Each generation comes with its own unique aspect that makes it different from the previous generation, so the question that I feel like the article is in fact addressing is that is there enough evidence to constitute calling it a paradigm shift.
One of the first pieces of evidence that shows the shift that occurred in the kids is their want for independence and ability to leave. Kids wants to leave the home and start driving is one of the key markers of being a teenager throughout all past generations, yet our generation is one of the few generations that is bucking that trend. It no longer is a fun thing to get a driver’s license as many people feel that is a chore. I feel like I am a perfect example of this. I got my permit six months after I turned 16, yet I let my permit expire while only having driven for five hours total. I then proceeded to wait another 6 months after my permit expired to renew it, and to this day still do not have my liscense. I feel like this is a perfect sign of the times as people are now able to survive without a license. Because of the growth of the iPhone, I can easily get in contact with my friends to drive me places, thus the iPhone had a large shift in the way kids get their license and work to leave the home.
The best example of how the iPhone caused a paradigm shift in the emotions of the kids. I feel like it is best described by Jean Twenge when they say “So what are they doing with all that time? They are on their phone, in their room, alone and often distressed.” There has been a sharp rise in the suicide rate in our generation and that is one of the main shifts in our society. Because the kids are less independent and more isolated, this leads to a large mental health crisis. I feel like the true paradigm shift in between generations stems from the iPhone. It allows kids to avoid social contact which is leading to this sharp change in the feelings of students
Overall I feel like this in in fact a paradigm shift as kids in this most recent generation live vastly different lives from kids in previous generations. Due to the iPhone, kids are in fact feeling more lonely and are less likely to be independent.
With the increased culture of the iPhone, we are being more immersed in the digital world, not finding a need to physically go out and meet people anymore. I do most of my shopping on the Amazon app in my phone as well. Our dependency upon things like the need to drive everywhere like you mentioned drops. The biggest question is what if in the midst of this shift the iPhone stops working for all of us. Will we be able to live comfortably? Could we live like the people from the past century who never even dreamed of the iPhone coming to existence?