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Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation Rebuttal
Adisyn Coffey
San Jacinto College
English 1302
9/29/19
Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? Rebuttal Essay
Twenge, in his article “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” narrates how the overuse of smartphone has destroyed the current generation causing devastating mental and physical effects that include depression, loneliness, and loss of sleep. The author explains how depression, loneliness, and loss of sleep are all linked to one another claiming that “Smartphones could be causing lack of sleep, which leads to depression, or phones could be causing depression, which could lead to lack of sleep.” Twenge tries to explain that children and mostly students stay up late at night, losing sleep and even get left out of fun activities while on their smartphones which have contributed to the students becoming lonely and depressed.
However, Twenge’s claim may not have any backings as smartphones don’t always cause loneliness, depression, or sleep loss. According to research, sleep problem, loneliness, and depression are medical conditions that are caused by other factors other than the use of smartphones and to which affects even students without the possession of smartphones. Research has it that asking students to get off their phones is an overly simplistic solution to curb the effects of smartphones.
Besides, making claims that smartphone use is the leading cause of suicidal attempts for children might also not make any sense at all. “A national sample of more than 13,000 students aged 13-17 years in the United States illustrated how social media made them feel. 5% of them said that social media made them feel depressed, 10% said that it made them feel less depressed while the rest said that it didn’t make a difference in one way or the other. Considering this data, the students don’t feel depressed because of social media and smartphones, and besides, it turns out that they are made happier.
In conclusion, Twenge claims that the use of smartphones among students has been the contributing factor to depression, loneliness, and lack of sleep. However, this is not the case as there is no close association to back these claims. Based on research, depression, loneliness, and lack of sleep are medical conditions, and students who don’t possess smartphone are still in the risk of getting sick. According to research done on students, social media platforms make students happier. The topic is of great significance in that it helps keep the students on toes by their parents, restricting them on social media use to avoid binge-watching.
Works Cited
Twenge, Jean M. “Have smartphones destroyed a generation.” The Atlantic 3 (2017).
Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation Rebuttal Essay
Adisyn Coffey
San Jacinto College
English 1302
9/29/19
Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? Rebuttal Essay
Twenge, in his article “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” narrates how the overuse of smartphone has destroyed the current generation causing devastating mental and physical effects that include depression, loneliness, and loss of sleep. The author explains how depression, loneliness, and loss of sleep are all linked to one another claiming that “Smartphones could be causing lack of sleep, which leads to depression, or phones could be causing depression, which could lead to lack of sleep”(Twenge,). Twenge tries to explain that children and mostly students stay up late at night, losing sleep and even get left out of fun activities while on their smartphones which have contributed to the students becoming lonely and depressed.
However, Twenge’s claim may not have any backings as smartphones don’t always cause loneliness, depression, or sleep loss. According to research, sleep problem, loneliness, and depression are medical conditions that are caused by other factors other than the use of smartphones and to which affects even students without the possession of smartphones. Asking students to get off their phones is an overly simplistic solution to curb the effects of smartphones. In fact, the current generation is highly associated with smartphones and telling a student to get off his or her phone is what will lead to boredom and depression.
Besides, making claims that smartphone use is the leading cause of suicidal attempts for children might also not make any sense at all. A national sample of more than 13,000 students aged 13-17 years in the United States illustrated how social media made them feel. 5% of them said that social media made them feel depressed, 10% said that it made them feel less depressed while the rest said that it didn’t make a difference in one way or the other (Avidar, Ruth, et al.. 604). Considering this data, the students don’t feel depressed because of social media and smartphones, and besides, it turns out that they are made happier. For instance, after holding a smartphone, one can get to social media where they get to view interesting stories which lightens up the mood. Social media is a place where children gets to socialize and interact with other people thus through the interaction, the children make new friends thus killing the art of loneliness.
Further disputing his idea that smartphones creates a depressed generation, it is not true. Depression can be termed as a mood disorder where one experiences prolonged sadness. When depressed, one has no hope for living. Getting to use the smartphone, there is the internet where one can search how to battle depression and read stories from people who have had similar condition (Avidar, Ruth, et al.. 604). It is through the use of smartphones that children get hope that depression can be solved. Depression becomes a non-issue when one views funny videos online and gets to chart with other peers.
In conclusion, Twenge claims that the use of smartphones among students has been the contributing factor to depression, loneliness, and lack of sleep. However, this is not the case as there is no close association to back these claims. Based on research, depression, loneliness, and lack of sleep are medical conditions, and students who don’t possess smartphone are still in the risk of getting sick. According to research done on students, social media platforms make students happier. Smartphones and through the use of the internet help students solve their problems including stress. The topic is of great significance in that it helps keep the students on toes by their parents, restricting them on social media use to avoid binge-watching.
Works Cited
Avidar, Ruth, et al. “Smartphones and young publics: A new challenge for public relations practice and relationship building.” Public Relations Review 39.5 (2013): 603-605.
del Vecchio, Paolo. “The good news about preventing adolescent depression.” Prevention Science 19.1 (2018): 112-114.
Twenge, Jean M. “Have smartphones destroyed a generation.” The Atlantic 3 (2017).
America’s White Divide
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The Contribution of WEB Dubois to America’s White Divide
Introduction
Born in Massachusetts in February 1868, EB Dubois was a Ghanian-American sociologist, Pan-Africanist, writer, author, civil rights activist, and historian. Du Bois was also among the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People formed in 1909. Dubois contributed greatly to the divide of white and black people in America at the turn of the 20th century in various ways. WEB Du Bois was of the opinion that life only gained deep meaning by participating in the race problem. Worth noting, it is hard to think of anyone at the time who assessed the race problem in its entirety more extensively, subtly, and profoundly than WED Dubois. The race problem unified Dubois’s work as a historian, journalist, novelist, philosopher, critic, and sociologist. This essay delves into the contribution of WEB Dubois’s work to America’s black and white divide at the turn of the 20th century.
Dubois Objectively Considers the Race Problems
One of the contributions of WEB Dubois is that he considered the problem of race objectively from both the standpoint of science and that of lived experience. In some of his earliest publications, responded to the contemporary subject of the negro problem by conceptualizing it as an issue of scientific inquiry. The sociology studies that interested him are the social issues that affected black people in America. In his view, the problem was not black people, although the problem affected them. From Dubois’ sociological perspective, the race problem is a cluster of other social problems (Goldfield, 34). He defined the social problem as the failure of organized social groups to know their group ideals through their lack of capacity to adapt to desirable actions to some life conditions. He gave the example of failing to go with the ideals of luxurious living or home because of existing marriage customs. Du Bois says that the race problem has been a baffling adjustment of conditions and actions which form the essence of progress. More specifically, Du Bois equates the current race problem of the 20th century to the failure in incorporating black people into the social life of American people. Dubois’s casual explanation and social ontology of the Negro problem form a basis for the argument of racial prejudice in American society.
Dubois Subjectively Considers the Race Problems
Another contribution of Dubois to the American divide is that it considers the problem of racism subjectively. In his viewpoint, the race problem is a subjectively felt and lived social condition and not only an object of scientific, social inquiry. In his texts The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois cites as evidence the notion of double-consciousness to talk about the subjectively felt experience of the race problem. He ascribed double consciousness, particularly to black people, and deems it as a way that people can look at themselves through other people’s eyes. In his standpoint, double-consciousness occurs when black people view themselves through the contemptuous and pitying eyes of white people who are racially prejudiced as one of the main causes of the race problem.
Du Bois Academic Works Helped Put an End to White Supremacy
Another contribution of WEB Dubois is that his academic works, including texts like Ghana Calls and The Song of the Smoke helped put an end to white supremacy in America. Worth noting, in addition to the developing editorials, Dubois contributed to producing academic works while working at the University of Atlanta. After five years of hard work, WEB Dubois published John Brown’s biography who was an abolitionist (Meer, 47). The publication contained strong insights into the white supremacy and warned of its end. He asserted that the short period of African American leaders in Southern American accomplished the significant goals of democracy, new social welfare legislation, and free public schools.
Conclusion
In closing, WEB Dubois has immense positive contributions to the divide between white people and people of color in America at the turn of the 20th century. Du Bois assessed the race problem both objectively and subjectively. He considered the problem of race objectively from both the standpoint of science and that of lived experience. Additionally, Dubois felt the race problem is subjective and lived social condition and not only an object of scientific social inquiry.
Works Cited
Goldfield, Michael. 4. The color of politics in the United States: white supremacy as the main explanation for the peculiarities of American politics from colonial times to the present. Cornell University Press, 2018.
Meer, Nasar. “WEB Du Bois, double consciousness and the ‘spirit’of recognition.” The Sociological Review 67.1 (2019): 47-62.