Article Analysis Essay on "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation"

Introduction

Jean M. Twenge, is a renowned author and professor of psychology at San Diego State University who has written more than 140 scientific publications and books. His article, "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation" will form the center of the paper's discussion. From a millennial perspective, it is appropriate to state that Twenge's article is much accurate. Typical millennials would consider themselves as some of the "young people" being victims of technology. Technology affects young people in varying proportions with common issues being the loss of focus, negative self-esteem brought about by social media, and having unbalanced emotions. Using more technology is affecting the new generation today as teens spend less time outside, causing their physical and mental health state to crumble. Dr. Twenge's purpose in writing this article was to inform parents about the psychological effects smartphones have on today's young generation and persuade them to realize that it is a real problem. The author successfully uses her experience as a psychology professor by examining literature and presenting facts in a clear and concise manner.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The author begins by interviewing a 13-year-old girl named Athena who confesses to having spent most of the summer hanging out alone in her room with her phone (Twenge). She is of the opinion that human beings like their phones more than other people, which confirm the real problem that millennials are experiencing. The author stresses to have spent years studying the millennial generation. From this rhetoric, it appears that the author is interested in and passionate about the young age. Teenagers are spending long hours on their phones, which exposes them to cybercrime as well as changing their communication patterns. Young users often get anxious when they have been slightly away from their phones since they have become extensively attached to them. The anxiety affects their psychological and mental wellbeing, and if not in check, the young people can end up with low self-esteem or depression.

The author uses the term "iGen" to describe the millennials generation. This is because the word iGen correlates with the word iPhone, which helps the reader to understand the concept of the article. In essence, iGen could mean the iGeneration since a 2017 survey of more than 5,000 American teens found that three out of four owned an iPhone. The statement does not just support the fact that this generation is surrounded by technology, it also shows how smartphones are to blame for the downfall of the mental health of teenagers. There is still room for improvement since teenagers can be encouraged to participate in more positive outdoor activities instead of watching televisions, laptops, or smartphones in significant ways.

Twinges use the appeal to logic a lot through the article by stating that eighth graders who are heavy social media users risk sliding into depression by 27percent. On the contrary, those who participate in sports, go to religious services or even do homework more than the average teen cut their risks significantly. These revelations continuously reiterate on the fact that smartphones are ruining the new generation. The reader is exposed to plenty of rationales, statistics, and empirical evidence to support the notion.

Another appeal the author uses to engage and convince the reader significantly is pathos. The author talks about how smartphones have contributed to depression, loneliness, and suicides. Twenge states, "The homicide rate among teens has declined, but the suicide rate has increased. As teens have started spending less time together, they have become less likely to kill one another, and more likely to kill themselves" (Twenge). This quite supports another argument the author is trying to make. Though suicide has many causes, statistics showcase that "teens who spend three hours a day or more on electronic devices are 35 percent more likely to have a risk factor for suicide, such as making a suicide plan" (Twenge). It's all a cycle as depression can lead to suicidal thoughts. In this case, the author correlates screen time with suicide by first talking about depression, "kids who spend more time online are lonelier than kids who spend less time online... when teens spend more time on smartphones and less time on in-person social interactions, loneliness is more common" (Twenge).

Moreover, then explains how depression leads to suicide, "And the teen suicide rate was even higher in the 1990s... Then again, about four times as many Americans no take antidepressants, which are often effective in treating severe depression, the type most strongly linked to suicide" (Twenge). The word "depression" doesn't mean the same nowadays, we forget the unfortunate causes it could have on people. Many teenagers deal with depression on their own as they don't know how to express themselves because they never really practiced. Teenagers now days spend so much time on their smartphones such that they do not know how to connect with people, which can in certain times, be the difference between life and death. The author tries to connect with people's feelings by talking about depression and its catastrophic eventuality. By learning about how a simple addition to using a mobile phone can lead to suicide makes the reader remorseful and keen to avoid the repercussions of technological abuse.

It is easy to connect and relate with Twenge's article because he is talking about things that are relevant today. Readers can infer their personal experiences with Twenge's message. Twenge makes good use of Kairos to make the article relevant and interesting. It is an opportune time and moment to iron out and address the challenges of technological abuse by the iGen generation. Parents need to be stricter towards their children by limiting the access to home internet (Buckingham and Willet 34). This would make the teenagers get bored and slowly shift to new and productive hobbies. The repercussions of technological abuse such as depression and mental health issues are real problems that need to be addressed by all.

One of the major criticisms of the article is that the author does not mention the specific factors that lead teenagers to be unhappy both mentally and socially. There is a possibility that the author's evaluation of the iGen generation could be unconvincing to some people. For instance, the author states that young people are highly likely to commit suicide if left alone, which would spark a debate since most of them stay in their parent's houses and do not have access to firearms (Twenge). Moreover, the issue could be viewed as manageable and should not cause alarm since mobile phones are tools of communication, which have assisted people in tremendous ways.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Twenge's article is convincing and clear. The use of comments from young respondents such as Athena, statistical evidence, and empirical evidence brings out the issue clearly and appropriately. The author used the appeal to pathos and kairos, which made his argument more convincing and urgent. As much as the mobile phone is an effective communication tool, the author discussed how the iGeneration is becoming wrongfully addicted. It remains up to the parents and other stakeholders to address the problems affecting their teenagers before they succumb to depression and mental health illnesses.

Works Cited

Buckingham, David, and Rebekah Willett, eds. Digital generations: Children, young people, and the new media. Routledge, 2013.Twenge, J. M. "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?" The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2017, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/. Accessed 7 Dec. 2018.