Dumber? Psh, You Mean Smarter.

Samantha Harrington

sh776511@ohio.edu

We are living in a time of remarkable technological changes. New technologies seem to appear out of nowhere and immediately take over our lives. A prime example of this is a cellphone. Thinking back to when my mom bought her first one, I was in elementary school. As I’ve grown up, I’ve seen an “out-of-date” flip phone turn into a more “au courant” iPhone. Cellphones now have a GPS, apps to transform it into a radio or television set, the ability to read texts out loud and know your exact location, online books to download, games to play, texting, calling, FaceTiming, anything you could possibly think of on one little device. All of this has happened within my generation.

As I was looking things up on Google, using my iPhone, I came across an article that degrades my entire generation, calling us “the dumbest.” I’m offended but simultaneously pleased as I surpass those who are close-minded. Erin Thompson, writer of this article, speaks on behalf of those who agree. It’s unfortunate for her because those who know technology and use it to their advantage are actually smarter in this case. This may have proven, smarter than her.

As a journalist, I do follow reliable accounts on Twitter and rely on what is being tweeted. Pete Cashmore’s title to his article “Twitter: Often first, not always right,” is accurate. However, following dependable accounts, I disagree. I believe it depends on how you use technology. If you’re oblivious and believe everything you hear or see from the hoax Twitter accounts, then people like Thompson are correct. However, there will be people like that in every generation. Our ENTIRE generation does not fall into the category of unintelligent.  

I cannot speak for everyone, as Thompson shouldn’t either, but for myself and many of my peers, we are victimized for learning and advancing differently. My generation was raised on technology that the previous generation created. I repeat: that the previous generation created. The ones who claim technology makes us dumb because we grew up on it. 

As journalists, we like being updated in a timely matter. Our brains are wired in such a way that we always want and need to know what’s going on in the world. Technology helps advance our careers by sending or reading a tweet with a push of a button.

There are so many arguments that “technology does things for us and we’re so dependent on it.” This argument is comical to me because OF COURSE we’re dependent on technology. The majority of our assignments, research, books, quizzes, etc., are all online. We are arguably the most socially conscious generation in existence because of this. Twitter, Facebook, and other apps accessible through technology make us well aware of how and what changes affect us and use the Internet as a tool to stay aware of what's going on.

Photo Credit: http://headlines.uk.com/

My generation knows where to get information faster. Most students have had to teach the previous generations how to use a cellphone or a certain website like Facebook or Twitter. Whether it’s explaining how to work these new advances to parents, coworkers, professors, on a job as an intern or employee, we have become the teachers. 

How does this make us dumb? It doesn’t.