Final answer:
Jean Twenge's piece discusses the profound impacts smartphones have on the younger generation's mental health, social life, and independence, also underlining society's growing dependence on smartphones for day-to-day activities.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Jean Twenge's Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?, she argues that the prevalence of smartphones has had significant effects on young people's mental health and social interactions. Twenge presents evidence that teenagers are becoming more socially isolated, less independent, and experiencing higher rates of mental health issues compared to past generations. Incidences like the 81-year-old Betty struggling to get a haircut without a cell phone, highlight the growing dependence on smartphones for basic tasks.
Furthermore, the relationship with our phones has changed, as seen in statistics cited by Twenge, where a significant portion of users cannot imagine living without their phones, checking for notifications compulsively, and even sleeping with their phones. The article explicates the deep and often worrisome intertwining of life with technology, affecting users' ability to disengage from work and maintain undistracted attention.