Living in a networked world has its pros and cons.

On one hand, we have access to more information than we could read in a lifetime, tedious tasks have been simplified, and we are connected to anyone in the world through the internet (among lots of other amazing pros). When I was little I imagined we'd be flying hovercrafts and have robots checking us out at the grocery store. We haven't quite gotten to that, but the progress we've made through the Internet is still dizzying.

So what about the bad? Do the pros outweigh the cons? In some ways I'd say yes. But the most troublesome thing (in my opinion) that has emerged in this Networked world is a whole new generation of Disconnected people. My parents and grandparents are always going out of their way to talk to strangers and connect with other people. Our generation is not as interested in this. I see it in myself too. I'm more involved with my cell phone than I am with most people I am in contact with throughout a typical day. It is even worse with the kids who have always had a smart phone in their life. My little cousins will barely speak to anyone unless it's via text, Facebook, twitter, Instagram, etc. Unlike me, who got a crappy flip phone when I was 13 and not a day younger, these kids have had access to the entire internet from as early as 7. Yes, 7 is the age one of my cousins got her first smartphone. Now she is 12 and we can't hold a conversation (because one or both of us is on our phones), but then I remember that this 12 year old has over 500 followers on Instagram. She is more connected to these people (most of which she doesn't even know) than she is to me. It makes me sad, because their life is completely centered around their technology. Not that mine isn't- I am guilty of this too, as I said earlier. But, I remember what it was like before smartphones. My phone could make calls and text, and that was essentially it. I am definitely more disconnected to other human beings than I was before the internet and smart phones, but I worry even more for the generation below us.

We are losing the ability to communicate face-to-face. We may be in the Networked world, but as far as human to human interaction, we are much more disconnected.