Introduction
The article “Technology is Stealing our Time and Attention” was published in 2020 in the Gen-I blog and discusses how technology is making people increasingly worse at focusing on specific tasks. Based on the available research (Insight), the paper highlights three specific ways in which internet technology harms humanity. The three main prongs include attention span, sleeping schedules, and the effect on relationships. This paper will give a reflective review of the knowledge on the topic.
Decrease in Attention and Memory Span
The article’s first claim is that individuals nowadays have a lower attention and memory span because of the malpractices of attention economy. The evidence they cite comes from research from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It states that individuals multitasking using social media have a diminished capacity to focus and memorize complex subjects (Insight). These findings are congruent with Jacobsen and Beer (35), who state that memory capacity is finite, and managing short-term memory for several processes diminishes long-term memory capacity.
Sleep Deprivation
The second problem associated with computer screens and overstaying near one is offsetting sleeping schedules. Because screens affect melatonin and the natural cycles of night and day, many people have trouble going to sleep (Insight). Jacobsen and Beer (71) mention that part of the reason for decreased memorization capabilities is the chronic tiredness that many people have, which affects their mental capabilities.
Social Alienation
Finally, social media and the technology associated with it cause people to become more alienated from one another. The article claims that because of the frequency of online socialization, people become less apt in face-to-face interaction and have smaller circles of friends (Insight). Jacobsen and Beer (43) acknowledge the problem, reasoning that an individual’s need for socialization is sated through the internet, leaving little drive for meeting in person.
Conclusion
Overall, the article presents the correct arguments and has the sources to back them up. The solutions offered, in the end, are also reasonable. However, one article alone cannot push for a systemic change.
Works Cited
Jacobsen, Ben, and David Beer. Social media and the automatic production of memory: Classification, ranking and the sorting of the past. Policy Press, 2021.
Insight. “Technology is stealing our time and attention.” Gen-i. Web.