I teach high school students for a living at a private, Christian school. You may have just read that and thought to yourself, "Oh, that's nice. Sterling teaches in a sanitized environment to a bunch of semi-rich kids who can afford tuition. That's not real life, but kudos to you." While it may be true that I am not employed in the arena of North Carolina public schools, what I have come to learn over my years of working with middle school and high school students is that while socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnic backgrounds may differ, not one teenager is immune to the struggles that are paramount to this current generation.
Known as Gen Z or whatever it is that they are called, this current generation of middle school, high school, and college students have no idea what it's like to be raised in an environment free from the trappings of technology. They never had to endure the torture of walking across the room to manually turn the TV channel, dial-up modems that took days to connect you to a slower-than-molasses-uphill internet, or (gasp) flip phones that were about as easy to text from than performing brain surgery blindfolded. And there is nothing wrong with missing out on these "inconveniences" unique to a first world that is used to being ahead of the curve in all areas of life and technology.
What is unique is that today's students are unbelievably susceptible to gross amounts of information that they have no possible way of fully processing, facts and figures and numbers and comments that are hurled at the speed of a click that come in bunches at a time instead of bit-sized morsels that can be chewed and swallowed without choking. Where I teach, cell phones are off-limits to the students during the school day, but as soon as the last bell rings it is an all out onslaught to their lockers where they anxiously scroll through every missed text, snap, and post, desperate to catch up on all the pictures, posts, and quotes that they missed, none of which really have any lasting significance.
What am I trying to prove with all of this? My point is that the same struggles that I faced as a teenager – self-image, confidence, depression, doubts, etc. – are the same struggles that today's teenagers are facing, but in their case there exists a whole warehouse of ideas and opinions hurled at them with terminal velocity telling them what they should and should not do with these issues. And this information they are receiving is not good information at all. Rather, it is based on the opinions of anyone who has access to the internet and a keyboard, which is pretty much most people in the world.
Hollywood stars who have zero experience beyond their lavish ivory castles are trying to tell today's generation how unjust this world is and how they should vote. Social media "influencers" – whose only "authority" comes from a ridiculous number of "likes" – push today's teens in the direction of products and ideas, not because they care about this generation but rather because it lines their pockets with more cash. Friends send nonstop texts, Tweets, and instant messages that flood their phone screens, many causing stress and anxiety because of unrealistic expectations and comparisons thrust upon them that they know they can never achieve.
There is simply too much information out there for today's generation to handle and sadly there are very few, if any, filters in place that allow them to discern between what is wheat and what is chaff. As a result, depression is rampant, suicide is a leading cause of death, anxiety has become crippling, and the pressure to perform has become nothing more than Russian Roulette, a fruitless game that will almost always have a tragic ending.
So what is the solution? Shut down the internet! Burn the phones! Start a revival with the postal service and rotary phones! Actually, I wish it was that simple. As a parent who sees how technology and social media has affected my own children (and how I can easily abuse it as well), I honestly don't possess the moral authority to make a definitive statement against it. But I know someone who does.
In the Old Testament book of Proverbs, we find a treasure trove of wisdom that God providentially placed there thousands of years ago. He knew that we would need it! Let me give you a sample of what was written to generations both past and present:
Instead, put the phone down and take a walk outside. Take the time to look at the world around you and how beautiful it actually is. Spend time having face-to-face conversations with people instead of settling for a text or a snap. Stop allowing a faceless – and fake – medium to define your self-worth and identity. And embrace the truth that you have been created for a purpose by a God who desperately loves you and wants nothing but the ultimate best for your life.
Known as Gen Z or whatever it is that they are called, this current generation of middle school, high school, and college students have no idea what it's like to be raised in an environment free from the trappings of technology. They never had to endure the torture of walking across the room to manually turn the TV channel, dial-up modems that took days to connect you to a slower-than-molasses-uphill internet, or (gasp) flip phones that were about as easy to text from than performing brain surgery blindfolded. And there is nothing wrong with missing out on these "inconveniences" unique to a first world that is used to being ahead of the curve in all areas of life and technology.
What is unique is that today's students are unbelievably susceptible to gross amounts of information that they have no possible way of fully processing, facts and figures and numbers and comments that are hurled at the speed of a click that come in bunches at a time instead of bit-sized morsels that can be chewed and swallowed without choking. Where I teach, cell phones are off-limits to the students during the school day, but as soon as the last bell rings it is an all out onslaught to their lockers where they anxiously scroll through every missed text, snap, and post, desperate to catch up on all the pictures, posts, and quotes that they missed, none of which really have any lasting significance.
What am I trying to prove with all of this? My point is that the same struggles that I faced as a teenager – self-image, confidence, depression, doubts, etc. – are the same struggles that today's teenagers are facing, but in their case there exists a whole warehouse of ideas and opinions hurled at them with terminal velocity telling them what they should and should not do with these issues. And this information they are receiving is not good information at all. Rather, it is based on the opinions of anyone who has access to the internet and a keyboard, which is pretty much most people in the world.
Hollywood stars who have zero experience beyond their lavish ivory castles are trying to tell today's generation how unjust this world is and how they should vote. Social media "influencers" – whose only "authority" comes from a ridiculous number of "likes" – push today's teens in the direction of products and ideas, not because they care about this generation but rather because it lines their pockets with more cash. Friends send nonstop texts, Tweets, and instant messages that flood their phone screens, many causing stress and anxiety because of unrealistic expectations and comparisons thrust upon them that they know they can never achieve.
There is simply too much information out there for today's generation to handle and sadly there are very few, if any, filters in place that allow them to discern between what is wheat and what is chaff. As a result, depression is rampant, suicide is a leading cause of death, anxiety has become crippling, and the pressure to perform has become nothing more than Russian Roulette, a fruitless game that will almost always have a tragic ending.
So what is the solution? Shut down the internet! Burn the phones! Start a revival with the postal service and rotary phones! Actually, I wish it was that simple. As a parent who sees how technology and social media has affected my own children (and how I can easily abuse it as well), I honestly don't possess the moral authority to make a definitive statement against it. But I know someone who does.
In the Old Testament book of Proverbs, we find a treasure trove of wisdom that God providentially placed there thousands of years ago. He knew that we would need it! Let me give you a sample of what was written to generations both past and present:
- "Without guidance, people fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance."(Proverbs 11:14)
- "Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue only a moment." (Proverbs 12:19)
- "A shrewd person conceals knowledge, but a foolish heart publicized stupidity." (Proverbs 12:23 – Oh how this describes social media perfectly!)
- "The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding. Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent, discerning when he seals his lips." (Proverbs 17:27-28)
- Think before you post something about yourself or others
- Don't believe everything that you see or read on the internet (shocker!)
- Stop trying to pursue truth and purpose all by yourself – we need each other for wisdom, support, and accountability
Instead, put the phone down and take a walk outside. Take the time to look at the world around you and how beautiful it actually is. Spend time having face-to-face conversations with people instead of settling for a text or a snap. Stop allowing a faceless – and fake – medium to define your self-worth and identity. And embrace the truth that you have been created for a purpose by a God who desperately loves you and wants nothing but the ultimate best for your life.
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