Is technology limiting creativity

Technology has contributed to the bettering and improving our society, however, over the past few years, it has been questioned as to whether technology is the reason as to why many of the youth have lost their creativity and imaginative side. It has been proven true, to a certain extent, that technology has played a role in the decrease of creativity skills.

Technology over the past couple of years has undoubtedly made our lives much easier, however, has also contributed to the human race becoming lazier. People no longer have to sit around and try to figure out how things work, instead the easy access of devices like cell phones allows for information to be accessible 24/7 all around the world. For creativity to take place we need to be able to think and develop our own opinions and discoveries. Due to technology and how our nature is to take the easier and faster way out of things we turn to technology to get answers to our questions. We no longer think but expect to get an answer through what other people post on the internet. This habit of going to the internet and relying on technology to give you the answer is what dampens our creativity. Creativity isn't created out of laziness, but rather from observing the world around us however due to the nature of the internet and the ease that comes with accessing information faster we no longer observe the world around us.

Creativity and hand skilled talent have become underappreciated because of technology. Hand skilled talents have been stripped from the recognition they had once received since technology can do the same tasks at a faster rate with less possibility to create mistakes. Many examples of this can be seen in the creative fields like fashion and art. Hand drawings and artworks have been replaced with digital drawings. Hand crochet and knitted jerseys have been replaced with machine-made items. The art of fashion has become so commercialized through social media platforms that it has lost its art form through hand made tailored one of a kind items. Replicas of art forms are easily created through digital and technological platforms. Due to this, the originality or rather the authenticity of handmade items has been lost. Due to high demand from people technology was brought in to create faster quality work, however, anyone can create art through recent technological advances. Technology has stripped art forms from their authentic quality and has left the skill of art seen as pointless and a waste of time.

In the youth of today's society, they spend their free time sitting on technology scrolling through social media platforms instead of just sitting alone with their thoughts and allowing their minds to wander. The youth are more interested in how they are perceived by their peers through social media platforms, like Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and so on. They are put under immense pressure to fit in. To fit in they have to conform to a certain social quo and keep up with what's happening on social platforms. In our free time when we were children, we took out a page and some crayons to draw, or we played outside, or we decided to play imaginary games. When we grow up some of us still hold onto that quality of doing tasks like drawing or playing a sport outside, however, the majority of us sit on our phones and scroll through social media platforms or watch movies. We no longer give our brain a chance to think as our only goal is to gain a certain image from our peers- that image is that we have it all. Through technology and social media, we have become superficial, dressing up just to go out and taking photos to later post that night to show everyone that you have a “social life” and that you're not a nobody. Instead, we should be giving ourselves time and space to grow and think, but this isn't possible if we keep relying on technology and social media to control our lives. How do we expect the youth to create change and a better society when they aren't out of the box thinkers. We need problem solvers, not conformers.

Hand and motor skills are compromised by technology and this is specifically seen in the youth and younger generations. A vital component of a person's life consists of having good motor skills. This is developed in early childhood when being taught and practicing how to hold a pencil, how to draw, how to throw a ball, and so on. It is implemented and taught at school however further practice and training have to be implemented at home. Many parents live busy lives and find it easier to occupy their child by putting a movie on for them or allowing them to play video games and so on, however, this is a bad decision. Children should be playing outside or doing a task inside that demands their brain to be used in a way that technology like video games and digital platforms does not provide. Doing tasks with your hands create muscle memory and it been proven that performing hand tasks assist the brain in learning and absorbing information through this muscle memory. Many children turn to technology as a time out or a period of relaxation, but there are better ways to spend this time while still engaging your brain in enriching activities like reading or drawing that will in turn keep your brain active and allow for a space of creativity.

These are only a few mentioned factors out of many in which technology is a leading factor as to why our creativity is being dampened.