The suicide rates are higher now than ever, and no particular group has been more affected by this epidemic than depressed, anxious and over-stressed teenagers. Teens are also at the forefront of the Information Age, where new technology is being created every day and political secrets have never been more unsafe. In "The End of Solitude" by William Deresiewicz, the author makes several claims accusing the increase use of technology as the most major factor in our loss of "solitude" The author is quoted as saying, "Technology is taking away our privacy and our concentration, but it is also taking away our ability to be alone." "This, to be frank, is very false for multiple reasons." The first reason is that the growing innovation of technology continues to offers more and more ways to increase concentration. The second reason this quote is false is that the ever growing Suicide rates among teens shows that people feel more alone now than any other time in history. .
The average American teen will use a smartphone, an internet capable computer, or a tablet of some sort, at least once during their day. At Bettendorf High School, every freshman, sophomore, and junior student is given a District funded ipad. The School District obviously sees the benefit in giving the students this technology because they believe it will benefit their learning abilities. There are over 100'000 games, utilities, and other activities on the apple "app store." Many of these "apps" serve an educational purpose and are developed for the sole purpose of building study and concentration skills for High School students as they embark on their journey of secondary knowledge that will be taught to them at any University or local community College where independent study is apart of the environment. It's important to understand that technology does not force us to do anything, it only gives us various opportunities.