The perils of gadget use
BEAUTIFULLY DANGEROUS:
Technology is beautiful, but the invention of such is as challenging as pulling out a sword from a stone.
It takes time, for instance, to create and upgrade information and communication devices like cellphones, computers, and tablets, which aid us in our pursuit of success.
As you battle through hordes of school requirements with your computer or rage over the video game “Minecraft” while you watch helplessly as you die on your phone’s screen, you’re using technology.
Technology can help us like that sword, but it can also cut us if not used properly. Like in the fairy tales, there are perils that we have to face.
We are like gallant knights, clad in armor and on horses, trying to get something we desire. Using their swords, the knights have to face adversaries, like monsters or enemy soldiers.
Our gadgets are like swords. We can use them for good or get too high, full of ourselves, and use them in the wrong way. Sometimes, a knight may get too reckless with his sword, hurting himself and others.
Allies or enemies
The same goes for the gadgets, which can be our allies or enemies.
When school is out, we usually think of playing, not only physical games like tennis, but also digital games like Tekken, Street Fighter and others.
Now that electronic games are within nearly everyone’s reach, many use them more often. And because they seem addictive, lots of people at different age levels spend so much time playing digital games, while most of their muscles are at rest.
Sitting or lying down is the most comfortable position for playing electronic games and this could lead to obesity and other serious health issues, which begins from childhood and continues up to adulthood.
Excessive gadget use can affect one’s eyesight and brain. The blue light can destroy your vision, especially if you hold the gadget very close to your face.
Social behavior can also get affected by gadget abuse to the point that one neglects to greet relatives and friends in real space and time.
Use of gadget can also lead to sleeplessness and restlessness. For example, you go on a train and you forget your phone in your house, since you wanted to play “Tomb of the Mask” so badly, you can’t sit still.
You fidget and shake your legs, looking for something to do. Also, there’s a greater risk of cancer for those who stay up late until morning due to gadget use, for their bodies couldn’t regenerate cells from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Hooked
Some of you may be curious and asking, “So I’m hooked on gadget use, but why?”
When you enjoy something, be it reading a relaxing book or laughing at some memes, your body releases the feel-good hormone called “dopamine.”
It is also released when a cigarette addict enjoys smoking. It is released at dangerous levels when someone hooked on gadgets experiences irresistible pleasure when playing digital games, surfing on the Internet, watching video clips, or checking posts on social media.
This is why some have called gadget addiction “the new smoking.” So, it’s not surprising that many people are glued on their gadgets.
Social behavior can also get affected by gadget abuse to the point that one neglects to greet relatives and friends in real space and time.
Other gamers may rudely display indifference
or annoyance toward other people whose presence distracts them from watching “Fortnite” or similar gameplays.
Some may also be at their cousins’ weddings, swiping rows of candy in “Candy Crush,” as their aunts and uncles shoot them displeased glances. The negative effects of gadget abuse on behavior may also include depression, aggression, anxiety, and even paranoia when a person disengages from his/her gadget.
Such effects can make one lash out at just anyone, and he/she feels unbearably empty.
An addiction
Productivity in school can also be affected by gadget addiction. Students can bungle their homework and get failing marks. While they are reviewing for their Algebra test, for instance, they endlessly view funny videos, leaving them no time to review.
Gadget abusers may be capable of doing well in school, but may yield to the ultimate destructive power of digital devices. In sum, learning is wasted.
We write our own fairy tales and if we use our swords in the wrong way, we can end up making things tragic. But, if we use our swords wisely, we could have our “happily ever after” ending. Our gadgets can be used to do a lot of good things. For example, there are applications that could be utilized to deliver foods, buy and sell goods, educate the public, and more.
A bit of entertainment won’t hurt. Set a reasonable time limit and once your time is up, stop. It may be challenging at first, but once you get the hang of the routine, you will become more productive and successful.
Writing this essay made me realize that swords should be used for good ends. Hence, I wave my sword around to send the same message to the world. A sword should be used wisely.
(The author is a 13-year-old student at the Quezon City Science High School)