is technology making the 'millenials' socially retarded? | INFJ Forum

is technology making the 'millenials' socially retarded?

alice144

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Jun 17, 2011
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In your opinion, are you worse at dealing with people in real life because you spend so much time on the internet, tuned into your ipod, playing with your smartphone, etc? Or do all of these things instead enhance your social life?

Older folks, how do you think technology has affected the younger generation?
 
A common conundrum.

The thing is, how would you measure it? How do you measure "social retardedness"?
 
If everyone is retarded then isnt everyone really normal?
 
This is what my mom tells me. Then again, she doesn't like Chinese, or Mexicans, or Blacks, so perhaps she's simply fastidious...
 
Hmm...I think my and probably others social skills are neither worse or improved because of technology. I think of technology as just another thing people can become addicted to and dependent on. If the inclination to shy away from social interactions and social growth is there to begin with, it won't matter if it is a computer, a phone, a TV screen, a radio or a book being hidden behind. They could all contribute to but would not be the ultimate cause of social ineptness.

Although I think technological advancement in general and not just in regards to social interactions could be a bit of a double edged sword. I think the current generations are more out of touch with the hows and whys and wheres of their physical resources and amenities, and this could be in part because of the distractions of technology. But as before, ultimately I think the cause is largely culturally influenced. Values have changed. Technology itself is not really to blame.
 
Socially awkward might be a better term. Or kinder would be "socially stunted." But it's not just millennials; it's everyone who uses technology to excess. It's frustrating to have a conversation with someone at a dinner table when they're texting or checking their emails; that's missing the point of going out with someone.
 
Yes, but it isn't just young people. People in general are getting worse at dealing with others, and that is because we insulate ourselves from others now. People spend much more time watching television and whatnot than actually interacting with others. Less time interacting = worse social skills = worse at dealing with people.

Basically this has been the trend since television became mainstream. I would argue that 30 hours a week on your smartphone or playing social games is better than 30 hours of television or non-social games.
 
Technology only changes the method by which we become aware of how human behavior has always been.

Sometimes we value the present over the past regarding it as 'progress,' and sometimes we mourn change as being 'degenerative'.

There's really no qualitative difference though.
 
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Perhaps I chose the wrong crowd...?


It's frustrating to have a conversation with someone at a dinner table when they're texting or checking their emails; that's missing the point of going out with someone.
Yeah that shit drives me crazy.