By Faith Gonia
Resting on the keyboard, my left thumb presses the spacebar to pause an episode of The Bear. I close the laptop and pick up my phone that sits beside me. Unlike the astounding chefs that I just spent thirty minutes watching, I often fail to use my hands in their true capacity. Rather, I press pause, press play, and scroll.
Technology did not always eat away my free time. Back in the dark ages, I would never choose a T.V. show over my sketchbook, or TikTok over my sewing machine. But now, I sometimes find myself going days without doodling or drawing a picture. During such times, I stare at my hands as they figuratively rot, along with my creativity. And I am not alone.
A Pew Research study found that 31% of American adults use an online device “almost constantly,” with a majority of those adults ranging from 18 to 29. Taking a look at high school students at lunch, one can infer that younger teens share the same online tendencies. Devices have infiltrated the daily lives of not only adults, but also those with developing brains. With the rise of digital alternatives to children’s activities (online games, youtube videos), the younger generation moves farther and farther away from tactile skills, and closer to technological ones.
Advocates for technology argue that, if phones and computers can be used productively, then why is this statistic so concerning? Truly, advances in the online sphere have revolutionized countless aspects of society; U.S. News cites Software Developers as the number one job in 2023. However, the growth of technology-based living has stifled a key aspect of human existence—tangible hobbies. Both today’s kids and today’s adults spend less time using their hands for tactile activities, and more time for activities that live in the digital world. Children shy away from the Wall Ball court, but revel in the popular game, Fortnite. I fear that when the future generations grow to adulthood, they will lack the social and physical skills that technology has stripped them of.
As the new year approaches, I have resolved to use my hands for what they were intended for. Intricate paintings, overflowing journals, sweet tunes on the piano—our hands were meant to create.