Technology Vs Identity
Patrick Delgobbo
ENG 105
Macy McDonald
April 27th 2018
Technology is a beautiful field of constant innovation and change, progressing how we experience life, however, is it for the betterment of humanity? Change is happening; that much is undeniable. Whether it be Orwellian in nature or like an episode of the Netflix series, Black Mirror, technology plays a fundamental role in how we function, proving to be a concern shared amongst many. As technology use grows within our society we must be prepared to face the consequences in which lie before us. The shift in personal identity is one of these ramifications that may impact the lives of heavy tech users around the globe. We are already seeing these changes in identity though the need of validation through social media. We rely on these devices to perform most of our daily tasks and needs but is this really the life we want to live?
External forces including the constantly evolving technology we use every day may have a noticeable effect on us, seen, “…on the micro- cellular structure and complex biochemistry of our brains”. The article further develops this idea that these alterations to our brains can alter our perception of ourselves, who we are and what makes us – us. In short, our identities. The concept of individuality came with the growth of technology, having, “…arrived with the Industrial Revolution, which for the first time offered rewards for initiative, ingenuity and ambition. Suddenly, people had their own life stories - ones which could be shaped by their own thoughts and actions. For the first time, individuals had a real sense of self”. Unfortunately, the sense of self developed because of the Industrial Revolution may soon falter and fade into something bizarre. We rely on these devices to push us further in to the world though connecting via social media where in the Industrial revolution we saw great innovation by solving the problems of finding a better way of communicating, production, and all around creating a more productive living environment. What our devices have created for us is a halt in this need to move further. Why should we find and easier way of living when all our needs are in our pockets? There is no longer a strive for innovation to the expanse of where we were even fifty years ago. Technology is breaking the identity of modern inventors and innovators by hindering their ambition to push forward. Our generation faces many more complex problems facing self-identity than any generation before us.
Productivity, the ability to produce and function, is heavily influenced with tech growth as well. To tie in with the loss of ambition, the loss of productivity effect the busy mind of the modern person. There’s an overreliance on things we use every day, like phones, leaving us vulnerable. A study by Microsoft concluded that, “’heavy multi-screeners find it difficult to filter out irrelevant stimuli — they’re more easily distracted by multiple streams of media.’ In other words, it’s hard to complete a necessary task when our phone signals in incoming message”. Furthermore, it’s noted that the distractions that come with technology we use daily, like phones and computers, “…impact our productivity, relationships, and ability to learn”. Since the dawn of time, humans have strived to learn new skills, build cities and have big dreams for the future. When these devices are glued to our hands we lose this ability to produce a contemporary society. Constant attention to these devices take away from the thought of tomorrow and replaces it with the present. Screens also impair attitude. “Hundreds of clinical studies show that screens increase depression, anxiety and aggression and can even lead to psychotic-like features where the video gamer loses touch with reality”. These side effects of technology block one’s identity to progress. Our generation is unlike any other due to our new tech. While those before us had the ability to look for problems to solve in the world and develop innovative ideas, we now sit on our ass and watch YouTube videos of cats dancing. Is this really what the identity of our generation should be?
Addiction is another impact resulting from technology, hindering our ability to function, like substance abuse. We’ve all checked our phones, often too frequently, looking for validation from others in the form of likes from others on a multitude of social media platforms. As I mention, it’s painstakingly, “similar to chemical dependence”. It’s unfortunate, but the, “…built-in gratification is hard to resist. We simply can’t stop ourselves from compulsively checking our texts and scrolling down our social media feeds”, a problem experienced by most of developed society. Tech is shifting us from a society that values each other’s presence to one that values affirmation and validation in the form of likes from others. The part that makes me compare tech to an addiction of drugs is the, “… flood of dopamine that makes us feel wonderful in the short term, though in the long term you build a tolerance and want more”. What scares me most is that with the death of individuality comes crumbling boundaries. Boundaries are getting weaker, seen in the news with Facebook and other social media platforms. The thing about this is we willingly give this information about ourselves if there’s something in it for us. Will we see the day where we give something valuable, something we cherish deeply, for the latest generation of gadgetry? I certainly hope not. Our identity is being broken down day by day with the expanse of technology. How can one be self-confident without the affirmation of others via social media? The joy in reading a book, meeting friends or riding a bike through your neighborhood is dwindling. Instead this feeling is being replaced with the bliss of winning a video game, receiving a comment about a picture you posted of your dog, or even getting a notification that your crush texted back. In my opinion society is moving backwards through this warp of self-approval and delight.
With the advancement of technology there has been a huge expanse in social media platforms. I believe social media has the greatest impact on one’s identity because of the way identity can “shift from being internally to externally driven” in a matter of seconds. One minute you could be praising yourself for holding the door open for an elderly person and feeling good about yourself. But then the next minute you could look down at your phone and see that someone posted a bad comment on a picture you posted and immediately lose that feeling of self-happiness. A situation occurred involving a young girl who “opened up about her feelings on the site, which allows users to pose questions others can respond to anonymously... Anonymous posters urged Smith to cut herself and drink bleach. One even said, ‘Do us all a favour n kill ur self.’” These comments effected the poor girl so much that she “did just that a month later, her father blamed the anonymity of Ask.fm's commenters for his daughter's death. The family demanded action against the site, and Smith's death made international headlines about the effects of cyberbullying.” This is just an example of an extreme situation where social media effected a girl’s identity. This type of cyberbullying occurs because people are unaware that “They do and say things online that they ordinarily wouldn't do because it doesn't feel real to them. But what you do in cyberspace follows you into real space.” This way of thinking effects one’s identity by taking away the notion of politeness and respect for others. A person can act completely different on social media because they don’t have to worry about the face to face confrontation that comes from a situation. It is a way for someone to hide after saying something they may not have in person. Social media is a way for people to express emotions and feelings they may not want to convey in the real world. This way of thought alters self-identity as we know it and dangerously leads to a future we may not know how to handle.
While these technologies give us easy lives, is that what society truly needs? Our identities have shifted so much from our ambitious working lives to our lethargic behavior and constant use of devices. Yes, technology has helped advance the face of society but, the way we have grown to use these advantages has driven us away from a moving civilization. We now seek for validation through social media, lose the drive of innovation, and overall stop us from being who we truly are. Hard working, innovative, hopeful human beings. Let go of your phones and dive into the world to be greeted with your real identity, not your technology driven life in which you’re trapped within.
Works Cited
“5 Ways Technology Is Altering Our Brains.” Samuel Merritt University, 15 Mar. 2017, www.samuelmerritt.edu/news/2017/5-ways-technology-altering-our-brains. Accessed 24 April 2018.
“6 Ways Digital Media Impacts the Brain.” InformED, 18 Jan. 2017, www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/5-ways-digital-media-impacts-brain/. Accessed 24 April 2018.
Johnson, Chandra. “Growing up Digital: How the Internet Affects Teen Identity.” DeseretNews.com, Deseret News, 28 May 2014, www.deseretnews.com/article/865603981/Growing-up-digital-How-the-Internet-affects-teen-identity.html. Accessed 25 April 2018.
“Modern Technology Is Changing the Way Our Brains Work, Says Neuroscientist.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 21 May 2008, www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-565207/Modern-technology-changing-way-brains-work-says-neuroscientist.html. Accessed 25 April 2018.
“Technology: Is Technology Stealing Our (Self) Identities?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers,www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-prime/201107/technology-is-technology-stealing-our-self-identities. Accessed 26 April 2018.
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