In today’s society, technology has changed what it means to be human. The constant advances in technology have the human race obsessed as it has become a prominent, yet controversial creation.

“Technology connects us to a wide variety of information and people all around the world,” Katie S. ‘21 said.

The way the world functions has changed because of technology. What was once an unknown fact, can now be discovered within seconds. It has the undeniable power to influence individuals in both positive and negative ways.  

There are forms of technology geared towards kids and adults, so this topic reaches all ages.

Social media platforms in specific, have evolved because of technology. They have the ability to flip the average person’s life upside down. Social media users experience this first hand as they witness the term “overnight fame” come to life.

A job titled Social Media Influencer, allows individuals to gain fan bases and make money off of both sponsored posts and original content. This way of life is popular amongst teens as it glamorizes technology, and proves it is possible to succeed through the use of it. 

Influences with 10-50 thousand followers on a social platform can make over $1,000 per sponsored post, and influencers with one million followers or more can charge over $100,000 per post, according to Vox.com.

Social media is a prime example of how cell phones provide new means of social interaction and communication for the average person. 

Along with the text message app on phones, social media gives people a private place to talk, at any time of day. This means, individuals do not have to wait to see each other in person to catch up through conversation.

“Social media has heavily impacted my social life. I rely on apps such as Snapchat and Instagram as they have allowed me to make a lot of new friends,” Bennett P. ‘22 said.

While the informational and social connector role technology plays stands as a positive, the lack of face to face interactions as a result, are a negative.

It is now common for people to lack traditional social skills because technology allows everything to be done online. Examples of this are everywhere as people are always consumed by their phones.

In school, when a teacher ends class early, students have free time. Before technology was around, students would talk amongst each other and interact. Now, when a class ends early, students go straight to their phones. They check their social media, and the room is silent. 

“If I talk with friends, we talk in whispers. It is almost as if we can not break the silence,” Lauren H. ‘22 said.

The average teen is on their phone for approximately seven hours and 22 minutes a day, according to ABCNews. This often exceeds the average amount of sleep a high school student gets per night.

“I do not want to fight technology, but when it comes to phones at school, they are a negative. It is a paradox because while technology is helpful in terms of being an easy reference to facts and definitions, students do not need phones to collaborate and engage,” English teacher Erin Williams said.

Teachers can enforce cell phone policies during class time, but when class is over, cell phone usage is out of their control.

“Teachers are no longer the gatekeepers of information. I have always had technology as a tool when teaching, so I have learned to shift my mindset. My goal is to encourage curiosity and let students use technology responsibly,” Williams said.

In reality, the usage of technology will continue to grow over time, so society must adapt. 

The advancement in technology has also altered how the workforce is run. This is because employees and customers now approach their work with a digital mind-set.

“Much of my time at work is spent on a strategy called the Associate Digital Experience. This work focuses on the creation of consumer-like experiences for our employees. Their expectations continue to grow based on what they can do outside of work via digital/mobile- people want those same capabilities at work. We work to roll out workplace capabilities digitally, to make it easier for our employees to access information,” NationWide employee Lisa Hughes said.

The ability to live a quick and savvy lifestyle is possible because of technology. 

Since technology is used in school and the workplace, kids and parents are always around it. Technology has modernized the average family, which is why there is a significant difference between how families function today, compared to in the past.

“Technology puts efficient information at our fingertips. For example, our family has an Apple home pod, and we use it to play music. No need for a radio. We also use it to ask Siri questions about weather or news. Streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney+  have eliminated the need for cable. Our daughter has a phone. This makes us feel secure because we are only a text or call away, and she can get ahold of us when she needs to,” community member Sarah Cisler said. 

The creation of technology requires high level thoughts, yet the use of it is reduced into simple forms. Its simplicity draws people in, and allows everyone to feel included through the use of it. When used the right way, it allows people to expand their knowledge and impact the world in beneficial ways.

“The ideal situation, is a world with the smarts we have today because of technology, with the personable relationships of the past,” Olivia J. ‘22 said.