Senior Capstone ℅ 2018

5-24-18

Technology and its Influence: An Autoethnography

Benny Diep
Los Angeles Leadership Academy HS, bdiep100371@laleadership.org
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Senior Capstone ℅ 2018

Technology and its Influence: An Autoethnography

Abstract
Technology has been constantly integrated into our modern day society. This research paper will
delve into how much of our lives it takes away from society. The following analysis was
conducted while reading the extensive findings by Nancy Baym, Carrie James, Gardner,
Howard, Jim Taylor, and Davis. From examining how teenagers communicate with social media,
their social interactions, and their family relations, it is clear that technology is becoming a
replacement for social engagements in a modern day teenagers’ life​.

Keywords​: ​Technology, modern, society

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Technology and its Influence: An Autoethnography

Benny Diep
Los Angeles Leadership Academy HS, Los Angeles, California, USA

Technology has been constantly integrated into our modern day society. This research paper will
delve into how much of our lives it takes away from society. The following analysis was
conducted while reading the extensive findings by Nancy Baym, Carrie James, Gardner,
Howard, Jim Taylor, and Davis. From examining how teenagers communicate with social
media, their social interactions, and their family relations, it is clear that technology is becoming
a replacement for social engagements in a modern day teenagers’ life.

The Incident

The moment I realized that technology made up a major part of my life was a normal

night during the summer of 2016 at home in Los Angeles; when there was suddenly a blackout. I

was in my bedroom playing video games with some friends online, when the power suddenly

went out. I assumed that it would come back on shortly, but in reality it lasted a couple of hours.

Soon after, I could hear my neighbors along with several family members talking about how the

power suddenly went off. I then went outside of my room to have a chat with my brother and

parents and saw what was going on in the neighborhood. After that, I realized whole block had

lost their power, and I could hear faint voices in the distance wondering what was happening.

Since I realized that the power wasn't going to come back on for a while, I desperately tried

finding something to occupy myself with in order to not succumb to my boredom, but there was

nothing to fill the void of not having access to technology.

I scavenged my house, talked to my brothers, parents, and neighbors yet there was

nothing that I could’ve done in order to preoccupy myself long enough for the power to come

back on. I then simply decided to just relax and have a nice conversation with my family. There

was this certain conversation that I vaguely remember with my family about us trying to find a
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source of light, so we could have a sense of where we were going. My brother said, “I am going

to look for a light source in my room, and maybe we can take this chance to actually talk to one

another like we did before.” My brother then went into his room and found a vanilla scented

candle as my dad grabbed a lighter from the drawer in the living room to provide us with a

temporary source of light until the power came back on. We then took this chance to have a

family talk for once, something that we would occasionally have many years prior. This specific

moment made me realize how much technology meant to me, and what it took away from the

“social norm” of a family life. Without this incident, there was really no telling what my

relationship with my family members would turn out, and also whether or not I find out certain

facts about my family members that I did not previously know.

Analysis

Introduction

Technology in the form of cellphones and computers have had significant social impacts

on the way teenagers engage in interactions. Since the release of cellphones and computers, their

convenience and sustainability have introduced a new social lifestyle for better or worse

depending on one’s perspective. Firstly, teenagers have evidently become “anti-social” due to

their lack of social interactions outside of technology. An example of this would be, ​“If at school

Zoe remains a somewhat shy but easy going and friendly person and online she expresses the

more assertive and sexual aspects of herself, she may feel increasingly frustrated if she can’t

connect her online and offline selves” (James, 2009, p.20). As a result of Zoe’s inconsistent

correlation with her personal identity both online and offline, it is clear that Zoe is beginning to
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transition into a more antisocial personality. This essay will research the variancy in technology

that affects teenagers and their social atmospheres.

Since technology has developed, teenagers have been caught up in its storm. The most

concerning matter about this topic would be their lack of social engagements. Teenagers also

tend to refrain from doing work, because they are preoccupied with technology. The essence of

Baym’s argument is that, “Digital media raise a variety of issues as we try to understand them,

their place in our lives, and their consequences for our personhood and relationships with

others”(Baym, 2016, p.2). Technology quickly became overwhelming, and thus depriving

teenagers of social interactions. From examining how teenagers communicate with social media,

their social interactions, and their family relations, it is clear that technology is becoming a

replacement for social engagements in a modern day teenagers’ life.

Study of Focus

This research paper will explore the influence of technology on modern day teenagers’

lives. When one envisions the 21st century, they immediately think of the digital age, thus

teenagers are often consumed by technology and all its applications. Technology and all its

applications refer to the modernized phones and computers people inhibit nowadays. Cellular

devices, laptops, PCs, and other forms of technology are what dominate the modern 21st century

society. Zachary Seward from The Atlantic states “​The first mobile phone call was made 40

years today, on April 3, 1973, by Motorola employee Martin Cooper. Using a prototype of what

would become the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x, the world's first commercial cell phone” (Seward,

2013, para. 1). Knowing that the first modern cell phone was released 40 years ago, this has

paved way for society to shape the 21st century modern phone to the new and addictive features
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it instills concurrently.​ This labeling has lead to, ​“It’s probably no surprise that students are

outpacing teachers in their familiarity with and use of technology — after all, today’s students

are part of a generation for whom technology use is almost as common as breathing” (Bellsouth,

2003, p.50). ​This makes one more accustomed to using technology than others, which leaves a

major impact on their lives by not leaving their home in order to have fun, communicating with

others, and finding out what may be going on elsewhere. This causes them to be out of place

with the world, and miss out on quality experiences.

Technological advancements are depriving teens of social interactions.

A book written by an American academic, Nancy Baym, PhD, entitled ​Personal

Connections in the Digital Age,​ explores the concerns of technological advancements in today’s

society and its effects on teenagers. Baym says ​“After millenia as creatures who engage in social

interaction face-to-face, the ability to communicate across distance at very high speeds disrupts

social understandings that are burned deep into our collective conscience” (Baym, 2016,p.5).

This statement clearly observes how much technology has advanced, which has caused an

increase in ways to communicate and constructed a new form of social interaction. Baym

continues to argue, “The separation of presence from communication offers us more control over

our social worlds yet subjects us to new forms of control, surveillance, and constraint.” (Baym,

2016,p.8). People tend to believe that since they are interacting with one another via text

messaging, social media, or any other digital application, they are developing healthy

relationships with one another, when in reality they are not. Having a new form of social

interaction deprives teenagers from other forms of communication such as face-to-face. For
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instance, “Teenager One” now has access to technology that he or she did not have prior; now he

feels less inclined to interact with others outside of technology (Baym, 2016).

Baym goes on to say, “When they are new, technologies affect how we see the world, our

communities, our relationships, and ourselves. They lead to social and cultural reorganization

and reflection” (Baym, 2016,p.15). This quote presents one with the idea that once some sort of

new technology comes out, our minds become ignorant to events that transpire around someone.

For instance, when a new iPhone comes out, people immediately want to find out about it and

obsess over it rather than focus on events that transpire around them. This makes one ponder

about their social relations, community, and true selves. Baym adds, “After millenia as creatures

who engage in social interaction face-to-face, the ability to communicate across distance at very

high speeds disrupts social understandings that are burned deep into our collective

conscience”(Baym, 2016,p.10). The “collective conscience” that Baym is speaking of consists of

interacting with someone face-to-face, but in today’s society, people communicate digitally

because of its convenience. Continuing online social interaction, one may pick up a new identity

and lose track of their who they used to be after communicating via technology rather than

face-to-face. They might seem to act completely different online than in person, leaving people

with the question, what is their true persona? In order for people to find out about what their

persona is can only be up to them and no one else can help. This correlates back to the idea of

how they do not interact socially with others as they try to figure out their personhood and

continue to use new forms of technology.

Technology is also causing a loss of identity among teenagers.

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A book written by Gardner, and Davis (2014), titled ​The App Generation: How Today's

Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World,​ describes how some

individuals are defined based off of technology. They continue to say, ​“If we are to claim that the

youth of today are defined by the technologies they favor, we need to consider how, in earlier

times, technologies-ranging from hand tools to telephones- may have affected or even defined

human beings, human nature, and human consciousness”(Gardner & Davis, 2014, p.13). This

quote conveys the message of how historically humans have been defined by technology.

Individuals that have been proactive in utilizing technology are now more prone to growing

certain habits among the type of technology they use. Francesc claims that, ​“Moreover, at home

the three main activities developed by teenagers are playing games, looking up information via

the Internet, and electronic communications via e-mail and instant messaging” (Francesc, 2008,

para.12). Identity is knowing exactly who one is, and is important in knowing one’s character

due to everyone having their very own unique identity, but since some identities are now shaped

online, people struggle to figure out who they truly are themselves. This can create a dilemma in

their future as they cannot figure out what makes them unique.

Teenagers are now losing touch with their families due to their obsession with technology.

Teenagers are losing touch with their families. Their social norm has shifted from being

close to their family to being distant ever since technology became widespread. Jim Taylor, PhD,

advocates, “First, children’s absorption in technology, from texting to playing video games, does

by their very nature limit their availability to communicate with their parents. In fact, with

headphones on or earbuds inserted, children are less likely to engage with their parents in any

way, whether a simple greeting or a lengthy conversation” (Taylor, 2013, para.2). This quote is
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arguing that since technology has developed, children have been constantly absorbed in such,

thus leading to them avoiding interactions with others. Since teenagers were already accustomed

to using technology, parents may have felt inclined to practice utilizing technology, but will

ultimately struggle since that is not what they are used to, thus leading to a bigger divide between

parent and child. This divide has been constantly developed as times have gone by, shifting from

a very interactive family life to what is currently just kinship to one another without any

closeness. This divide is more apparent when there is a generational gap between one another

due to the trends that they all grew up with since they were raised differently. Taylor then

continues to add, “Second, as digital immigrants, parents can struggle to gain proficiency and

comfort with the new technology that their digital-native children have already mastered”

(Taylor, 2013,para.3). Parents continue to try growing more accustomed with technology

because of how much they care for their children and want to be in their lives yet they struggle

with it. This struggle ultimately leads them into asking their children for help, but they will

constantly get annoyed, thus causing a disparity between one another.

This type of technology will only further develop, thus altering the social norm of what is

essentially a family. Taylor continues to add,

“Times have changed. New technology offers children independence from

their parents’ involvement in their social lives, with the use of mobile phones,

instant messaging, and social networking sites. Of course, children see this

technological divide between themselves and their parents as freedom from

over-involvement and intrusion on the part of their parents in their lives. Parents,

in turn, see it as a loss of connection to their children and an inability to maintain

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reasonable oversight, for the sake of safety and overall health, of their children’s

lives” (Taylor, 2013,para.5).

This quote states that an incentive for parents and children come within a middle ground in order

to regain the communication that was lost. Some families will be prepared for it, but others might

not care at all, thus leaving a disparity in their relationships.

Opinion:

All in all, technology has shifted the lives of modern day teenagers. Technology is a

leading cause of:; Loss of familial connection, personality changes, and social interactions.

Teenagers currently do not feel the need to connect face-to-face or with their parents due to the

new social norm that technology has created. Additionally, their priorities have been set to

activities online, therefore reinforcing the usage of technology and its convenience to utilize as a

social engaging platform for students alike. One can argue that this is a positive outcome of

having technology so prevalent within social norms since it allows teenagers to interact with

their peers online whether it be a long distance or short distance communication. This doesn’t

negate the obvious reliance that teens are gradually forming from their initial use of technology.

Francesc continues to analyze, “Typically their everyday lives are characterized by immediate

communication, via instant messenger, cellular conversations or text messaging. They cannot be

said to be passive at all regarding their use of digital media, since for example over two million

American children aged 6–17 already have their own website” (Francesc, 2008, para.3).​ ​Teens

now more than ever are establishing weaker bonds with their family, and more with their virtual

or school companions.

Conclusion:
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Time and time again​, we are rentranched in this ideology of a social norm when in reality

everyone differs on how society is meant to evolve, yet people fear this, and cannot deal with the

rapid progressions that are occuring. Nothing can stay the same forever, but it is important to be

open for change and not worry about repercussions. Being more open, social, and outgoing can

do all the best for an introvert. Less computer screen time will be an end-result of taking the

initiative to become more social. Hanging out with friends at restaurants, theaters, parks, and

anywhere else would be enough to satisfy the extended time spent on technology. It all starts

with oneself, being fed up at allowing technology to take over one’s day, and taking the

appropriate actions to become an extrovert. All it takes is the initiative and drive to alter the

social norms that were created.

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References

Baym, N. (2015). ​Personal Connections in the Digital Age​. Second edition. Polity: Malden, MA.

BellSouth Foundation. (2003).​ The Growing Technology Gap Between Schools and Students.

Findings from the BellSouth Foundation Power to Teach Program. Atlanta: BellSouth
Foundation. http://www.bellsouthfoundation.org/pdfs/pttreport03.pdf

Gardner, Howard, and Katie, D. (2014). ​The App Generation: How Today's Youth Navigate

Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World​. Yale Univ.

James, C. (2009). ​Young People, Ethics, and the New Digital Media: a Synthesis from the

GoodPlay Project​.

Francesc. P. (2008). “The New Millennium Learners: Challenging Our Views on Digital

Technologies and Learning.” ​Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy​, Universitetsforlaget,

https://www.idunn.no/dk/2007/04/the_new_millennium_learners_challenging_our_views
_on_digital_technologies_a?languageId=1

Seward, Z. (2013). “The First Mobile Phone Call Was Made 40 Years Ago Today”.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/04/the-first-mobile-phone-call-was

-made-40-years-ago-today/274611/

Silverstone, R. (2007). ​Media and Morality: on the Rise of the Mediapolis​.

Taylor, Jim. (2013). “Is Technology Creating a Family Divide?” ​Psychology Today​, Sussex

Publishers,

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-prime/201303/is-technology-creating-fam
ily-divide.