As the future lays its course for us, many things have changed since our parents grew up. One major factor has been the growth of technology. I believe that although technology has helped us in many ways, it will make future generations lazier. All the predictions that we see on TV from years ago are coming true.

One example is self-driving cars. Elon Musk has produced Teslas which can be put into a self-driving mode. I think this is so cool and futuristic but future generations will lack basic knowledge such as the skills gained when learning to drive a car.

Not only has the world changed with cars, but social media has also made a huge impact on society. Although many people have jobs surrounding social media, it has arguably made Gen Z and future generations lazier. Social media allows us to disassociate ourselves from the world. We allow ourselves to rely on apps to bring us food and to get all the help we need from a push of a button.

“I believe that we humans have become far too reliant on technology; our reliance on instant information has led us to be lazy as a generation. This could lead to a detriment in future generations due to a lack of social progress,” stated Loyola High School’s James Jaburian ‘22.

Even watching my sister just sit on her phone instead of going outside and playing with the neighbors is so different to me because all I did growing up was play outside with my friends. I see younger generations focus simply on what is going on on their phones instead of the outside world.

I asked my sister’s friend, 7th grader Michelle Avetisova how she feels about technology, and she said, “I wouldn’t be able to communicate with others so it will cause fewer friends and may cause depression. With a phone I have a way to talk to my close friends and a way to socialize with new ones.”

No doubt technology has helped us for the better through research for new ideas and access to information at our fingertips.

“Having the internet readily accessible allows us to look up answers within seconds instead of pondering questions. It provides unrealistic instant gratification,” shared Shealyn Brannon ‘22.

”I think that it has allowed us to have access to apps that can deliver food to you or socialize and has eliminated the reason to go outside,” stated Dawson Scuderi ‘20.

This does not apply to all people but recent generations have had much easier access to things than older generations. This is not a bad thing; it just deprives future generations of basic living skills and doing things on our own. On average, teens spend about seven hours and 22 minutes on their phones.

“Since our generation has grown up with technology, I often find myself depending on it for answers and entertainment more than I should,” stated Rowan Cox ‘21.

I am not talking bad about technology; in fact, it has been of great use to me, I am simply stating that over the past years life has become lazier. For example, I would text my mom when she is in the other room instead of going to her.

As Crespi graduate John Serino ‘20 said,

“Technology is a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing in a way that has allowed certain tasks to become much easier, but a curse because we sometimes forget those exact tasks. Without that base inside of a topic, the information may get confusing. Everything is useful but in moderation.”

In conclusion, I believe that technology has helped us in many ways but also allowed us to disassociate ourselves from reality. It is a hard time to socialize with friends in person nowadays, but there are always ways to get out of the house and learn something more hands on to improve your life.