Millennials Search For Identity

Rachel Lowry writes in her essay “Straddling Online and Offline Profiles, Millennials Search for Identity” that according to a recent online study, one out of four Millennials say they can only be their true self when alone (p. 500). But in this modern age of social media and smartphones, are we ever truly alone? Everyone can be connected with people all over the world in a second, and everyone can easily find out information about whoever they want with a simple Google search. Consequently, even if someone shuts off their computer and phone, any personal information they've posted about themselves is still out there for anyone to find. In addition to people constantly sharing aspects of their daily lives on social media, monitoring apps and …show more content…
The leak showed that the CIA uses smartphones and smart tv's to spy on citizens. In today's society, having internet access is essential to applying for jobs, having a job, attending school, maintaining contact with friends and family, staying up to date on current events and more. It's nearly impossible to live entirely off the grid, even for people who rarely use social media. This gives the CIA, and anyone else who may be hacking into our phones and computers, access to nearly everyone in the US. Despite knowing that these devices are being used to spy on us, we simply cannot just get rid of them, which is why this is such a big …show more content…
Being able to connect with people all over the world, share our experiences, and access information so easily is an amazing thing. The best solution is to continue to evolve and adapt, not take a step back. If we take further steps to ensure that these technologies cannot be abused, as well as be more careful about what we share online, maybe someday we can enjoy the benefits of the internet as well as our