By Ananya Parekh
Have you ever seen a teenage kid in class, looking tired and bored? Do they not seem to be engaged in the lesson, or paying attention at all? Why is this so common? Being a teenager is not an easy phase, as there are several changes taking place during this time. But, this doesn’t justify their lack of desire to learn. The truth is, teens are constantly looking for some form of stimulation, and the most popular way is through apps that provide entertainment. According to the Children’s Ministry, Gen Z has the highest rate of entertainment consumption; meaning that they are the most dependent on technology out of everyone. Consequently, the advancement of technological devices has resulted in the distinct trait of an entire generation being heavily dependent on digital entertainment. But, with this dependency comes unforeseen consequences.
One of the great downsides of constant entertainment for teenagers is their lack of ability to socialize. Rather than going downstairs to play and interact in-person with their friends, most kids are quick to get on games such as Roblox, Minecraft, and Among Us, just to name a few. People claim that they are “interacting” with their “friends”, because there are other people playing the same e-game. However, there are no verbal exchanges, or any form of fluent dialogue, indicating a lack of emotional interaction. This, in turn, makes it extremely difficult for teenagers to hold a well-developed conversation with others their age.
It is also important to understand what type of entertainment is suiting the latest generation. Today, no one can be found watching long, agonizing soap operas, because realistically, who has time for that? Instead, teenagers have become hooked on social media platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, which provide them with short-form content to keep them entertained. It is reported in multiple studies that Gen Z kids have an extremely low attention span of eight seconds. After that alarmingly brief period, interest starts to decline and they will not respond with the same level of passion and enthusiasm. Imagine having to give a lecture for 45 minutes with that level of engagement! Regardless of how long or short teenagers can sit for, their unwavering need for a device or other entertaining stimulation is the driving cause for presentations to this demographic being planned differently, in a way that is most effective.
It is clear that it will take a lot of effort to encourage teenagers to be more actively engaged in a performance, presentation, or small talk. Notably, COVID has played a big role in our current obsession with technology, where kids remote learning warranted students to transition fully online, making them more tech-dependent. However, it is important to acknowledge that teens feel having technologies such as social media are key for sharing their stories, being creative, and learning about the world. In 2018, when social media was resurfacing as a popular form of entertainment, the Pew Research Center conducted an experiment about what U.S. teenagers post on their social media pages. After collecting data, the survey analysts concluded that nearly 50% of teens predominantly share their accomplishments, 44% share their intimate family moments, and 34% share their emotions. Conversations with surveyed teens also revealed that over half of them use social media to stay well-informed with the latest world updates and other news stories. With Generation Z, they are using social media to their advantage; to express their interests and beliefs, and to share stories with the world. Hopefully, people will come to understand the impact that technology, entertainment, and the media has on teenagers, as it becomes everyone’s greatest reality. If teenagers can be smart consumers of the latest technologies, having them will be a good change for us.
Comments