My Relation To Technology

 As a woman growing up in the 21st Century as part of Generation Z, it is safe to say that my relationship with technology is less than preferred. 

I tell myself I am doing alright and don't like the screen horde. I have turned off notifications for Snapchat and Instagram, and TikTok cannot be found anywhere in my app library. These things make me think that I am not addicted to my phone. However, my daily average screen time of 5 hours and 5 minutes says otherwise.

Snapchat is the most used app on my phone, which makes complete sense as its appeal to me directly correlates to how effective it is to communicate with a multitude of people in a matter of seconds. The other benefits include different communication media, such as text, photos, or video. In addition to messaging with others, I can post general statements to a group of people on what's called a story to inform them of my general being without telling them directly. A feature that has been more addictive as of late has been its professional stories created by content creators, which have been carefully curated with my data that has been leaked and gathered. 

While I spend most of my time on Snap for the above reasons, I wish I would spend less time glued to it. It is a very overstimulating app, which I am sure has led to increased behavioral levels of hyperactivity or skewed focus. 

Instagram is quite similar in all ways to Snapchat, with more emphasis on sharing media with a general following. However, because my account is public, I can chat with other people who have public accounts without accepting a friend request. This is generally less safe and comparable to Facebook, which makes sense as Facebook Messenger now owns Instagram. 

I enjoy spending time more often on Instagram due to the broader range of topics and depth of topics presented to me on my feed. Not only are my friend's posts more intentional than a Snapchat story, but the curated feed of accounts I do not follow are valued less superficial in my mind. 

I will never stop thanking Instagram's algorithm for finding me small artists with daily listeners ranging from >1,000 to 10,000 whose music gets immediately added to my Spotify playlists. I have found artists like Crystal Casino Band, Briston Maroney, Steven Sanchez, and even Delaney Bailey on Instagram. Since this is only the beginning of their careers, I can personally interact with and even see these artists live for a fraction of what it would cost to see any better-known name. 

Delaney Bailey, for example, had a concert at a tiny venue someplace east of Queens with tickets valued at $26 after tax. Seeing an artist whose entire discography is memorized without breaking the bank is an experience that I might only have been afforded with Instagram. 

There are some forms of social media that I deem less intense than others, such as Pinterest, where people can post vibes or original content from their accounts. You have the option of sending "pins" to people you have friended on Pinterest; however, Pinterest has a more positive community. 

I personally have not shared anything except for my boards. I have grouped posts from other people in categories based on central themes, correlations of subject, or even just on the vibe. I am unironically quite proud of my Pinterest board as I believe it reflects the persona of a creative girl living in the 21st Century who has a huge heart (most of my boards are dedicated to specific friends or concepts such as the sea or why black is a happy color). 

Regardless of how healthy or unhealthy an app is, I should begin to limit my time on my phone to prepare for a future where technology is even more present than it is today. Perhaps someday, I will be one of the few to wake up from our screen-induced fog to smell the actual roses.