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Are we too connected to our phones? Many say “yes”

Students and faculty at American University discussed this week their phone habits and their thoughts on the implications of that usage with many wondering about addiction in a constantly-connected society.

Victoria Knight, 26, a summer intern on campus, said she uses her phone for alarms, reminders and maps, noting the usage is “embedded” in the way most of us live.

“It is so hard to navigate life without it,” Knight said of her phone.

According to a Baylor University study, 44 percent of Americans said that they couldn’t go a day without their phones. That has led researchers in the last decade to study whether phone addiction is as dangerous as other compulsive behaviors and what the societal implications are.

Every single time we get a notification on our phones, our brains get a hit of dopamine–the feel good neurotransmitter. We are constantly on our phones because our brains crave that good feeling. According to The Dopamine Project, all addictions stem from the brain’s desire for dopamine.

The main attraction to our phones stems from our need to be constantly connected.

Hannah Kim, 19, said that she thinks that society is “going to become more dependent on social media because of how easy it is to connect with people.”

Alongside it being easy, social media is also convenient. We don’t even have to move to talk to our friends and we can stay up to date with family and friends even when we don’t have the time to see them.

Two American University students stare at their phones while out on the campus quad Thursday. Photo by Maya Broadwater.

Although being constantly connected may seem a bit invasive, for some it can be very beneficial.

Kim uses her phone for networking opportunities to find jobs.

John Tam, 21, claimed that being connected can be very helpful, especially during emergencies.

Tam also added that “you have access to the internet, you have access to people, you have access to just the whole entire world in the palm of your hands.” He believes that smart phones have the power to educate the world.

Born in the late 1980s and 1990s, millennials individuals grew up with technology right by their sides. According to an analysis done by the Pew Research Center, older generations aren’t as dependent of their phones because of “unique barriers.” These include physical challenges in manipulating technology and lack of confidence in adapting.

Knight noted that it is harder for millennials to stay off their phones because it has been with them their entire lives.

Though they can’t even begin to imagine their lives without their phones, Kim and Tam admitted that they would be living totally different lives without them. Kim believes she would be more physically active and even went as far to say that she “would feel more personally connected to the world.”

On the other hand, Tam believes that we would all be majorly inconvenienced in a no-phone life.

“Life would be vastly different,” Tam explained. “It would be a lot harder to stay connected. I think we would still find a way to communicate without our phones, but the ease of what we have now wouldn’t be there, that instant connection.”

Phones aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

According to the Pew Research Center, cellphone ownership has risen from 62 percent of Americans in 2002 to 95 percent in 2018.

Due to the changes we have seen so far, we can predict that phone use is going to increase exponentially in the coming years.

When asked how she would resist the urge to become completely embedded into the technological world in coming years, Kim said that she would “try to recognize and focus on what is most important.” She added she hopes her life won’t be centered “around technological use.”

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Genetically modified babies. Would you do it?

People interviewed in Washington, D.C. this week all agreed they wouldn’t genetically modify human embryos or sperm cells, noting they believe in the science to cure disorders but disagree that it should be used to enhance newborns’ features.

The technology might not be that far away.

Cathy Baker, 23, majoring in literature at American University, said “that’s scary” when she was told about the possibility of designing babies. She feared that it could lead to a revival of the eugenics programs like those done by the Nazis.

“You start valuing people based off the traits they have, and not their for their inherit worth as human beings,” Baker said.

There has been a lot of progress in the gene editing field in recent years.

In the 2018 book Beyond Bioethics: Toward a New Biopolitics, Eric S. Lander explained that scientists currently have been able to remove mutations and prevent genetic disorders, and a more distant frontier will be programming babies, giving them certain traits we desire, such as making them smarter, prettier and stronger.

DNA strands, from www.flickr.com, creativecommons.org

As programming babies is becoming more of a realistic possibility in the future, gene editing has become a controversial topic in the recent years.  

Derik Siegel, 28, a former sociology student at American University, commented on the issue. He noted that, “science and technology is not inherently good or bad, but it depends on the way it is used,” continuing that “there are are lot of ethics that go into it.” 

Winston Kang, an American University student, worries that the technology may be available only to the rich due to its expense.

“Rich people can do this and poor people can’t do that,” Kang said. “And there will be more political issues from there on.”

Intan Fadzullah, 39, a father of two, challenges the morality of changing the environment our self included, saying that we would be too “god-like” defying the natural order of the world.

Despite all this, Tim Nicholls, who describes himself as an entrepreneur, creative designer, traveler, professor and writer, believes science should be helpful to people all around the world in the cure for diseases and therefore should be allowed to advance with some precautions. He’s had a number of surgeries he credits with his own health.

“I wouldn’t be here without science,” Nicholls said.

This technology seems to meet problems with the law in many countries.

In fact, according to the statistics collected by Motoko Araki and Tetsuya Ishii, out of all the developed countries surveyed, in a majority of them such as Italy, France and England, human gene modification is not yet trusted and banned by law.

Other countries such as the U.S. have restrictions on this technology, while the remaining surveyed are ambiguous or have guidelines that can or can’t be followed.

There are many different opinions on this topic, but out of all the interviews, one thing seems absolutely clear: everyone believes that humans shouldn’t tamper with the DNA as it is not natural and might cause problems in the future that we can’t account for now.

 

 

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Amazon offers convenience but for others buying local more important

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WASHINGTON, D.C.–Ed Butt, 71, from Northern Michigan, and Wanda Borges, 67, from New York, said Amazon plays a vital role in their lives as far as supplying them with basic necessities such as home supplies and clothing.

Butt lives 45 minutes away from the nearest city in Michigan and believes it to be a hassle to have to drive a great distance to gather supplies when he could purchase the same items straight from his phone or laptop with just one click.

An Amazon prime member, Butt has used the online retailer approximately four or five times in the past two weeks and is happy with its services. He believes that Amazon’s two day shipping feature is a hard one to pass up especially with the location of his home in relation to the nearest city.

“I needed something quickly and there was no other way to get it other than to use Amazon,” Butt said.

On June 21, the US Supreme Court leveled the playing field for brick and mortar retailers and e-commerce businesses, as they overturned a ruling which enabled many online businesses to avoid collecting sales taxes from consumers, which may influence consumers’ decisions to opt for online shopping. Amazon’s shares slid 1.3 percent after the ruling.

While Amazon is very convenient, others like Laura Dehmlow, 36, said all those delivery trucks criss-crossing the country pollute, and she prefers shopping local.

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Amazon’s one million square-foot fulfillment center in Scotland. Photo by Chris Watt and courtesy Creative Commons.

“I definitely try to support local businesses,” said Dehmlow, who was walking to eat lunch in Tenleytown on Monday.

Borges generally uses Amazon daily to fulfill her needs.

She finds Amazon to be far more convenient than going shopping at a store especially with the amount of work she has to get through each day as an attorney.

Borges finds it far easier to buy in bulk while using Amazon which delivers items right to your door, rather than shopping for a multitude of items at a store and having many bags to carry around and risk leaving an item behind.

“I find it far more convenient than to go to a store especially since I am a workaholic,” Borges said.

 

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Video game addiction, now diagnosed as disorder by the WHO

Video game addiction this month was classified as a mental disorder by the World Health Organization.

On June 18, the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, known as ICD-11, at the World Health Organization added video game addiction as a mental disorder. That includes both digital or offline gaming.

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A Super Nintendo controller. Image courtesy Creative Commons.

One study from 2015 surveyed 3,389 boys in Norway, and it found that out of that sample, there were 1.4 percent classified as “addicted gamers.”

Scientists say that more research must be done, but some studies show that there might be a correlation with gaming and anxiety, depression and withdrawal.

Hafid Pradipta, 27, a basic analytics student at American University, used to play online role playing games two to three hours a day to relieve stress.

“It’s fun, gives you a sense of purpose and makes time faster,” Pradipta said.

The WHO then decided to explain its choice by stating that their decision “will result in the increased attention of health professionals to the risks of development of this disorder and, accordingly, to relevant prevention and treatment measures.”

 

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Pokémon Go catches ’em all in D.C.

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A man walks towards the McKinley Building on American University campus while playing Pokemon Go. Photo credit Fletcher Peters.

“Pokémon Go” has been sweeping the world’s attention and in Washington, D.C. students, professors and parents are among the millions using the app who are trying to catch ‘em all.

Players are tasked with finding Pokémon in an augmented reality with the creatures popping up on screen as they walk. The object is to catch as many Pokémon as possible, with some having more value than others.

District residents said the surge in play this week has been noticeable.

“I saw teenage boys at a park for the first time in my life,” said Aiyana Riddihough, 20, a new “Pokémon Go” user and Washington University student. “I think that’s pretty good.”

While “Pokémon Go” has encouraged players to step outside and explore their neighborhoods, it also has brought risks. The National Safety Council released on Tuesday a statement citing concerns noting people walking and driving while using the app may be putting themselves and others at risk.

“It takes people out of their environment, but also puts them in it,” said J.T. Tubbs, 21, a camp counselor at American University.

A large difference between “Pokémon Go” and other games is the freedom it presents to its users, according to Patrick Flynn, an American University adjunct instructor of film and media arts. While some applications may punish you for not checking up regularly, “Pokémon Go” allows players to catch Pokémon whenever they like.

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A woman at American University captures a Pokemon saying she wants to best her sons’ scores. Photo credit Fletcher Peters.

“As the game gets on and as hierarchies develop as they always seem to do, that’s when we’ll start to see what the real problems are,” said Flynn, who said with more time more issues might arise.

The future of “Pokémon Go” may change with the beginning of the school year. High school students won’t have the same amount of time to play, however, college students will return to campuses flooded with Pokémon.

“You could, theoretically, see fraternities or clubs setting up lures and using that as a way to meet people and expand their membership, in a very organic, social way,” Flynn said.

For now, “Pokémon Go” attracts users from many backgrounds. Players don’t need prior knowledge, but for those Pokémon fans the game is like a dream come true. 

“I’m obsessed,” said Dylan Kenney, 21, while catching a Pokémon on the table at a campus cafe. “I’ve played Pokémon for years, and now I can actually catch a Venonat in Starbucks.”

 

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Books aren’t going anywhere at AU’s Bender Library

Computer stations near print reference materials at American University's Bender Library.
Computer stations near print reference materials at American University’s Bender Library. The library offers 50 computer stations. American University library. Photo by Nima Padash

Even in our technologically advanced society, both American University students and professors think books are here to stay.

At AU’s Bender Library, Alyse Minter, 27, a librarian, said books will never go away, but on a recent July morning in the basement level five people were plugged in with print material nowhere in sight.

AU’s Bender Library offers 50 computers and plenty of spaces to plug in a laptop or smartphone, but it’s the permanent print and reference collection that really stands out to Minter.

“Some information is only in books,” Minter said.

Information is everywhere and people have to preserve and maintain this information, which would be hard to do on the computer, Minter continued.

Books have a kinesthetic feedback which you can not get from a computer, said Minter. Because of this, people learn better from books in her opinion.

Dr. Pilar McKay, 32, a professor of public communication at AU’s School of Communication, encourages technology in the classroom.

“I will use technology whenever I can,” McKay said.

Although many people think computers in the classroom may be a distraction, McKay disagrees. She uses and loves Twitter in class and focuses lectures around Power Point presentations and videos.

A 2011 Pew Research Center poll agreed.

“The average reader of e-books says she has read 24 books…in the past 12 months, compared with an average of 15 books by a non-e-book consumer,” the Pew report stated.

Audrey Schreiber, 21, prefers pen and paper.

“Laptops are a distraction,” said Schreiber, a rising senior at AU, noting she has seen students in class going on social media sites or texting.

Schreiber would buy online materials and print those out if it was cheaper than the book, but still prefers a hard copy.

“I feel like I learn better from paper than computer,” Schreiber said.

In a 2014 article in the journal Teacher Librarian, researcher Shannon Hyman wrote that to develop lifelong readers, students must be able to access a wide range of formats and materials.

“Children must see books as a friend and be surrounded by and immersed in print at home and at school,” Hyman wrote.

Minter agreed.

“We shouldn’t love books or hate computers, they should work together,” Minter said.

 

 

 

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Newspaper at the end of the driveway? Probably not.

Steve Monroe, a retired editor and current freelance communications professional, discussed minimum wage in the district. Photo by Madeline Jarrard.
Steve Monroe, a retired editor and current freelance communications professional, reads The Washington Post. Photo by Madeline Jarrard.

News is revolutionizing.

Younger generations in the United States are obtaining news differently than past generations as technology allows for new ways to receive news.

In the past, people received news from the television, the newspaper and the radio, but today those outlets are being side-swept by the Internet and a generation increasingly seeking its new through mobile devices.

The “State of the News Media” report from the Pew Research Center found that while advertising revenue for newspapers continues to slip, some of the top digital news websites have seen traffic from mobile devices more than desktop computers.

Malayna Nesbitt, 17, consumes news in a variety of ways, accessing a mix of old and new technologies.

“Social media is the main source of this generation,” said Nesbitt, who explained that she gets her news primarily through applications she has on her smartphone.

Nesbitt said that her parents used to have the newspaper delivered to their home when she was younger. But not any more.

Now, she listens to NPR in the morning and receives breaking news updates from the CNN application on her phone.

Nesbitt is part of a growing trend.

The news is becoming more accessible as people switch from desktop to mobile news apps, or tune in to NPR. The Pew Research Center reported in a Public Broadcasting report that, “The number of NPR associate and full member stations grew 11% in 2014 and the number of stations airing NPR programming grew by 3%.”

At the same time, the Internet has become a main news source for the younger generation.  It beats out television, newspaper and radio.

But age matters.

Another Pew Research Center report found that the 18-29 age group claimed the Internet as their leading news source for national and international news, while the 65+ age group labeled television and the newspaper as their top news sources.

Steve Monroe, 66, used to be the business editor for the now-defunct The Gazette in Montgomery County, Maryland. After putting down his hard copy of The Washington Post on a recent morning sitting at a Tenleytown Starbucks, he explained his own news habits.

“I get 70 percent–no 60 percent–of news information from hard copy,” Monroe said.

He explained that he reads from a multitude of newspapers: The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, plus a local paper called Washington City Paper.

But even some who are closer to Monroe’s age see newspapers as a source of the past.

Rebecca Owens, 56, watches her local MSNBC affiliate twice a day and gets national news at 5:30 p.m. Other sources for Owens include the Internet but never a print newspaper.

Alice Scarborough, 47, watches her local Fox News affiliate and it’s been a while since she received a newspaper at home.

“Not in the past 10 years or so,” Scarborough said.