Julie,
I liked your acknowledgement that texting and AIMing, as entertaining as they can be are usually not as instructive as checking news highlights of the day. Your own self-awareness of the limitations of a certain kind of digital life after only one year is impressive.
Your argument against too much texting and AIMing is that this kind of digital life is making young people "clueless" about the important things that are going on in the world. You even go so far as to say that "technology is a way to destroy our generation."
One thing we know that is right about what we say is that people are dying in car accidents because of drivers texting or talking on cell phones. Also, many highschool students are admitting that they can't believe how fast the time goes by when they are on Facebook.
I think you have made your argument extreme to prove a point, and in my mind that is a good thing. I also think that it is important to point out that kids today who are using this new technology to communicate with friends are not really different from kids of previous generations who just stayed on their phone for hours or hung out on the street corner with friends.
I think this new technology because it is new is more easily addictive. A more positive way to use it would be to go to interesting news blogs and then comment on what you read or get involved with chat rooms. This would be an educational use of the new technology which is exactly what you are recommending in your conclusion. The problem is that doing anything educational takes some real effort and thinking and too many of usat the end of the school daywant to give our mind a rest. I rest my mind playing sports and also get out my physical energy. A problem I see about texting, using Facebook, etc. Is that bodies aren't getting enough exercise, and without exercise it is difficult to concentrate on anything.
Your blog obviously gave me a lot to think about. Good job. I hope my response is of interest to you.
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Devin -
ReplyDeleteStrong and helpful comment. I particularly admired your sympathetic ear ("you made your argument extreme to prove a point, and in my mind that is a good thing.") good summary too. i'll bet juliette really felt heard.
and i also agree with your point about the crucialness of physical effort.
a part that left me confused was that you seem to rank activiites as more or less positive - apparently for you news reading and chat rooms (and exercise) are more valuable (educational) than texting, etc.
what makes certain activities valuable, and other activities less so? there are a few standard ways of seeing this in our culture - do you share one of those, or do you have your own reasons for the ranking?
take care.
Andy,
ReplyDeleteYour reaction to my response to Julie's criticism of the use of new technologies helps me think through exactly what I said.
I obviously gave the impression that I rank certain activities according to which ones I consider more valuable. What I meant to do was recommend more balance between different types of activities - sorry that that that did not come across.
For example, some texting and Aiming with friends are good things, just a part of social development. I was agreeing with Julie that it is also good for teenagers or anyone else to take an interest in the news issues of the day and the new technologies provide a way to discuss these issues with others and hopefully get some greater understanding out of the discussion. I think this is a good thing to do although I have to admit that I rarely do this myself. And if I did go into a chat room it would be about something like why the Knicks are incapable of getting good draft picks. I also think it is important to have physical exercise everyday.
So I think what your response has made me do is realize that what I meant to say to Julie was that we should try to have balance in our lives - a social life, taking an interest in the news to stimulate our brains, and getting enough exercise. I don't mean to rank these after school activities.
And of course texting and Aiming are interactive social activities as opposed to watching tv or listening to an I-pod. Which have their good side too. I listen to my I-pod on the way to my games. The songs relax me and pump me up. It's all in the balance don't you think?