Our Relationship with Technology - Final Blog Post

The Complex Dance with Technology 

In an era defined by the constant dependency on the tiny computers we hold in our hands 18 hours of the day, we find ourselves in a critical position to evaluate the relationship we have with technology, personally, and as a nation as a whole. 

Our Nation has always been a passionate protagonist in the global technological narrative. From the industrial revolution's thundering machinery to todays production of iPhones with sleek algorithms, we've romanced technology with an intensity that defines our national spirit. But like any complicated relationship, ours with technology is challenging, and ripe for examination. 

My Personal Connection 

I have not known a life without technology in it. When we would visit the library in my childhood, I was more likely to rent out a CD with a movie rather than a book. I have had a smartphone since I was 13 years old. Now I feel the need to have the newest, and most trending technology that large companies have to offer (specifically Apple). While I do believe that technology does provide an enormous amount of possibility and opportunity for our world today, my personal relationship with technology is something that I wish was different. Technology in my eyes is a double-edged sword. 

With the unlimited access that I have to technology, I have a multitude of opportunities for global connectivity, access to unprecedented information, creative expression, entrepreneurial opportunities, and  social activism. However, I also have access to false information, negative content, and societal pressures to live up to. My digital engagement consumes approximately 5-6 hours daily, primarily through professional communication platforms, social media, and content consumption. While some of this time supports professional development, a significant portion could be classified as passive consumption. I'm simultaneously over-informed and potentially under-educated. Algorithmic content delivery creates an illusion of comprehensive understanding while potentially narrowing my actual comprehension. 

My Online Footprint

While I typically see my personal social media platforms as a way of expression and a source for low-pressure fun, as I have entered a more professional setting of university, my online footprint is something that I find myself thinking about more frequently. 

Social media like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn are all platforms that future employers might check when looking to hire me or a peer of mine. While there is nothing alarming present in my online footprint, I have found myself being more conscious of what I am posting to the World Wide Web and who has access to my content.  

Reflecting on our Relationship with Technology 

Technology has become so deeply embedded in our cultural identity that we often define ourselves through our digital personas and technological consumption. Our devices are no longer just tools—they're extensions of our personal narrative. With intense personal evaluation, I have discovered my personal relationship with technology, especially my phone, is one that needs to be shifted in order to create a more balanced life. But for society as a whole, specifically my generation, the key to positive growth lies in maintaining a critically reflective, intentional approach to digital engagement.

The goal is not total digital abstinence, but thoughtful, purposeful interaction. 

Articles that got me thinking!!

I’m 14, and I quit social media after discovering what was posted about me

How Technology Has Changed America

How Australia Will (or Won’t) Keep Children Off Social Media

The Progressive Era and How it Continues to Shape our Country Today

Beginning in 1914, war was raging across Europe. Across the Atlantic in the United State, the country sat divided over whether or not to send to troops into the rising conflict. While men in power believed sending American forces into the war was the best option, they went to drastic lengths to silence any and all Antiwar protestors and movements. 

The suppression of antiwar dissent during World War I revealed the fragility of First Amendment protections during times of national tension. Unfortunately, this was not the first time the First Amendment had been debated. This ongoing argument dated back all the way to Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. 

Later, beginning in 1918, this debate arose again. Despite constitutional guarantees of free speech, hundreds of activists—including prominent socialists, pacifists, and civil libertarians—were imprisoned under the Espionage and Sedition Acts for criticizing the war effort. This historical moment demonstrated how easily democratic societies can marginalize principled dissent when national, internal conflict rises. The persecution of antiwar voices not only violated fundamental rights but also undermined the very democratic principles these actions aimed to defend. Such historical episodes as this one, underscored the critical importance of free speech protections, especially during moments of national conflict when unpopular opinions are most vulnerable to systemic silencing. 

Now in our modern world of today, opposing views are still often pushed to the back burner of media. Antiwar voices get sidelined in mainstream media. It's basically a rigged game where defense companies target news networks, so they're not exactly motivated to critique military spending. Media outlets rely on military and government sources, which creates an echo chamber of pro-intervention narratives. Anyone questioning these operations gets painted as unpatriotic or naive. 

Websites like Antiwar.com and The American Conservative are doing the real journalistic work - digging into the human costs of military interventions, challenging official stories, and showing how endless wars benefit defense contractors more than actual citizens.

The result? A media landscape that desensitizes war, turns conflict into a mere game, and keeps most Americans comfortably numb to the real violence happening in their name. These alternative sites force people to actually think critically about foreign policy instead of just swallowing the mainstream propaganda. It's not a conspiracy. I have even found myself caught into the scheme. This system is just how governmental power protects its own interests. And those interests definitely don't include honest conversations about war. 

AntiWar.com

The American Conservative