The “Connected” People

POEM TO THE EDITOR

It’s the buzz in our pocket that instantly has our attention.
It’s the snap streak that has to be saved at all costs.
It’s the latest Kardashian update that spreads from phone to phone.
Why have all these things become so important?
Is it that crucial that we send a picture of our face to someone
Instead of having a conversation with the person sitting next to us?
When did staring at a rectangular screen become the social norm?

Our generation has been sucked into the vacuum of social media.
Instagram
Facebook
Snapchat
Twitter
Tumblr
YouTube
We think these outlets help us stay connected with the world,
But they drag us away from the world around us.
What happened to the days of going outside and playing kickball with our neighborhood friends?
Or having a sleepover and not snapchatting about it?

Yes, our generation sure knows how to have fun at parties.
By sitting on our phones and occasionally socializing, but only to get the wifi password.
Once people get bored with sitting on their phones, someone will look up some party games on Pinterest.
We could just play a board game, or do we need an app for that?

Disney shows nowadays show eight-year-olds with an iPhone7.
They even made a movie about two teenagers switching bodies by texting,
In what world does this live up to High School Musical?
Not this one.
But there are TV shows now with multiple Earths and realities,
Maybe on Earth 78 phones are not invented yet and people still know how to carry on a conversation.

If we are so connected with the rest of the world,
does that mean everyone is fully informed about the world’s problems?
Twitter is quick to spread the latest offensive thing Trump said,
But do we tweet about the millions dying of starvation around the world?
These medias should be used to try to fix the world’s issues.

To live happy is to live free.
Ignore the constant notifications,
Realize that snap streaks are unimportant,
Spend time with family and friends,
And live happy in the beauty of this world.

Mattie Zautner
East junior

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