Technology Distraction 101

Richtel, Matt. (2010). Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction

Writing in the Works, Third Edition, p. 349-357

            Contemporary technology has overtime been adapted into our day to day lives; more so as the generation goes on. The concern from both parents and educations is that "'we're raising a generation of kids in front of screens whose brains are going to be wired differently.'" (Richtel, 2010, p. 350) In Richtel's article, Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction, he goes into detail about how contemporary technology has affected younger generation and causing them to be more distracted. This includes students who previously listened in class and got high marks change into students who are glued to their devices for a long duration of time and doing poorer in their education. 

            In his article, Richtel provides subheadings for each section to divide up his thoughts and to make it easier to navigate through the passage. Subheadings such as 'Growing up with Gadgets" (p. 351), allow the reader to stop and think back on what was discussed in the previous section. By doing so, the reader can make connection in the reading between distraction, students, and possibly how it may also be affecting their own children. Some sections are longer than other, which shows that particular section most likely had more thought put into it than other shorter ones. This sections could individually be directed to a variety of age groups since some articles have to do with personal experiences that students could relate to, studies which could be useful for researchers or parents, and detailed information for parents in search of an answer. 

            Richtel's articles is 8-9 pages long not only because of his interviews with the students, but also because he brings in studies from neuroscientists to provide examples for possible educated readers to get an in-depth understanding on why this may be happening to students (p. 353-354). These studies take up a section of the article possibly because Richtel may not have been directing his writing to higher educated people, but perhaps to parents and students who would like a simple answer on whether or not technology is harming the way that their child's education.

            He provides offline examples of students influenced by technology to gives his viewers an understanding that he has gathered knowledge about his topic. Such as "Vishal, a bright 17-year-old" (p. 349) and their transformation into being dedicated to film making and not on his studies. He also draws on a lot of research he has conducted himself first hand and to understand the younger generation today and why is causing them to be so sucked into the digital world. Through these two kinds of research and gathering of studies, Richtel is able to create an article that could be read by a variety of age group that it is targeting at and the reader would be able to receive the message that the article is trying to tell them.

Sources: Matt Richtel, "Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction" from

Writing in the Works, Third Edition, p. 349-357