Archetype 3

         We have entered an age of sophisticated technological advances. This new golden age is full of exceptionally knowledgeable human beings that are crafting new and exciting phenomenons that are propelling the world into a functioning utopia. The Editors of Publications International said it is becoming an utopia because “the average life expectancy at the beginning of the 20th century was 47.3 years. A century later, that number had increased to 77.85 years, due largely to the development of vaccinations and other treatments for deadly diseases.” But as we move inward into this new advance utopian society, you see the spark of a raging inferno. This inferno is advancing the numerous  negative effects that technology, like television, has on humanity.

In order to explain just some of the effects technology in general has on individuals, pediatric occupational therapist, biologist, speaker, and author, Cris Rowan, created and posted an article, “The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child”, on May 29th, 2013. In the article, Rowan related children's way of life today compared to twenty years ago. Back then, kids continuously played outside for entertainment. Then at night, kids always came together at the table with their parents during and after dinner in order to socialize about their day. But now, according to Rowan, "technology's impact on the 21st century family is fracturing its very foundation, and causing a disintegration of core values that long ago were the fabric that held families together". Kids evolved from playing inside and socializing with their family to shutting themselves in their room playing video games or watching TV. Rowan goes as far as saying that "aged children use on average 7.5 hours per day of entertainment technology, 75 percent of these children have TV's in their bedrooms, and 50 percent of North American homes have the TV on all day. Gone is dining room table conversation, replaced by the "big screen" and take out."

So, what's the harm from children spending 7.5 hours watching a flashing light box? Let’s start with all the  kids that are coming down with a case of autism, coordination disorder, developmental delays, unintelligible speech, ADHD, learning difficulties, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Now, your probably wondering about how did the television set cause this? Well, the bright flashing box caused this by visual and auditory overload. Rowan said that "sensory imbalance creates huge problems in overall neurological development, as the brain's anatomy, chemistry and pathways become permanently altered and impaired." She later goes on to say that "children who overuse technology report persistent body sensations of overall "shaking", increased breathing and heart rate, and a general state of "unease." This can best be described as a persistent hypervigalent sensory system." Even though Rowan doesn't know the long term effect of this kind of stress in developing children are, she does know that in adults, it weakens the immune system and causes many disorders and diseases.

    Even after all this, there are still more effects that mostly all technology have in common. One of these effects is centered around the most used organ in the body: the eyes. All televisions, phones, and games, use some sort of flickering screen that disorganizes the eye. WebMD  calls this strain on your eyes “computer vision syndrome (CVS).” MD also said that is is not just one eye problem but “the term encompasses a whole range of eye strain and pain experienced by computer users.” A few of the symptoms of CVS is Blurred vision, Eye irritation, Headaches, Double vision, Dry, red eyes, and Neck or back pain. Like other stress related injuries, CVS can worsen the more often or longer you stare at the flickering screen. After seeing this, you are most likely wonder how computers are giving you optical problems. The most noticeable reason is the consistent staring at a flashing screen. This unbreakable gaze stains the eye’s muscles, resulting in pains. On the other hand, the most unnoticeable predicament is caused by the screens light itself. The light that harms your eye is called blue light. Elaine Kitchel, a M.Ed., defines blue light as invisible “light with wavelengths in the 500nm to 381nm range” (nm is nanometer, the unit used to measure things on the light spectrum). Kitchel said that as you watch your technological device, blue light “strikes the retina at full‑strength exposing not only the retina, but the lens to damage”. After this Kitchel explains that this exposure to the lens damages the part of the eye that is responsible for focusing images far away. Blue light, caused by looking at technological flashing screen, causes individual to become nearsighted.

    One of the most negative effecting technological items ever invented is one that , according to Bernd Bilitewski, Rosa Mari Darbra, and Damià Barceló, authors of a global risk book, “approximately 1.4 billion household in the world” have, television. Amanda Gardner, health reporter and writer of the 2011 article “TV watching raises risk of health problems, dying young”, reported “that for every two hours Americans spend watching TV each day, there are 176 new cases of diabetes, 38 additional deaths from heart disease, and 104 additional deaths.” Considering that the average person watches about five hours of TV, about 450 people are negatively affected by just sitting and watching an average amount of  TV.  It is said that if one does not develop diabetes from watching television, then it most likely that you will become obese from watching it. Why else would america, the country that watches more than twice as much TV than any other country in the world, be the most obese country in the world. Amelia Winslow, nutritionist and chef, said that there are three reasons why humans gain weight while watching Television. The first is that while you are sitting watching TV, you are losing the opportunity to burn calories. Winslow said that a “hour of TV watching burns about 55 calories. Compared to walking (230 calories), leisurely riding a bike (220) or dancing (330), that’s not much. Even sleeping (70 calories), typing on a computer (80), and eating (100) expend more energy than watching TV.” The next reason is that of the distraction of the TV. When we eat food without television for about 20 minutes, our brain usually send electrical impulses to tell us that we are full and should stop eating.  But, if we eat food while watching TV, the brains impulses are sent slower and less likely to be paid attention right away. This causes us to eat more, which in turn, can cause people to become obese or worse, develop diabetes. Winslow’s final reason why we gain weight while watching TV is simply the fact that that you are more liable to eat high-calorie food than good low-calorie healthy kind.

    In the world, weight is not the only thing affected by technology like television. According to the epilepsy foundation,  “the fourth most common neurological disorder” that can affect anyone of any age is epilepsy. The epilepsy foundation said that 65 million people in the world and one in twenty-six American citizens have developed epilepsy. One of the main causes of epilepsy, seizure disorder, is the constant flashing of lights in technology. One of the most world wide known cases of epilepsy from television is on December 16th, 1997.In the article “The Banned Pokémon Episode That Gave Children Seizures”,  Luke Plunkett retells the story of the first and last time Pokémon episode thirty-eighth, Electric Soldier Porygon, was aired in Japan. Plunkett said that the plot is centered “around the adventures of Ash and his friends as they travel inside a Pokéball transmitter machine, its story and premise are innocent enough. The machine is broken, and the kids embark on an adorable little cyberspace adventure to fix it.” Sounds like a harmless story right, wrong. The problem in this story is, as said in the video below at 11:09 by Ash and his friends, “it’s too bright.” This Pokémon episode alone put almost 700 children in the hospital because of seizures caused by flashing light. This "Pokémon shock" incident caused a major media outrage all over the world. In the end, the only good this episode did was show what not to do in a TV show.  

Part about Seizures is at 9:48-13:35 and one the best

examples is at 11:30-12:20 (must watch) 

    Although television air many education shows, most people, especially the younger generation, watch show that are bad for them. On America's world news site, global post, Sara Ipatenco and Erica Loop both have different views on how television affects teenagers. Ipatenco starts by demonstrating that teen who watch more TV are more likely to do bad in school. The brain can only remember so much. After a long day at school, teens most likely come home to watch TV. As they watch their show, the moving and exciting pictures records it self over the teenagers memory of school. From there, Ipatenco agrees that watching TV can cause weight gain because of obsessive eating and the loss time of doing nothing instead of exercising. On the other hand, Loop said that body image changes because of self-esteem. Have you ever noticed that while you watch television, mostly all the actors are skinny, beautifully muscled human beings. When teen watch TV, they compare themselves to their favorite actors stereotypes and start to feel inferior about themselves. This low self-esteem leads teens to start to feel worthless, self-hate, angry, and many other symptoms. In both their articles, both Ipatenco and Loop agree that watching television leads to violence and/or bad behavior. Ipatenco states that “average child will see more than 200,000 acts of violence before his 18th birthday.” At some point, all this violence of the villain doing something bad and the hero using aggressive means to stop him imprint on the child's mind, making them think that it is ok to do the same. Loop says that “although your teen has the cognitive abilities to reason that televised violence is fantasy -- unlike a younger child who may not understand this or the consequences of violence -- the constant bombardment of violence may desensitize him to these acts or even make them seem intriguing, in an exciting way.” To put it simple, the teen is curious about the activities done on TV and try to react it. This is one of the reason why kids try stupid stuff like smoking.

    Because of technology like television, a wildfire of negative effects are burning down human being. If these influences are not changed, the world as we know it will be metamorphosized for the worse.  If these influences are not changed, then soon, you too, will become one of the many people who has perished under their wrath.