Insert Creative Title Here: Diminished Intelligence and Faltering Communication Among Generations

When the internet was first introduced to the public, technology, it had seemed, was revolutionized in a way that we had never thought possible. What was only possible in futuristic science fiction movies seemed as if it were much more within our grasp than we ever thought possible. Communication instantaneously became easier, resources became more accessible, and computer technology was progressing in ways that no one had ever thought possible. We were about to enter an age of convenience and efficiency that we had never experienced before.

About 13 years later, you'll probably have a hard time finding someone who doesn't have an email address. Virtually everyone has access to the internet, and companies everywhere have incorporated it into daily work routines for their employees. When it comes down to it, however, the younger generations of children are the ones being most heavily influenced by these increasing dependencies. Because of the how often they are communicating via instant messaging and social networking sites, they are adapting incorrect ways of speaking. They spend much more time chatting online than learning correct grammar in the classroom. Speaking skills are also deteriorating because of the amount of communication taking place online rather than in person. It is likely that in the future, internet technology will only evolve to be more convenient and appealing than it is now, therefore causing a steady deterioration of the intelligence of future generations.

Research experiments have been conducted regarding the memory of students who use computers in the classroom. One such experiment had a group reading a chapter from a textbook, and had another group read the same chapter from a website. Later, they were both quizzed on the chapters after a five minute break. The results showed that the students who read the chapter from the textbook scored significantly higher than the students who read the chapter from the website. If students are being asked more and more to read articles and notes that they've taken on their computers, then their test results will start to falter, as well. Because emailing assignments and having students reading articles online is much more efficient and convenient for teachers (rather than wasting paper and money), it is likely that the problem will only get worse as time goes on.

Education itself, however, is contributing to how much less students are reading when doing homework assignments. Back when students had to write research papers by doing research in a library and gathering sources elsewhere, reading was absolutely imperative if they wanted to receive a good grade. Now, students can simply search on google for a few sources and save hours of time. English teachers are even feeling discouraged asking students to read books for class. A survey in Scotland, for example, found that "33% of pupils never or hardly ever read for pleasure, 22% felt it was a waste of their time and 40% only read if they have to" (BBC). If our world is continuing to rely on technology for literature, blogging, and communication, then books are going to become much less popular than ever. As education serves as preparation for adolescents going into the real world, they will need to learn new methods on how to adapt to a technologically advanced world that doesn't include books as much as it once did. It is likely that books will not be read in the classroom nearly as much as they used to be in older teacher methods.

Reading in general has also become less appealing since the introduction of the internet to younger generations. Children and teenagers are reading less than ever with the introduction of new video games, social networking sites, and instant messaging programs. All of the new technology is simply easier to apply yourself to, and certainly can be more entertaining than staring at words for hours on end. Visual graphics are becoming more detailed and realistic so that they are more thrilling to look at, and students find this much easier to think about than having to use their imagination to come up with images of their own. It takes much less time to read a synopsis online or to chat with one of your friends about gossip than to take the time to grasp the beauty and intelligence that a book provides, and since being on the internet has been reducing children's intelligence, books are not being nearly as much appreciated.

Independence is diminishing more and more every day among teens, whether it be through individuality or simply through relying on parents. Adolescents just don't think for themselves anymore as much as they used to, and the internet has been a huge contribution to this. Before knowledge was so accessible and convenient, most people merely had to learn from their own experiences or pay more attention in school. Now with the overwhelming amount of youtube videos, wikis, and google search results available on the web, all they need to do is wait 10 seconds until they are presented with an answer. Most teenagers wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they were faced with a tough situation that required them to think on their feet, when what they're used to is searching for a solution online. Even when communicating with friends and family through instant messaging and texting, teens aren't challenged because they don't need to respond immediately. They can take their time and think about what they're going to say, or even if they'll say anything at all (when if they were faced with someone they didn't want to talk to in person, they wouldn't be able to simply walk away).

Because no one wants to be one of these undesirable people, many choose to obtain a different persona when online. When meeting someone in a chatroom for the first time, for instance, people probably don't mention negative aspects about themselves, such as having a 6th toe on your right foot, or that you're a vapid narcissist. Even when blogging about personal issues, it is likely that people will write to create appeal to the reader. Many teens doing this could likely find themselves creating a false identity and falling into a generic pool of other teenagers all trying to fit in while still having that hint of mystery and attractiveness. Social networking sites are huge in producing this effect, as everyone knows everything everyone else posts online. Teens in the future who continue to find themselves on these sites are likely to find themselves losing self-identity as they continue to fall into depression over trying to appeal to everyone who reads about them online. Anonymity, as well as changing your identity, can be just as destructive for teens. When teens do choose to speak their mind online, they often do so without posting who they are. Often times, they post something dangerous anonymously and go unpunished, not realizing the consequences of their actions, or even why they should be punished. This allows them to this freedom of speech that positively reinforces ideas and emotions that could possibly harm those around them.

Despite the effect that the internet will have on future generations, one of the biggest problems it will cause (and already is causing) is creating obstacles for older generations who are attempting to adjust to an increasingly technological world. Because they grew up in a world without the internet or texting, they are finding themselves disconnected from a world that is communicating on levels they can't understand. Everything in society these days has some basis of technology that adults are having more difficulty adjusting to. Most adults over the age of 60 have difficulty turning on a computer, let alone adjusting to all the programs and communication systems that the world seems to be captivated by. Young adults and teenagers are always striving to have the newest and the best, while older generations merely wish things were more like "the good ole days", where all they needed to do was pick up the phone in order to talk to their grandchildren.

Communication between older and younger generations is fuzzier than ever since the creation of texting and instant messaging, particularly with grandparents and teens. More than 80% of people between the ages of 13 to 24 are texters, and the number keeps increasing every year. Only 18% of adults between the ages of 40 and 49 text, and the numbers get lower the higher the ages get (Wikipedia). Because of how easy it is for teens to text at all times, even in the presence of older generations, they do it constantly. These older generations are finding it more difficult than ever before to communicate with teens because of the amount of attention texting consumes. Many people over the age of 60 don't even have cell phones, let alone texting or instant messaging. 20 or even 15 years ago, the fastest form of communication consisted of calling someone on the phone, and this actually required people to use proper speaking skills and think more quickly. Now when younger generations are becoming dependent on communicating through texting and instant messaging, they are subconsciously cutting older generations out of their lives because of how undesirable talking on the phone, or even visiting, becomes. If teenagers are conducting huge chunks of their lives through a cell phone, then older adults are going to have a hard time being part of it if they cannot adjust.

The complexity of newer programs and technologies can also prove to be something of a hazard for adults who are unfamiliar with managing them. Let's say a 75-year-old woman were put in an emergency situation where she needed immediate assistance. She's living by herself and just bought a iPhone with the help of her grandchildren. Because she's in serious pain and needs to make an emergency call, she tries to use the phone, but is presented with an assortment of buttons that don't seem to make any sense. Because she is unfamiliar with the way that the phone is working, she is too late and cannot save herself. It's not hard to want to blame the cell phone companies for making phones so advanced, fun and appealing that older generations are suffering because they can't even make a simple phone call. The advancement of technology seems to negatively affect those who try, yet cannot adjust to a world of buttons and applications.

It's undeniable that technological advancements are highly appealing and are providing a world that is much more convenient and efficient. However, if we continue creating a world where machines think for us, our intelligence will continue to deteriorate and our individuality will be lost. Those who attempt to stay away from this conformation are likely to be disconnected from the world and eventually fade out, almost as a sort of Technological/Communication Darwinism. In order to stay in touch with ourselves and those around us, we need to limit the amount of time we spend staring at a screen and make more time for advancing our minds instead of machines.