OUR PARASITIC RELATIONSHIP WITH TECHNOLOGY, HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED. by Angela Tran My old and loving parents, like many others, often bemoan the use of that “damn” phone out of, what I’m sure is, the goodness of their hearts. From opening up YouTube to find the perfect video to watch while eating dinner, to doom scrolling till late hours of the night – it’s inevitably become integrated in every aspect of my life. It’s what I grew up with, what I’m surrounded by every second of my waking hours and what I will most certainly turn to when in need of a quick and unreliable diagnosis because going to the doctor’s is too much work. But it’s different for my older relatives who chastise me for pulling my phone out and hiding away during family gatherings. While I grew up playing Snake on my parents’ Nokia, through the quaint lens of their vintage Sony camera, and DVDs that captured a more colourful world, my older family members had none of those experiences. Nowadays, my parents don’t even bother to spare a glance outside their WhatsApp or Viber, or Facebook page that has nearly every single moment of my life captured in a library of memories.
We never saw eye to eye on my excessive use of technology because that captivating blue glow was practically my lifeblood. Unlike me, they lived most of their lives without the joy and comfort of the online space, and being unable to understand them, I failed to see the invisible string that tied their sentiments to tangible objects instead of the digitalised ecosystem. I failed to recognise this attachment and their rejection for what it was: a sensible and mature desire to stay true to what they value – a connection to their lives in the real world, but also the genuine concern of a worried parent. And with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), I’m starting to understand their distress. What was once a heavy dependence on technology has now transformed into a lethal monstrosity capable of stalking into the depths of our digital spaces and devouring our ability to complete even the most menial tasks by ourselves. The biggest tragedy is our reliance on these tools when we’re perfectly capable of doing most, if not all the things we tell AI to do. While artificial intelligence can act as a caring brace to support us in times of need, where do we draw a firm line in this distorted, alien space bound by few restrictions? According to a report written by Common Sense Media, a non-profit research organisation, by the age of two, 40 per cent of children have their own tablet, and by eight years old, over half of them have their own mobile devices, tablet or phone.
“Our youngest children are on the front lines of an unprecedented digital transformation,” says James P. Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media. “From AI to immersive gaming, they’re experiencing technologies that didn’t exist even a few years ago.” Digital influences continue to extend their claws beyond helping with homework, as the introduction of technology at such early stages of life has led to a noticeable loss of motor skills in children. Recently, an education week survey showed that 77 per cent of teachers reported that young students have difficulty using fine motor skills such as holding pencils, using scissors, and writing. Steven Barnette, the senior co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, explains that reliance on screens could result in fewer play dates or time spent using crayons or scissors. “When you see kids trying to swipe books, you get the sense that maybe some of the traditional tools aren’t as familiar.” So maybe this really is because of that damn phone. This drastic shift in lifestyle is just one of the many changes that come with developing new technology, but perhaps my nagging relatives were onto something with their wariness of the way we so easily bend to the ease and convenience that these screens provide us. Is this to say that such dismissive takes on technology are right? Not always.
The circumstances are different for every person. Now, I realise that I was likely able to get away from the consequences because for all the lost time I spent getting sucked into an interesting YouTube video, I paid my dues by running around during recess and drawing pictures using Derwent pencils instead of swiping my finger around on a tablet. Witnessing the live repercussions of our excessive use of technology that disguises itself as a boon woke me up, though mostly out of fear for what comes next after all these issues leave their everlasting mark on us. As alluring as that blue glow is, it was never worth surrendering to. My older relatives and family were right to express their distaste for my love of the phone, and now I’ll carry over that same disapproval into the rapidly advancing future. However, I think I’ll do it with a little more understanding and kindness as someone who was once in the same position.
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