ASIAN PACIFIC CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, INCORPORATED

Block 2 Cristo Rey, Capas, Tarlac

Academic Year 2024– 2025
First Semester
Senior Highschool Department

POSITION PAPER
Activity 1.2 Read Smarter
Instruction: Read the “The Effects of Technology by Orton Taylor” and answer the questions below.
The Effects of Technology Orton Taylor
Imagine what it was like in 1973, when the first cell phone was invented. Back then it was a novelty and a
luxury to have a futuristic technological device that could keep you connected to the rest of the world 24 hours a
day. In that time, one would never believe that in just a few decades, the world would be overrun by
technological devices such as cell phones. Today, technology is an integral, commonplace part of everyone’s
lives, however technology doesn’t just include cell phones, it encompasses computers, the internet, videogames,
television, movies, and practically anything with a screen. Many people can’t live without these forms of
technology, and many people praise their ability to make our lives easier. However, they are doing more harm
than good, especially on youth. Technology is negatively affecting America’s youth because it is destroying
social skills and causing a dependency on constant stimulation.
The first reason technology negatively impacts youth is because it is destroying social skills. Many people
believe that it has the reverse effect, and that it enables people to always keep in contact with their friends and
family through texting or social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. However, this interaction is very
impersonal and the result of this is that children are not developing crucial social skills. Hilary Stout of The
New York Times reported that “Americans between the ages of 8 and 18 spend on average 7 1/2 hours a day
using some sort of electronic device” (Stout, 2010, p. 1). It is shocking to think that that is nearly one third of an
entire day. In these hours and hours young people spend on various modes of technology, they are sacrificing
face to face contact and verbal conversations in the real world. Dr. Ortega, a child psychologist at New York’s
Child Mind Institute, sums up why this is such a problem. Ortega reports that the overuse of technology is
causing children to lose their ability to read body language and facial cues, resulting in an inability to keep up
casual conversations or engage in the art of small talk (Bindley, 2011, p. 2). Because kids can check their phone
for new texts or play a mindless game as a strategy to avoid making eye contact with or talking to the people
around them, they are literally losing the ability to converse with people in the real world. No amount of good
that comes from technology can make the fact that our children are losing their social skills acceptable.
The second reason technology negatively impacts youth is because it causes a dependency on constant
stimulation. This is especially alarming when it comes to young children. At this young age, these children’s
minds are still developing. They are learning how to entertain themselves, how to problem solve, and how to be
patient and wait for things. How can children develop these skills when their parents are constantly stimulating
them with TV shows, movies and cell phone games? Many people believe that these forms of technology are a
valuable teaching tool; however, they are teaching young people more bad habits than good. The worst habit of
all is a dependency on constant stimulation. This dependency is caused by an actual physiological process that
happens when children use electronics, and Dr. Sigman, a leading child psychologist, explains why. He explains
that dopamine, a chemical in the brain that makes us feel reward, is released when children view electronic
devices, and then goes on to say that “this dopamine being produced every single day for many years, through
for example playing computer games, may change the reward circuitry in a child's brain and make them more
dependent on-screen media” (Kelly, 2012, p. 2). What does this dependency mean for the future of these
children? It means that they are desensitized to dopamine from the constant supply of it through screens and
technology, which causes an inability to focus on something like a book or a math problem that doesn’t give
them that super-stimulating effect. It is frightening to see how future generations will be affected by this over-
stimulation problem.
People will always argue that technology offers so many benefits in their day to day lives. However, it is
clear that it is more detrimental than most people realize. Technology is destroying children’s social skills and
causing a dependency on constant stimulation. Think about the future of America’s children. What good is
having a smart phone with endless knowledge at their fingertips when they can’t get a job due to an inability to
keep up casual conversation in an interview? What favors are parents doing for their children by shoving a
television in front of them the second they get a little bored instead of interacting with them and helping them
develop valuable skills? The answer to both questions is nothing. It does no good and no favors to overuse
technology in the way that Americans are currently overusing it.
Just as the times are very different 40 years ago when the first cell phone came out to now, imagine what
the next 40 years will bring when it comes to technology’s role in young people and society in general. In order
to avoid the frightening ramifications as discussed throughout this paper, changes must be made in our youth
and in the way this country raises their children.
Source: https://taylorortoneportfolio.weebly.com/position-paper--the-effects-of-technology-on
youth.html?fbclid=IwAR2r0uWPbyiptDbeBxU1aBUsF9wHu3t2EqjLDX1HlyvXsJx_mOvQG2VFPBM
1. What is the opinion of the writer about technology? (State the writer ‘s position)
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2. Do you agree with the writer? Why? Why not? (Helpful Tip: Useful Expression in agreeing or disagreeing
with the views of others. I agree with the writer’s claim that… I don’t agree with the authors ideas/ thoughts…
because…)
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3. State the first argument of the writer?
The first argument of the writer is…
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4. What is the conclusion of the writer? (Helpful Tip: Useful Expression in Drawing Conclusion Using the Work
of Others. Based on the writer, a connection can be made between…or As a conclusion…)
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5.If you were to write a position paper what will be your stance about technology? (Helpful Tip: Useful
Expression in presenting your own point of view… I strongly believe that... I think/contend that…)
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