It’s so easy to blame the phone, but the truth is, the phone isn’t forcing us to do anything. It’s our own habits that are out of control. Technology is neutral; it becomes what we make of it.

Human interaction can’t compete with the dopamine spike that social media provides. The attention economy has made focus a rare commodity. Every app is engineered to pull us back in, fragmenting not just our time, but our relationships. Friendship now competes with algorithms designed to hijack our curiosity.

Members of Generation Z are commonly referred to as “digital natives” and are thought to be the most tech-savy of all generations. But investigations are now finding that keyboard typing skills are their weakness.

Our generation loves to hate on iPad kids, when in reality, we’re all just iPhone adults. How many times a week do you sit down on the couch, open TikTok and start scrolling? When you finally snap back into consciousness, three hours have passed — and you haven’t moved a muscle besides your thumbs. It’s an endless cycle known as “doom scrolling,” and I believe this phenomenon is killing not only our time but also our creativity.

As a society, we need to be careful with technology. We can’t let it be our downfall or truly rely on it for everything. The growth of AI can be seen as cool, but it can also be very dangerous to us. Be careful with what you say near your phone because you never know who may be listening.

However, while spending time away from them, you begin to realize they are aging and always have been. They spent all of your life looking after you and putting your needs before theirs. It only takes one call to make their day.

Instead of letting yourself become addicted to your phone, use it as a tool to keep in contact with people you don’t get to see often or as a tool to deepen your understanding of topics you’re curious about. Right now, they are simply becoming a tool to dull senses, push away thoughts and numb emotions.