The Decline of American Culture In recent years, American culture has degenerated due to the misuse and overuse of recent advancements in technology. Mindless media, to which younger audiences are now immersed, is as prevalent as ever. The accessibility of information has changed the way Americans think and approach questions. Social interactions have been becoming less social. This essay will discuss these significant changes in American culture. These changes are steering America towards the wrong direction by promoting general laziness and disinterest of the real world. Entertainment is a multi-billion dollar industry that is still growing rapidly and becoming an even larger, detrimental aspect of American life. One key element of this industry is gaming. Many consider video games to be a complete waste of time while others recognize intellectual gain of them, however the truth is somewhere in between the two ideas. Steven Johnson argues in his novel, Everything Bad is Good for You, “All the intellectual benefits of gaming derive from [making decisions], because learning how to think is ultimately about learning how to make the right decisions.” This argument is valid and accurate, although a little exaggerated, but is misleading due to the fact that, according to his argument, only decision-making yields intellectual benefit. Therefore, only games that require decision-making are beneficial. This now limits Johnson’s argument since the majority of video games being played do not require intense decision-making and if they do, one’s mastery of the game removes most decision-making from it. Almost all examples Johnson uses of positive consequences of video games were regarding role-playing games, arguably the leading genre for intellectual gain. However, from a list of the top ten best selling games of last year, only three of the ten were role-playing games, and the others, arguably, lack much intellectual benefit. This means that a large majority of time spent on gaming is not assisting Americans intellectually and is instead being wasted, while other mediums with greater benefits are available. This is why the evolution of video games harms America and people in general, but television also poses a threat. Changes in television and Hollywood must also be considered with entertainment. The emphasis on celebrity life and reality television has also been growing in the American culture. Many people would concern themselves with “news” about these icons who live fabricated lives on screen for others’ entertainment. This is unhealthy to the audience because they could acquire a fabricated perception of reality and perhaps take these celebrities as role models. Celebrities’ prevalence in society cannot be denied. Many teenagers follow shows such as Jersey Shore or Keeping up with the Kardashians and it is alarming how much they indulge themselves into the lives of these actors. Although the time a person spends watching television is not directly correlated to their aptitude, this time they could be using to read since reading can greatly influence intelligence and awareness. In his novel, Everything Bad is Good for You, Johnson also states, “While eight- to 18-year-olds with high and low grades differed by only one minute in TV time… they differed in reading time by 17 minutes, 46 to 29- a huge discrepancy in relative terms… one that suggests that TV doesn’t have nearly the intellectual consequences that reading does.” This statistic gives concrete proof that time spent on watching television is, in general, not used productively. Now that there are an immense number of shows for teens to watch, even more time could be spent staring blankly into a screen. Again, this time wasted on mindless media could be better utilized within other activities. The other front in America promoting lethargy is the growth of technology, and more specifically, computers and the Internet. The Internet is great in that anything anyone would want to know is only seconds away, but this accessibility of information is harmful when used improperly. Most people no longer bother themselves with memorizing simple facts because their computer or phone could always be used to look the facts up. This trend is leading to ignorance of elementary facts and is hindering certain teaching methods. In his novel, The Dumbest Generation, Mark Bauerlein points out how students are able to abuse the Internet to complete assignments without even learning the material. He states, “The model is information retrieval, not knowledge formation, and the material passes from Web to homework without lodging in the minds of the students.” Students are becoming more reliant on technology to do the tedious work they should be doing, and, as a consequence, they are becoming less prepared for future aspirations. Because of this inability for children in our time to retain information, students’ grades are dropping and America has been losing ground internationally within the education system. The growth of technology is reshaping communication. People are able to contact others almost instantaneously and it is becoming easier to keep in contact with each other. The drawback that this speed creates is the absence of social interaction. Since many teenagers exclusively text their peers, they are not forming important social skills that can aid them later on. Regarding online interaction, in his novel Bauerlein says, “In an average young person’s online experience, the senses may be stimulated and the ego touched, but vocabulary doesn’t expand, memory doesn’t improve, analytic talents don’t develop, and erudition doesn’t ensue.” This result occurs because online experiences are often impersonal and additionally because much of what is found online is unsubstantial. These problems together make up the main force pushing American culture backwards. Americans have become much more impatient and lazy because of how easy modern technology makes their lives. As shown by statistical data, the time youth waste on mindless activities can be much better applied. There is now apathy towards the search for knowledge because Americans believe they hold all knowledge at their fingertips. For America to aspire to remain a great nation, removing these distractions from the lives of our youth and focusing their attention towards their education and future must reverse this decline.

Works Cited
Bauerlein, Mark. "Screen Time." The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future. New York, NY: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2008. N. pag. Print.
Gilbert, Henry. "Top 10 Best-selling Games of 2011." Gamesradar.com. Gamesradar, 13 Jan. 2012. Web. 16 Aug. 2012.
Johnson, Steven. "Games." Everything Bad Is Good for You. London: Allen Lane, 2005. N. pag. Print.