Opinion on Digital Technology

Introduction

Personally, I believe that emerging devices are addicting. About anyone can testify to the addictive nature of video games, mobile phones, and other wireless technology, as well as internet-connected computers. I tell this because I’ve seen how much time I waste on my tablet and other devices. At home, I struggle to complete household and other responsibilities because I am tempted to check my social media pages and chat with friends.

The Allure of Technology at the Dinner Table

The habit finds itself even at the dinner table, where, instead of concentrating on the meal and the family get-together, I steal quick glances at my phone to respond to text messages or browse through current updates on Facebook, Instagram, or Messenger. Admittedly, I do this even when my parents discourage chatting or device use around the dining table. Notwithstanding my personal connection to digital technologies, my siblings, cousins, and other younger relatives are caught up in a similar menace. One of my first cousins is in fifth grade, and all his life is about digital gaming. For him, a day cannot pass by without him getting glued to his tablet to play Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness, which, apparently, is his favorite video game. Because of the excess attachment to those devices, I can authoritatively deduce that digital addiction is a pervasive issue among children and young adults. As a result, I am intimating that attachment to technological gadgets is addictive.

Decreasing Addiction through Awareness Creation

By holding this opinion, I am acknowledging the adversity of technological attachment among the youth, and probably, by quantifying the prevalence of the issue, the addiction can perhaps be decreased. It is widely known that identifying a problem aids in the formulation of its possible resolution. And since my opinion explicates the addictiveness of the technological gadgets to users, perhaps awareness creation regarding the potential for device dependency could mediate a reduction in the time spent on them. Besides, I can unlearn the immense connection I have with my mobile phones and other cellular gadgets by devising my personal log regarding their use. Through these records, I will identify the time spent on each one of them and what I could have done differently if I had not considered using them during those moments. I believe that this practice will help me to design a tapering plan on my digital device use, which will eventually facilitate my unlearning of the dependency.

Finding Balance and Regaining Important Facets of Life

In as much as I will lose the fun and entertainment linked to the digital devices by holding this opinion, I will, however, not lose the thought of being a digital zombie or disengaged from my family members and other natural facets of life (bird watching, sight-seeing, nature thrills, etc.). It is undoubtedly true that most of the devices are engineered for fun, apart from the fact that too much reliance on device-derived entertainment makes the person forget other equally enjoyable aspects of their personal lives. When I fully depended on my devices for enjoyment, I was appalled by the incredulity of the entertainment I obtained from them; it was like being in an unexplainable world and getting all the satisfaction needed to keep life going. Nonetheless, I did not notice the damage I was doing not only to myself but to all those I once considered close. Fortunately, I had not crossed the zombie line because it would have been harder unlearning the addictive behavior. Therefore, this opinion helps me recover some important facets of my life that I considered inconsequential.

Social and Familial Pressures

There are different social/familial pressures affecting this opinion. First, almost all my peers and colleagues have some form of attachment to one or more devices. I find myself at odds when invited group gaming and I turn it down. I am aware that my actions are excluding me from the social fit I once enjoyed. Besides, I find myself involuntarily and admiringly staring at my colleagues as they whip out their devices in class. The peer pressure to engage in the practices I am trying to unlearn making it challenging to operationalize my opinion because I do not like being a misfit. However, the familial responsibilities at home reinforce my resolve. The family dinners, outdoor activities, and other engagements where I am required to actively engage my family members make me forget about the previous attachments I had with my digital devices. Since the pressures are counter-current, my inner drive mediates my resolution.

An Eye-Opening Moment

Although I was aware that I was spending unusual time attending to my gadgets, it was not until when, during one of the regular family dinners, I was browsing through Facebook when my food became cold. My parents had intentionally allowed me to continue with my usual touch and type business until everyone had eaten, and my mother deliberately dropped a spoon on the floor. The irritating sound jerked me from my stupor to glaring and astonishing looks from my parents. Even though I pretended to be devouring my full plate, my mother’s head shakes with hands resting on her chin and supported by the dinner table was all I needed to realize my mistake. I was becoming hooked to my smartphone. Feeling embarrassed, I left and went to my bedroom as I contemplated my actions. It was hard to admit, but it finally dawned on me that I was more connected to my device than the people who mattered most in my life. Despite my parent’s earlier intimation that I was slowly becoming a zombie, and the reality check confirmed the inevitable. Therefore, I opined that digital devices are addictive, and the addiction is progressive depending on the device use.

Varying Opinions and Future Clarity

Since my parents hold similar opinions regarding technological devices, I presume that there are limited variations in our ideologies regarding the devices. Although earlier on I had held contrary opinions to theirs concerning the subject matter, I believe that if anyone accords more time to their digital devices, then there is a high likelihood that they will be hooked in the process. My cousins resoundingly disregard the opinions as hogwash. After all, they opine that technologies were created for the millennials, and bearing in mind that my parents a bit old-fashioned, they may not fully understand the thrills associated with the devices. My friends hold similar sentiments to those of my cousins, though some of them resonate with my perceptions, especially those who have undergone related experiences. Nonetheless, given that research has shown possible addiction patterns among young people attached to the devices, perhaps future clarity on the matter will dawn on some of them.