As it has been said on numerous occasions before, we live in an age of technology. It seems like an admittance of sorts—like a resignation that it is only destiny to spend so much time on our screens we may eventually become attached to them. Granted, screen time has its negative effects. In conjunction with visual impairment, constantly staring at our screens means a bombardment of news, advertisements, and products. We are consistently exposed to all kinds of news all over the world by social media, talk shows, and news broadcasts and alerts.
This quick and constant media movement makes it difficult for viewers to truly process the depth of the news they are reading. Desensitization is very much affecting the way society communicates in the age of technology. Staring at a screen for too long and not permitting oneself to process the onslaught of various types of information is a large part of the detriment of screen time in both children and adults.
On the other hand, the right amount of screen time can enhance communication skills. Users can gain knowledge by accessing the diversesources available through the internet, and learn how to process and communicate their knowledge by interacting with others by means ofcompletely different mediums.
The key is to find balance, but in finding balance, it becomes common to focus on the negative effects of screen time and use those facts to berate oneself in attempting to control something that has immense potential to be a beneficial habit in modern society.
When used with care, screens have been far more helpful in engaging and calming children than any of their other counterparts. They can be utilized for learning and further developing a child’s brain when adults seek to fully acknowledge both the benefits and the detriments of screen time rather than solely attempting to shield children from the experience altogether.
Controlling screen time does not mean demonizing it. The ability to communicate and learn through technology is part of its purpose. In being aware of the negative effects, one must also acknowledge the positive and reap the benefits screen time and technology can provide instead of become resigned or adamant towards the negative effects of spending even a fraction of the day in front of a screen.