By this year, 2026, technology has grown to be one of the most integral parts of our lives. It affects our relationships, communication, and interactions. Generation Z specifically has become so dependent on their phones that the art of face-to-face interactions has depreciated. It has become increasingly hard to make genuine human connections with one another. Technology is directly impacting Gen Z’s notion of isolation and community. They are the loneliest generation, but they are never actually alone.
There is an Electronic Epidemic.
When referring to technology, cell phones seem to be the most pertinent and consume the most of our attention. Their convenience and size make them a great means to entertain us and reach others. According to various sources, including Harmony Healthcare IT and NSS Magazine, Gen Z spends anywhere from 6-8 hours on average on their phones. This is an extremely large portion of the day, suggesting that young people are interacting more with their phones than with each other. Just because you are in a room full of people does not mean that they are truly there with you.
Cells Are Taking Over the Classroom.
These pieces of technology are taking away from our real-world interactions, stripping us of genuine human connection. We let these tiny devices consume our attention and focus, allowing them to distract us from what’s going on around us. Phone culture these days has made us robotic, and our interactions with one another have become surface-level.
For example, take a look around next time you enter a lecture, class, or meeting. Are people talking with one another, or just on their phones? It is likely that most Gen Z students will have their heads buried in their phones, completely disconnected from one another. Even if you strike up a conversation, oftentimes, it can feel as though the receiver is only focused on getting back to their phone.
We’re Together, Yet Apart.
Another prevalent example of how technology is harming genuine human connections is through relationships. Emily A. Vogels and Monica Anderson, both researchers and respected members of the Pew Research Center, decided to dive into this concept in an article titled “Dating and Relationships in the Digital Age.”
The pair conducted a 4860-person survey, which found that “52% of 18-to-29-year-olds who are in a romantic relationship say their partner is at least sometimes distracted by their phone when they’re trying to talk to them.” This, unfortunately, leads to a feeling of neglect and encourages isolation between partners.
Is Social Media Sabotaging Us?
Although we may find a sense of community within our cell phones, social isolation is actually what tends to prevail in the long run. Social media is a leading cause of this. Despite the notion of social media being a means of connecting with one another and sharing our lives, so much pressure is associated with its maintenance these days. It has created unrealistic standards that we relentlessly hold ourselves to and fosters a platform for bullying.
In addition, social media makes us feel an unnecessary need to show the best, happiest version of ourselves at all times. Keeping up with this standard can be exhausting, oftentimes, and has the potential to make us feel lonely. When people feel as though they need to conform to the “in-group,” they start to think they cannot express their genuine selves. Some may even begin to alter their personality in order to fit into the crowd. For example, this can look like changing one’s image or having a fear of posting certain passions. Social media offers the chance to compare oneself to society; comparison is the thief of joy.
With worldwide communication and entertainment at the tips of our fingers, Gen Z is finding less of a need to interact with one another. People are much more consumed by their phones than by a real-life human conversation, and it has weakened our society. Although we believe that these tiny pieces of technology can provide us with everything we’d ever need, a robot cannot replace a genuine human connection. The longer we surround ourselves with these surface-level technological interactions, the more we isolate ourselves, and the lonelier our generation becomes.