just embracing the tools given to them.
Although we have yet to settle disparities & discrimination, the technology of modern day is not to blame for the societal issues that have been unaddressed by multiple generations before us.
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