[dropcap]Q[/dropcap]uaint, romantic familiarities such as composing a handwritten essay, flipping through an encyclopedia for information, and graphic representations drawn on a green chalkboard have been completely obliterated from the school setting. Far from using the right fork at dinner and properly addressing elders, the popular definition of manners has been modified to account for new technology, like cell phones and social media, that allow instant communication.

Needless to say, these innovations have not only changed the entire dynamic of face-to-face interaction, but has also defined the mindset of our generation. From the classroom to the home, technology has infiltrated every aspect of life. It follows naturally, therefore, that ethical and social expectations are altered accordingly. But what does that mean? For example, is it now acceptable for a customer to carry on a phone conversation at the checkout counter, where the clerk’s job is to make small talk? What about texting while in the company of someone else?

This social change has not only modified our standards in public but today’s electronics do little to stimulate young minds: everything is fed directly to them without leaving room for innovation or creativity.

Technology can certainly be used in positive ways. For example, teachers are using social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to bring the classroom into their students’ homes. However, there comes a point when we become obsessed with obtaining information. This can be problematic to our daily lives when it interferes with what we should be doing. Instead of doing homework or going out into the world to experience life, we are instead sitting in a dark room, staring at an 8 inch screen for hours on end. We’re taking photos of ourselves in mirrors with objects that are as large as a cookie sheet, like an iPad. We’re sitting in lectures with our phones hidden under the table, texting each other about what food is for lunch instead of taking notes that will be valuable in the future.

It can be argued that these habits are harmless, that they’re simply a way of occupying our time. However, how many times have we found ourselves on Pinterest instead of writing that English essay we put off for two and a half weeks? What about Facebook instead of the math textbook?

Not only is technology harmful to our attention span, but it distracts from simple daily activities such as talking to a clerk or a parent. What kind of message does it send when we’re so obsessed with Draw Something that we can’t even focus on what the person sitting across from us is saying? It doesn’t just say something about how much we care about what the other person is saying, but it says something about our generation. We’re terrified of confrontation and talking to someone face-to-face. We dread phone calls and sometimes even Skype feels like a relief if it means we don’t have to worry about awkward situations when we’re near someone physically.

While technology is allowing more information to get to us much faster, it’s also giving many an excuse to be rude, which is not OK. The Patriot believes that there comes a time when technology stops being useful and starts getting in the way.