By Terra Han, Year 11
Apart from when I was about seven years old, I never thought that free time meant play time (in compliance with the article, what I mean by play time is the time for outdoor physical activities). Instead and without exception, I am occupied with my smartphone during leisure time. The thought of picking up my phone instead of heading outside is so natural that I was surprised reading about the kids in the 60s running out of what to do outside in the book To Kill A Mockingbird. Unlike them, my generation never lacks options, for smartphones overwhelm us with them. Smartphones are limitless as to how we can play with them, but also have evident drawbacks. In the article “Social media has become a grim fairy tale”, Kathleen Parker shows vehement criticism about phone usage among teenagers. As much as I agree with some of her arguments, I disagree with others.
I agree that social media is detrimental for adolescents’ mental health. Modern friendships are all about social media. It is the most effective way to strengthen existing friendships, make new friends, and connect faster with them. For instance, laughter is generated through Snapchat photos of each other and we start talking online or gaming with new friends without actually meeting them. All of these are done with such swiftness that it almost betrays professionalism. Chances are that such speed in interacting with people indicates less sincerity, devotion, and even interest in each other. Another problem is that photos and chats among friends go on quickly, which makes it difficult to catch up after you have missed something, and thus we are very prone to be left out if not on our devices. This is why I agree with Parker that loneliness and friendlessness have surged since the mass adoption of smartphones.
In contrast, I disagree with Parker’s conservative mindset. Older ways are bound to change. When kids were running outside in past years, we now utilize electronics to exercise; online dancing games and Pilates videos have replaced outdoor activities for some. Parker says that outdoor activities are essential to grow creative thinking and the ability to jump back up after a failure. In the modern world, software development or art programs help us think creatively, and learning platforms or therapy apps develop perseverance. To the parents in the article recounting their horror of witnessing what smartphones have done to their children, I want to ask if their concern is merely out of unquestioning criticism towards electronics just because they are something new to them? Parker depicts them as “sad” parents who helplessly watch their kids become grim and pessimistic. As much as there is an increasing possibility of feeling left out as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, her comment is an overreaction. What parents really should do is to educate the dangerous, yet pointless influence of social media, instead of simply extending the age for using phones to 16, as suggested by Parker. To conclude, there are fair points that I agree with, but the article is a dramatic warning about phone usage and a lot of unnecessary freaking out.
What is most concerning to me about social media is the ‘personality problem’ that the article briefly mentioned in its latter half. I would define the term ‘personality problem’ as being unable to communicate with emotional fluency. Social media shows people’s lives, words, and actions all around the world which indirectly controls impressionable teenagers on how they should talk and behave. These restrictions apply to everyone; since the smartphone boom, celebrities have been called out for saying something totally un/acceptable. Similar restrictions are now applying to us. This limits us to be overly conscious of what we say and hinders us from expressing natural emotions. While smartphones and social media are also prevalent among older generations, such personality problems are only found in teens and early-mid 20s. Why is that? It is because we are the only generation who ‘grew up’ with social media instead of ‘adapting’ it into our lives. Personality problems will only exacerbate as the generations pass, and thus require a solution. Let’s start by telling ourselves that social media does not regulate what we can express.
