Screen Addiction Affects All Ages

The issue of screen addiction seems to touch everyone, including the older generations who have often been seen as the wise ones.

New York Magazine recently featured a piece on Boomer parents grappling with their own phone and iPad dependencies. These individuals reportedly spend countless hours scrolling through Facebook and browsing the internet, often at the expense of their family connections and relationships.

An interesting point raised in the article is that younger generations, those who have grown up surrounded by technology, seem to navigate social media and artificial intelligence more adeptly. In contrast, older individuals find it challenging to discern between reality and fiction, making them susceptible to the same patterns of excessive scrolling and consuming online content as much younger individuals.

However, this doesn’t imply that the youngest members of Gen Z or the emerging “Gen Alpha” are free from this struggle; quite the opposite is true, as screen addiction has become a widespread issue among youth.

With countless apps available for download on smartphones, in what feels like a dystopian trend, many young people end up spending their precious time watching livestreams of others engaging in a range of activities, whether interesting or trivial, such as playing video games. TikTok stands out as a leading app among youths, possibly one of the most addictive. The shift towards consuming short-form videos is even contributing to declining literacy rates. One has to wonder—will future generations grasp the basics of math?

The growing inclination of older generations toward screen use is a disheartening indicator of current times, particularly for those who either lack grandchildren or are distanced from them.

For grandparents who live nearby, it’s common to spend valuable time assisting and babysitting, especially with newborns in the picture. However, given that fewer Americans are having children, one might ponder how many retirees are missing the joy of grandparenthood and instead are turning to screens and social media to fill that gap. Perhaps more than many realize.

For older generations, who initially found touchscreens to be an entertaining novelty, these devices have, unfortunately, morphed into a source of addiction. Young people often face criticism for their excessive phone use—which may be justified. But isn’t it time to recognize that older generations could use some help too? After all, we all might need to confront our screen habits, whether we’re 17 or much older.