Kids Are Rejecting The High-Tech Rat Trap

Being too cool for smartphones is now a thing

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/style/teens-social-media.html

Cool isn’t what it used to be. For the last decade, the young people at the top of the social ladder had the newest iPhones and were active on the latest social media platforms. Now, the up-and-coming trend is be too cool for an iPhone, and too active in real life to spend time on social media.

A recent WaPo article profiles several young adults who have turned their back on the online public square, asking the question, “They left social media for good. Are they happier?” Spoiler alert: the short answer is yes, they are. But the trend is bigger than social media, and extends to kids far younger than the 20-somethings interviewed by the Post.

It turns out that a significant number of today’s tweens and teens are more interested in flip phones and paperback books than they are in the latest iPhones or gaming consoles. And their ranks are growing.

Although the term “Luddite” has been thrown around, this retro attitude is usually not the result of any philosophical hostility towards technology. Instead, it’s more of a logical response to the adverse impacts of “screen time” kids have observed with their own eyes. They see their parents and peers hypnotized by hand-held devices. They are savvy enough to understand that technology monitors and manipulates their behavior. They notice that they feel sad and anxious after scrolling through social media. But, most importantly, they recognize that time spent doom-scrolling could be used in ways that are more interesting and rewarding to them.

The net result of this is that, as reported by that reliable social barometer The New York Times, Gen Z has spawned a quasi-movement focused on unplugging and embracing authenticity. These kids spend time outdoors, play sports, get together to discuss books, and make an effort to connect with friends and family. As they see it, the unsupervised, “free-range” generations who came of age prior to the 21st century had it much better than they do. They, too, want to be able to hang out with their friends until the streetlights come on, not have every move tracked by apps, and not feel anxious that every embarrassing moment will be photographed and uploaded to social media for posterity. In short, they want to be ’90s kids.

This is an encouraging development. Every trend has a counter-trend, and we may have crested the wave of smartphone addiction. According to the latest research, worldwide smartphone sales dropped 11.3% in 2022, to a level that hasn’t been seen since 2013! While some of the decline may be the result of economics, consumer demand surely plays a part.

Although, for obvious reasons, they aren’t talking about it online, more teenagers are becoming aware of the negative effects of ubiquitous tech, and are beginning to reject the assumption that it’s desirable to pour so much of their time and energy into glowing screens. This is cause for optimism. Even a small cultural reorientation would not only be beneficial to the next generation’s health and well-being, but could lay the foundation for a society more geared towards genuine achievement than online illusions.

If the children lead, perhaps the adults will follow.