Band 6+: In many countries, teenagers are spending less time doing physical activities and more time using digital devices. What are the causes of this problem? What solutions can be suggested to address it?

There is a worldwide tendency among younger generation to spend more time on digital activities rather than conventional real-life pastimes. This essay will examine the primary causes of this trend, including the addictive nature of technology and the influence of society and propose effective solutions to these reasons.

The first presented cause is the instant gratification trap. Digital services provide immediate gratification after completing even minor tasks, whereas outdoor hobbies require patience, discipline and endurance. This makes them almost the complete opposite of online activities For instance, rock climbing demands precision with muscle endurance, one session may last for hours, meaning that someone who is accustomed to instant gratification may find it difficult to enjoy such a pastime. . The other reason is peer pressure. Many may suggest that avoiding procrastination in online world is a way of showing off, an attempt to be different, which is paradoxically taken as a negative factor in nowadays society, where everything and everyone is supposed to be tolerant. For example, if a person goes offline for a 6-8 hrs timeframe or even longer, later his own friends may say “he’s trying to look busy”, providing pressure on any person who prefers offline hobbies instead of online.

One effective solution would be to promote traditional outdoor hobbies on the same social media platforms where people spend their time, instead of going outside. At first, it might cause backlash, but with enough effort applied, it is going to result in a new trend of spending spare-time outdoors. While some may not be influenced by the trend, a major part of social media users is going to be affected, causing a spike in conventional pastimes interest.

In conclusion, loss of interest among youth is a direct result of instant gratification from digital activities, as are the accusations of “trying to be different”. Although this problem existed before social media, the rapid growth of digital platforms has arguably intensified it, so naturally, the provided solution tends to push on the same buttons as a problem itself – creating a new trend, but in order to benefit popularisation of outdoor pastimes