By Ben S., Seventh Grade, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation
Take a moment and imagine a world without your phone, computer or television. It’s pretty hard, right?
Today, we cannot go anywhere without a device. Adults and children alike use technology for many hours a day with no limits. However, because there are negative long-term effects of technology, it is important to be careful with our devices.
People are becoming more reliant on devices with each passing day. According to an article posted on leftronic.com, 1 in every 5 Americans is smartphone dependent. This means that their phone usage exceeds in-person activities and interactions. Even children depend on their phones to remain connected and stay social.
According to Kristen Wavle, middle school counselor at Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation, children and teens have been on their screens more than ever during the pandemic.
“The pandemic forced many meetings and interactions to go digital, and kids need in-person interactions to communicate well as an adult,” Wavle said.
Another important consideration is technology addiction. According to an article on embark.com, the definition of technology addiction is “feeling the need to swipe, scroll, or post within a period of time.”
More generally, this means having obsessive behaviors related to device usage. Some of the effects of technology addiction are lack of attention and loss of impulse control. Said Wavle: “It makes your brain feel pleasure similar to drugs or such, which can be very unpromising for life in the future.”
People are not only on their phones in excessive ways, but they are also overusing other devices. Many kids own a gaming console, like an Xbox or PlayStation, and according to an article on webmd.com, gaming has proven very addictive, too. In fact, gaming addiction can be severe, and the side effects, including loss of focus and obsession, can be significant.
But technology is not always bad; it has many benefits.
KSDS seventh grade student Ben A. agrees that “technology addiction is terrible”; however, he said technology “allows [him] to connect with friends with a few taps of the screen.” Children can constantly be found talking to their friends on FaceTime, Discord and many other websites and apps that allow them to connect with ease.
Another advantage of technology is that it has allowed people to work online without having to go to their offices. During the pandemic, most employees did not go into their offices but worked from home on their computers. It was much easier and safer for them to attend online meetings as opposed to making the commute to meet face-to-face.
The situation was similar for students as well. Many schools closed, and students were forced to attend classes online. “Online school was nice because I didn’t have to go to school everyday, and I could sleep later,” Ben A. said.
“At KSDS we use computers all day for our work, and documents are a lot more accessible than papers and such,” said Ben A. Now that schools are back in-person, students use computers more than ever for their work like they did at home. As Ben A. noted, technology enables students to keep track of their documents and ensure organization with much more ease.
Our world is evolving rapidly with the help of technology. We need to use technology at our own risk because addiction is a very real and serious problem. However, we can use technology safely and wisely to connect with friends, be productive, and stay organized. Technology is our biggest tool yet biggest weakness in the modern world today.
Ben S. is a seventh grade student at the Krieger Schechter Day School at Chizuk Amuno Congregation.
Jmore Juniors Noah S. and Eli S. take a look at the differences between the Jewish communities of Baltimore and Chicago.
Madeline L., a seventh grade student at Krieger Schechter Day School, writes about the phenomenon that has been Starbucks over the past half-century.
An eighth grade student at Krieger Schechter Day School, Jmore Juniors writer Micah B answers an array of questions from his peers.
Jmore Junior Eitan Beck writes about the pros and cons of having electric cars in the future.