Influence+of+Technology,+Backward+Views+on+Generation+Y+and+Complete+Societal+Change.+How+Will+We+Survive?


 * Name**: Rachel Tenbrink
 * Student Number:** 8306851
 * Tutor**: Judith Meiklejohn

__ Artefact: Apple Ò __
Apple Incorporated was developed in 1977 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne, it is a multinational corporation which designs and markets electronics, for both professional and personal use. Major developments include the Macintosh computers, iPod, iPad, iPhone and the software Mac OS X, which is the main operating system on the line of Macintosh computers. The most recent development of Apple is the iCloud, which is an online storage and syncing service essentially allowing users to access their information via any media device. September 2011 revealed Apple as the largest publicly traded company in the world by market capitalisation. Furthermore, Apple is the largest technology company in the world by revenue and profit, overtaking Dell in 2010 with worldwide sales of $65.23 billion (Wikipedia, 2011; Apple, 2011).

__ Public Health Issue __
Generation Y (Gen Y) is characterised by a number of changes emerging throughout society, in particular technology, they are a multicultural, multi-modal, multi-educated group of young people who, at times can be seriously underestimated and misunderstood. The evolution of technology has contributed to change of many cultural profiles, and Gen Y are truly tech-savvy people, but how is this affecting their health? There is no question that technology is evolving rapidly, but are Gen Y sacrificing too much in the name of technological evolution. The question is how are they being affected by technological dependence and what is happening to the balance of society?

__ Literature Review __
As the Baby Boomer population head towards retirement, Gen Y is finishing school and heading to university, according to most research papers, Gen Y is the most formally educated generation in history (Queensland Tourism Industry Council, 2007), and they are using technology to help them get there, but how are Gen Y utilising technology, and how is it affecting their health. It is easy to believe how a generation can be directly affected by over-using digital technology, there is already evidence that the revolution of technology may affect eating habits and physical activity, but what about brain function or changes in personality? Technology influences social and cultural change, but Gen Y are the ‘natives’ of this technology, therefore, issues surrounding the changes in society need to be addressed, especially if Gen Y are to one day lead the world in cultural change.

Gen Y’s influence is far-reaching, which places them firmly in the lead to be technologically affluent. Technology is rapidly imprinting itself on society, and no sooner does the era of one device finish, another one has already started. Gen Y are experts on keeping up with the changing technologies, and this has ultimately morphed Gen Y into a new generation of consumers, the net generation (Kaur & Medury, 2011).

Empirical evidence suggests that young people are far from homogenous in their response to new technologies, because they’ve learned to adapt to changes in technology (Healing, 2010), however it stands to reason that while technology has a positive effect on young people, it can also be affecting their physical health. Technology demonstrates how different this generation of young people are, compared to those before them. Gen Y’ers learn, think and process information differently. Yerbury, 2010 states that young people are uncertain and unable to rely on anything, yet they incorporate this ‘uncertainty’ into their lives, and are often described as more optimistic than their predecessor generation, Generation X.

Mark McCrindle’s book, //Word Up// shows us that Gen Y are a product of their time, as are we all, but this generation of young people are enthusiastic and need a more hands on learning experience, they perform better in a less auditory environment (McCrindle, 2011). Gen Y experience the use of technology as a physical and social space, it is the air they breath, which allows them to perform many of the tasks [using technology] normally performed in the physical environment (Kaur & Medury, 2011).

A recent report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) provides the latest in statistics regarding young people aged 12-24 years of age. Key notes from this document show that, overall Australia’s young people are healthy, however there is considerable scope for further gains. There were unfavourable trends in nutrition and physical activity rates, where not enough young people are meeting Australian guidelines for either fruit and vegetable consumption, nor physical activity (AIHW, 2011).

It is not necessarily [digital] technology that is the public health concern here, it more the wellbeing of Gen Y, and how technology could be effecting their health. There are no current data sources for reporting on these issues, but experts should not rule out that technology may be indirectly contributing to these health issues. The AIHW identifies technology and the effects of climate change as emerging issues of concern. Furthermore, the growing recognition of perceived stress in young people’s lives may be leading to emotional symptoms of ill health and sleep disorders. Current research, as cited by the AIHW suggests that there are numerous adverse health effects associated with exposure to media technologies which range from physical health to psychological problems like depression or increased aggression (AIHW, 2011).

Further research into the use of technologies and the effects on young people’s health should be continued, researchers however, may not know the full effects of the use of technology on health for several decades. There are positive and negative outcomes from the use of technology, but more reliable health performance indicators need to be developed in order to fully grasp how media and communication effects the health of young Australians (AIHW, 2011).

In the Next 10 Years…

Gen Y, even as young people, have a considerable amount of impact; they are the children of the largest generation ever, the Baby Boomers, and have a competitive size ratio (72 million Baby Boomers vs. 60 million Gen Y’ers) (Dembo, 2000). Internationally, 2011 represents the year in which the seven billionth person was born, which is a huge population milestone, considering that it was only in the early 1800’s where the global population reached one billion, and it only took another 127 years to reach two billion [in 1927] (The Project, 2011). For Australia, July 2012 is the expected time where Australia will reach 23 million people, but it is the future of Australia’s ageing population which is of more concern to the federal government, with 2020 predicted to be the year Australia hits 24 million people and 1 in 5 Australians will aged over sixty (Australia in 2020, 2011).

Australia is experiencing a massive generational shift, in 2008, more Australians left the workforce than entered it (Queensland Tourism Industry Council, 2007). Social researcher, Mark McCrindle predicts that by the time 2020 rolls around, there will be more sixty-five years olds than one year olds and that the population pyramid will be inverted (Australia in 2020, 2011).

__ Social Theory __
Digital technology has emerged as a considerable influence, and Gen Y have been the people to which exposure to this technology has had its most profound effect. Technology is a clear demonstration of how Gen Y have adopted and adapted to life in a digital world. Healing, 2010 states that the result of growing up with digital technology has effected how young people learn and process information. Healing also writes that literature accepts that the existence of an environment with technology leads to a generational step change.

The changes in technology have caused changes in society, young generations are more influenced by the world around them, and older generations are being expected to familiarise themselves with these changes, and become similar to the younger generations (Healing, 2010). Technological determinism suggests that our culture generally adapts over time, in order to make efficient use of our surroundings (Journal of Evolutionary Philosophy, 2011). Empirical literature supports this argument, forcing institutions and teachers to change (Healing, 2010).

Modernism is also an example of technological changes in the world. The emerge of the printing press and the decline of religious totalitarianism and the re-discovery of science all happen during the early 1800’s; then the rise of the Industrial Age saw writers begin to popularize new theories about culture and progress (Journal of Evolutionary Philosophy, 2011). Scientific discovery and philosophical thinking equated to cultural advancement (Journal of Evolutionary Philosophy, 2011), therefore cultural advancement not only gives rise to changes in technology, but also changes in society itself; again demonstrating that generations need to adapt to changes in technology and begin to understand how Gen Y operates.

Cultural evolution carries with it considerable controversy over it’s meaning, but, everyone has separate opinions over what constitutes a society, how society operates and ultimately how ideas are formed (Journal of Evolutionary Philosophy, 2011). John Locke argued that humans were not only products of evolution, but also created evolution. Locke believed that knowledge is direct awareness of facts concerning the belief of our ideas (Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, 2011). Further, he was concerned with the reliance on probabilities, he believed it is our obligation to obtain knowledge ourselves and not always take the word of authorities. From this, perhaps his most infamous argument that challenged the belief of his time, that humans are not born with ideas and knowledge, we are a clean slate when born, a //tabula rasa//; that we learn from experience (Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, 2011).

Mark McCrindle demonstrates in several pieces of his work, that change is inevitable, and in order for society to move together, we must have understanding throughout each of the generations (McCrindle, 2011). One study demonstrates this; by exemplifying generation X and Y, it was found that even when each of the representative generations propose similar action, the rationale differs. Further, it was found that generation X was more focused on the self, rather than society [in comparison to generation Y] (Boyd, 2010).

Technological change is a benefit to man-kind, but we need to understand it, not just observe it, this is what Gen Y has done, and even though previous generations may not want to agree on this, this cultural shifting is a result of both changes in demography and technology, societal changes are inevitable (Mark McCrindle, 2011). Experts have agreed on the conclusion that the debate over Gen Y and their dependence on technology is not a legitimate one (Healing, 2010). Technology is a part of everyone’s lives and in order to bring about a better future, society needs to move with the times.

Apple Inc. represents a digital technology giant today and a milestone for the technological world. With Gen Y moving up in the world, they need fast and reliable technology to keep up with their on-the-go lives. Not just Apple, but technology itself provides this. Gen Y changed the way they learn and process information in order to utilise technology, and now, technology needs to again evolve in order to keep up with the fast lifestyles of Gen Y.

In finishing, technology is a force to be reckoned with. The way society operates today is based on the revolution of technology, it cannot be solely blamed for the unfavourable trends being seen in young peoples’ health, nor can it be argued that technology is isolating the world’s older generations. Technology will continue to evolve, and society will move with the change, it has been agreed that older generations need to embrace change and learn these new technologies.

While technology brings certain unwanted trends in society, it is up to humans to rectify these problems and learn from previous experience, which is precisely what Locke theorised. It is without a doubt that the world has largely benefited from the evolutions in technology, as it has not only brought about change in the way we operate in the physical environment, but also how we are influenced to learn and process information.

__ Reflections __
// By Danika Mason //
 * Comment 1 ** : Comment and Reflection – Rachel Tenbrink
 * ‘Understanding the book, not just the cover – mental health’ **

Firstly, congratualtions on a very well-written wiki, the statistics you had included were well-researched and suited your essay perfectly. Mental illness is indeed an interesting topic and it is curious as to why the Australian Government has only just started to notice it. I have one question I'd like to pose however; in your final sentence of you literature review, you stated that marital status has been found to play a strong role in suicide rates, but only amongst men. Why do you think that is and why do you think there is no current evidence on women's marital status and suicide rates? // By Roslyn Cochrane //
 * Comment 2 ** : Amazing Work, Highly Motivating
 * ‘It’s bad enough people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance – Elizabeth Taylor (actress)’ **

What a fantastic article! This shows great depth and knowledge on the topic you've selected and you've clearly captivated not only your audience, but yourself in the writing of this article. The title is what pulled me into reading this, it gave a great starting point and grabbed the readers attention. It is quite a shock to believe that HIV/AIDS rates are as high as they are in Australia. Where do you think further research into this diesease should be focused on, and do you think more qork could be done in terms of preventative measures?

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