Does anybody remember the good ol' days, where dial-up was the norm, social networking was that red-headed stepchild nobody liked, and status updates were simply non-existent? I know I do, and to be honest, I miss them. A comment in one of my articles today made me think; do you know anybody who enjoys a good bit of peace and quiet any more? Many companies these days are finding new ways of letting others know what you're doing; Twitter being a relatively recent (albeit successful) one, and a lot of mobile devices produced support the services. From Facebook to MySpace, nearly everybody today is, as some people put it, 'connected'. Apple's iPhone is a good example; it supports MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, as well as having cellular capability, giving you access to these services almost anywhere. But how well off are we with these services? Sure, they're handy for keeping in touch with friends who are far away, but is constant access to them such a good thing?
Children today are growing up with these services, with the average for kids to get a cellphone as 7, and they're taking them for granted. This isn't the only issue...most kids I know have some sort of portable device, whether it's a Nintendo DS or a PSP, or something similar. Is this the way we want to raise our children? I remember going to friends' houses, and we'd go outside and build a hut, or something cliché like that, but I don't see that happening any more. When my little brother has a friend around, do you know what they do? They play Pokemon against each other on their DS. Not for an hour, not for two hours -- for the whole day. It's becoming an epidemic. Children are being raised by technology and not by their parents, and this will cause huge problems for the next generation of adults.
When I say problems, I'm talking about a wide range of things here. Firstly, the future workforce. If kids are becoming more lazy, and less willing to work to get what they want, who will be there to take the jobs? People will want to take the easiest way out to earn money, and not go to University. Or, they'll go to University and not succeed, both outcomes are as bad as each other. Secondly, social development. Humans will become more comfortable in front of a glowing screen playing a game or talking with those they know via a keyboard, as opposed to actually going out with friends and having a good time. This, in my opinion, is the lowest of social development, and I hope it never truly becomes this way. I know many that will agree with me, but unfortunately, it would take a lot of work to prevent the problem.
I have a friend that complains if he has to go one day without internet access. It's that kind of thing that truly worries me. Some people in the world don't have ready access to water and health care, whereas others only care if they can tell others what they're doing at some random point in time. Perhaps these social networking services are going to make the human race develop into a more selfish state of mind. Perhaps not. Perhaps my ranting is all meaningless and I have no idea what I'm talking about. Who knows, but it's a scary thing to think about.
So how bad do you think it will get? I think it can only go downhill. With technology (generally) getting cheaper due to manufacturing advances and corporate competitiveness, more people get access to more devices. Including, unfortunately, young children. All these technologies may seem like a darned handy thing to have, but when you think about, how well off are we really? Do we need them?
Let other people make their own decisions.
I can't believe you'd really want to use dialup.
+1 , because the article i think has a legitimate argument
because im 29 years old (ill be 30 later this year) myself and back in my mid teens (roughly mid 1990's) etc i actually use to be fairly active in terms of 'going outside and playing' (i.e. play baseketball/run around etc) instead of completely sitting on my butt and playing video games (like i do now lol)... but i did play video games a moderate amount and for me personally as time went on i actually gotten more lazy to be honest, partially because i dont have energy to burn like i used to and partially because i just grown more accustomed to all this great technology when it comes to games/movies/music etc it just all handed to you on a silver platter nowadays vs say 10-ish years ago when the internet (and technology in general) just started to get real popular.
for the record though i dont use facebook/myspace or any of that stuff myself.
so i guess i can see the articles point about how it might make kids more lazy in general but i guess alot of that still boils down to how parents raise there kids because im guessing there's a way to get a good balance between using technology etc and getting a little exercise and hanging out with there friends etc... but i also think with certain people who have less friends and are not the active type, at least in some ways using the internet etc can be a way for these people to have fun etc that they might not otherwise get.... because i guess you could say in the 'old days' (i.e. maybe the days i grew up or prior to that by a few years ish) if someone was a outsider or not really active etc they did not really have much to do besides get into trouble... so i guess that might be another good thing about technology as it might possibly keep kids out of trouble.
because from when my parents grew up to today... the world is totally different from what they did to what i did and especially today's kids.... because back when they grew up, pretty much everything i do now (movies/video games/ and ways i listen to music ) did not even exist at all for the most part... movies did but you could not even get them for home use til VHS/Betamax came out which i believe was not really mainstream til probably late late 1970's or most likely early-to-mid-ish 1980's.
it's a complex issue if you start thinking about it in details
p.s. it's sorta fun though to reminisce on the old days though , because im not even really that old and i can already see changes in today's kids from my generation.
No, hes right.
because im 29 years old (ill be 30 later this year) myself and back in my mid teens (roughly mid 1990's) etc i actually use to be fairly active in terms of 'going outside and playing' (i.e. play baseketball/run around etc) instead of completely sitting on my butt and playing video games (like i do now lol)... but i did play video games a moderate amount and for me personally as time went on i actually gotten more lazy to be honest, partially because i dont have energy to burn like i used to and partially because i just grown more accustomed to all this great technology when it comes to games/movies/music etc it just all handed to you on a silver platter nowadays vs say 10-ish years ago when the internet (and technology in general) just started to get real popular.
for the record though i dont use facebook/myspace or any of that stuff myself.
so i guess i can see the articles point about how it might make kids more lazy in general but i guess alot of that still boils down to how parents raise there kids because im guessing there's a way to get a good balance between using technology etc and getting a little exercise and hanging out with there friends etc... but i also think with certain people who have less friends and are not the active type, at least in some ways using the internet etc can be a way for these people to have fun etc that they might not otherwise get.... because i guess you could say in the 'old days' (i.e. maybe the days i grew up or prior to that by a few years ish) if someone was a outsider or not really active etc they did not really have much to do besides get into trouble... so i guess that might be another good thing about technology as it might possibly keep kids out of trouble.
because from when my parents grew up to today... the world is totally different from what they did to what i did and especially today's kids.... because back when they grew up, pretty much everything i do now (movies/video games/ and ways i listen to music ) did not even exist at all for the most part... movies did but you could not even get them for home use til VHS/Betamax came out which i believe was not really mainstream til probably late late 1970's or most likely early-to-mid-ish 1980's.
it's a complex issue if you start thinking about it in details
p.s. it's sorta fun though to reminisce on the old days though , because im not even really that old and i can already see changes in today's kids from my generation.
Hell I'm 19, and I can see this same effect. Mind you I would be considered somewhat of a hypocrite seeing as I am an IT Technician. Though from going to people houses and repairing computers I see how people's lives are on hard drives today. I mean when was the last time you said "Hey I think I'll go down to the drug store and get some photos developed." Or when a good portion of people say "Hey I'm going to get that CD when it comes out" really means downloading it instead of going to the store and buying it. While this doesn't apply to everyone, it does apply to a good portion of people today. So what's to blame..... well there really isn't. This is just an example of technology evolving and peoples need to stay ahead of the curb. I could be wrong, but this is what I think is really happening. It's just become more of a main stream thing. Just kinna follow me here, look back at the industrial revolution. Think about how "Modern" conveniences have evolved. So I think this is more of a progression. Though it still doesn't mean all of this isn't a problem, it just comes down to where you draw the line personally.
Really? And what was the point? That people are too used to being connected. And they are lazy, and can't do without being connected. I got it perfectly. No one is forcing these things on anyone. They choose to be this way.
Using all these things he is talking about is a personal decision. The only thing that might be a requirement is a cell phone for business. The rest of the junk can be dropped if people want to. So thats what he should do. Not use the ones he doesn't like, and guess what, you don't want to worry about it. I don't use twitter at all. Facebook only once every few days. If you don't pay attention to them, you don't have to worry about them.
Maybe the right thing is to continue down the path we are, maybe not, but it would be irresponsible to not stop and reconsider our choices every now and then. So many people make choices about technology in their lives and in the lives of their kids simply because "everyone else is doing it", or because they want to give their kids what they think (or even simply what their kids think) will make them happy. Sometimes having the newest "stuff" isn't what will truly make people happier.
Maybe you don't have any problem in this area. If so, great. You have nothing to worry about, move along and be happy making your own choices.
Using all these things he is talking about is a personal decision. The only thing that might be a requirement is a cell phone for business. The rest of the junk can be dropped if people want to. So thats what he should do. Not use the ones he doesn't like, and guess what, you don't want to worry about it. I don't use twitter at all. Facebook only once every few days. If you don't pay attention to them, you don't have to worry about them.
You're once more missing the point.
Kids will take the easy way out one way or another, the point is to make them work for something they want to achieve. That's a very important part of education. I see it in my own family too. Kids play PSP all day long, making them lazy and unwanting to study or do any effort whatsoever. The devices are getting cheaper and cheaper, which results in a lot more parents buying them for their children. Your opinion of "just don't buy it then" doesn't make any sense in this context since it's a global scope and not what *you* would do.
Kids don't need cellphones, unless it's for an emergency to contact their parents - This is the only situation I see them being useful, and even being needed for a 7 year old.
totally agree, especially prior to 13-14 years olds... unless it's pretty much only for emergency's etc.
but i think anyone around 7 years old definitely dont need any technology PERIOD! lol (unless like stated above for emergency's to call parents etc)
I was born in 1990, and none of us 90s kids had such devices. I believe once a TEEN gets a job and is responsible, they can get a cell phone. but not before
Why would a 7 year old be out by them selves. Wouldn't they always be with their parents? At school, they can just use the office phone
'Course, this probably doesn't apply to most kids. What worries me is 7 is an average, meaning there must be even younger children getting phones bringing the average down.
It's kinda far away, that's why I needed it, for emergency.
But even now, I barely touch it
I just carry it in my backpack, for every case. I barely send any SMS or call anyone.
I hate mobiles.
People seem to like to spoil their kids with cars, phones, computers, etc when they don't need them.
1) I would agree that no 7-year-old needs a phone. At that age they don't need to be anywhere by themselves.
2) How connected are we? The real question is what are you able to turn off? We haven't had cable TV (or satellite) in at least 7 or 8 years. I bought the digital converters for our television sets. I get more channels on our televisions with DTV than we used to.
3) I know parents of 13 and 14 year olds. That might be about the right age to get a kid a cell phone. BUT, GET A CELL PHONE THAT TRACKS THE KIDS! Certain cell providers even allow one to let you know if they go outside of a certain region. (i.e. the phone will tell you if they decide to skip school).
4) In short, use technology to your advantage, not to your childrens' detriment.
The trouble with this kind of thinking is that where do you draw the line? I'm sure your grandparents or great grandparents could say the same thing as you. With riding your bike all day and playing silly games like baseball, football or whatever how can you ever "learn" anything? They spent their days working in the fields or helping out around the house or farm, not goofing off on those new fangled "bikes"...it's funny how each generation has the exact same conversation, yet we all manage to survive somehow.
It's very easy to say that we've got freedom of choice. However, our choice is never _NEVER_ no matter what you say, picked up from nothing. Even the most anarchistic of us is very keen to influences. I mean: everybody around, all your friends, maybe your mother and surely your brother, sister or close relatives are social-networking, texting, blogging. That's the trend. Viva! Internet! Everybody together! No distances! Instant-on everything. But we are missing the limits to it.
All my close friends, the ones that I talk to everyday about anything (or used to), are either on facebook, orkut, twitter or myspace (maybe on more than two of them). My not-so-close friends are too. And they're overusing it. Back then, when orkut was at its beginning, I didn't like the idea of putting myself (my personal details, some information about what I am) on the internet. People told me it was secure. Everybody was talking about it. Everybody was "testing" this new kind of thing called "social network". Very nice, surely fun. I went into it. I used it. I ended up overusing it.
I've got a blog, an orkut profile, a fotolog, a flickr, a myspace and ended up testing other less popular networks. I couldn't help it. All my friends are geeky, techie, connected people. We work with it, we live with it, that's what we talk about. But the harm on social networks that comes from its overuse is that it is becoming a step-world for many of us. It scared me that we ended up talking, let's say, "meta-conversation". Talking about what we should be talking about. Someone sends a scrap to someone. My friend comments with me about that scrap via a scrap. I reply the scrap. We, with some difficulty, meet (like the prosecutors like to say) IRL, in real life: and we talk about scraps, about what's happening over the orkut network, about what someone said there, in which community it was said etc.
When I realize the amount of time I was spending with utterly useless blabber I, in the same day removed my accounts in each of the social networks I took part. Now mr episode can say that in the end, it was just my choice, that everyone has the choice to use, overuse or not use at all these "connected tools". Yes, he may be right. But again, it's is a very though choice since nobody went after me. All my friends remain connected, talking about their connections, and connecting with more connected people. My productive time after my connecticide went to astronomical levels. I wish I measured it. But my friends blame me, bully me, that I'm no longer part of their "fun". They can't poke me with buddy pokes or send me a facebook piña collada or whatever.
Ok, for me it's easy to invite them out to dinner, to travel, to watch a movie (or hardly, but anyway, ask them to build a hut somewhere in the woods). But we used to have so much to talk about, in matters of variety of talk subjects, before the social networks overcame the web. I was the kid that stayed in the house, very nerdy, intellectual, drawing, composing music or messing around with paintbrush in my windows 3.11. But I wasn't connected. I produced. Even my leisure around the computer was worth something. It was worth enough to make me a better grown-up.
But all these children: how can they possibly have a choice. All their colleagues in school have DS's, PSPs, iPhones and similars. At my school time, not having a saint seya action figure was not an option. Today, not being connected isn't also. I agree with sam: parents are letting technology raise their children. Just because those children message their friends only, it doesn't mean they are actually having a social interaction. You can claim that in theory they are talking to someone by the other side of the screen. But what would you say if people only talked to each other thru the phone? We need to interact physically, look in the eye. confront people that we don't know so we can get to know them. The social networking breaks some barriers that shouldn't be broken: once you know much about the tastes and activities described on someone's profile and you have no need to look at this determined person in the eye, you just have to add it to your network it becomes harder in real life to overcome i.e. your timidity, the fact that your nose look bigger since you aren't showing your best angle like you do on your profile picture.
I think I've got carried away. Anyway, the point is that we are overusing it and let people who can't discern to overuse it to an uncontrollable point. I'm not against social networking. Deviantart and flickr helped me to know where my work was situated in the world and myspace got me into contact with a very nice record label which I'll be releasing my music work very soon. Wikipedia, although not focusing on the social, makes people interact and build together a source of dependable and most importantly neutral knowledge. That's the good use to it. We should take a stand for we have a incredible tool in our hands.
i have to admit i use technology a little to much because i use it so much in my day to day routine (on average day it's several hours that im on the PC) that somethings i might have gotten to (like read a book or do some other stuff i wanted to do or even talk to the family. lol , i know that sounds bad) never happened because im to pre-occupied with my basic PC routine lol ( i know it's to the point where i at least have a slight problem, but then again what i do is what i do, it's just part of me now
but me, at the age of 29... im pretty much locked into a routine and even though somethings i would like to change, my overall routine i have gotten comfortable with enough to where i dont really do nothing to change my routines etc etc.
back in my teens i was alot more active with my cousins as far as doing 'physical activities' (i basically had energy to burn) unlike now where i barely get ANY exercise.
No ones fault but your own that you allowed yourself to become addicted to social networking. Self control works wonders.
Yes, its hard to go against peer pressure, but its not impossible. And that is what will make you a better person in life, not going with the crowd and just giving in because 'everyone is doing it'.
Yes, its hard to go against peer pressure, but its not impossible. And that is what will make you a better person in life, not going with the crowd and just giving in because 'everyone is doing it'.
I agree, but I don't think Pablo Sotomayor is addicted to social networking, hes just stating the truth. Both him and the topic starter has great points.
Yes, its hard to go against peer pressure, but its not impossible. And that is what will make you a better person in life, not going with the crowd and just giving in because 'everyone is doing it'.
I'm no addicted to social networking. Never became. There was no abstinence crisis after my connecticide ;P The thing is that all of a sudden everyone around me got into social networking. When it took me precious time, I figured out that it was time to leave those networks and that's all. Of course it is no one's fault but our own to overuse social networking. That's what we're talking about. We are stating that many of us are choosing wrong and letting the ones who can't choose inadvertely drown in useless connected tasks and losing some very important real world knowledge, you know.
Yes, its hard to go against peer pressure, but its not impossible. And that is what will make you a better person in life, not going with the crowd and just giving in because 'everyone is doing it'.
Well Mr. Episode, You missed the point completly again,
*Self control works wonders* Yes it does! .... Try EDUCATING a 7year old SELF CONTROL..... that is the POINT of the topic...
The NEW generation is going to be to lazy to realise/learn all things that you and some people have (self control)
and what will happen when that generation raises another?
Imagine (for fun) all the humanity on his A*S and infront of a monitor.... whenever they see another human they'l be scared to death....
Do you remember all those years ago, when we all went out on a saturday night, and it was almost like hide and seek finding your friends, well mobiles saved the day! Perhaps it was the golden age. In the 80's we overdosed on VHS, in the 90's it was Satellite TV, 2000's well it's internet.
Perhaps what i'm saying is there will always be something, does it really matter ? In the long run, proabably not.
As for children, it's up to the parents. In this politically correct world, if you want sensible children, set sensible rules and stop being a part of the permissive (liberal) world.
K.
Do you remember all those years ago, when we all went out on a saturday night, and it was almost like hide and seek finding your friends, well mobiles saved the day! Perhaps it was the golden age. In the 80's we overdosed on VHS, in the 90's it was Satellite TV, 2000's well it's internet.
Perhaps what i'm saying is there will always be something, does it really matter ? In the long run, proabably not.
As for children, it's up to the parents. In this politically correct world, if you want sensible children, set sensible rules and stop being a part of the permissive (liberal) world.
K.
^^ Sometimes I can't help it heh
my thoughts are below about the next generation adults...
Anyway, I think the next generation children should be restricted from knowing how advanced and flexible technology is. I didn't get that restriction and ended up feeling restricted when I did get a limited account and wanted all the apps on download.com. When I have children, I want them to be engaged in outside play, and I will want them to learn the computer from the inside, out, and have one gaming platform, but being less and less restricted as they mature. For example, they can stare at Xbox all they want, but I will teach my children with my wife what social communication is and how advanced it is. I want to be able to grab their attention, and social communication and hormones never fail to grab attention, teaching them something about interacting in person compared to on the computer can grab attention. Teaching them what social communication is can change the way they feel and can make them not feel restricted and not feel as curious as to what they would be without the restrictions and lessons. Teaching would include how online gaming reaches a limit compared to outside gaming, how communicating online your current status reaches a limit, and how addiction is something that tempts you including the game your playing on Xbox. By the time they learn so much about the computer, they will get a mobile phone they are responsible for. It will be a limiting mobile phone, and after that comes the family dog. Then once they get older, they can get a more independent, less limiting, mobile phone, and a lite gaming platform, this is the iPhone. Along with the iPhone, comes a new type of allowance, their media allowance they receive every month. They can download music, music videos, TV show episodes, ringtones, rent a movie, or find out what happens when you forget you have a budget and get a season pass to a TV show season, download an entire TV show season, download an entire music album, etc. I want to encourage a 40% use of technology and a 60% use being outside not taking advantage of technology to my teen-aged children. Then comes hormones, and a quick talk about man and woman and finally not have to worry about that.
Point: The next generation adults have parents who thought they might not have to worry about technology and teaching social communication correct uses, really, it is the way children are brought up, this is the first generation to see technology in a new way that isn't business management. The population of the Neowin community grew up viewing technology as some kind of machine, and did not have the technology we have today. Teaching children can avoid curiosity, the feel of restriction, and if you simply don't care to establish any restriction/limitation, then the addiction of technology.
I hope you guys get my point and like my comment that became a kind of overall reply to the article.
If? WTF? Today our children already live in a idealic world of self entitlement! This dosn't stop here, once they have what they want they no longer feel a need to pay (credit card) for it!
then why are you on here? This is like social networking, with out the useless crap
What is this, "let's all stereotype based on age"?
I don't understand that comment. How can you say a young person wouldn't read a long-ish comment? That's a very extreme stereotype and one I have never heard of...
You've never heard of young people having short attention spans? Weird.
well most young kids don't bother reading. Yes, some do, but most don't, hence the stereo typing. Don't blame Yochanan, blame the majority of your age.
+1
So they should charge for facebook and twitter then just so you can feel better?
I'm with you on the cell phone to young kids thing, but I have to think that if I had a young child, I would gladly pay the $10 a month for an extra line for them to have the peace of mind that they could call me if they ever got into a situation where they needed me.
I'm with you on the cell phone to young kids thing, but I have to think that if I had a young child, I would gladly pay the $10 a month for an extra line for them to have the peace of mind that they could call me if they ever got into a situation where they needed me.
Yeah, that's perfectly fine, I'd also pay for my kid to have a phone for emergency etc, considering the type of stuff that's out there. I'm just meaning kids that rely on this, don't so homework, and by free stuff I meant like PSPs and 360s; all they do is use them, and nothing else. Of course that's just from what I've seen, and I assume it's different in other countries.
People are allocating more and more time to social networking and online activities and spending less time on activities where they are not "connected". There is something to be said about taking time to smell the roses.
Just because you do not personally agree with the direction of the editorial does not make your belief structure absolute. If you spend more time listening than talking you might just learn something new.
I still remember when i was like 10 years old and my parents encouraged me to do my homework just before lunch so i could have more time to play basketball, nintendo or go out bike riding with my friends...My mom even played nintendo with me sometimes.
We all can encourage oir children to spend some time in the weekend to go bike riding or just go to a park or a court and play a sport. All without those DS or PSP. If we don't do this, they will get more and more introverted and i for one, don't want this to happen to anyone's kid.
+1,
Is so true =(
I don't think people realize that having a home above their heads already makes better off that a huge part of the world...
I guess we all, including myself, take what we have for granted.
http://www.miniature-earth.com <- Watch it and appreciate what you have.
I don't think people realize that having a home above their heads already makes better off that a huge part of the world...
I guess we all, including myself, take what we have for granted.
http://www.miniature-earth.com <- Watch it and appreciate what you have.
I agree, and you dont "NEED" anything other then Food, Water and shelter. Everything else is a "want"
I do a lot of backstage work, and while technology has helped a lot with that, it has also caused a decline in a certain perspective. While you look at the older people that I work with, they are always ready to help and work. However the newer people don't do any form of work or building of sets etc, because the idea of manual labor is unheard of. I really worry about what will happen later.
PRECISELY what I mean
Yeah. The way things are going Skynet will be self aware in no time
Well, if you think about it, if your bleeding to death, technology may just as well save your life
No. When everyones life is dependent on technology is the problem.
I used to spend a ton of time in myspace, but I don't see the point anymore. I'd much rather talk to the people in person, since most of my friends on there I know personally.
This all stemmed from me having a skateboard.
A lot of the points of view here appear much like that to me.
Kids have mobile/cell phones, i seen that one coming a long time ago, there are sick perverse people about this world and if my kids [once i get passed this damn chastity belt] were ever in danger, i'd want them to be able to dial 999/911, or not even that much in this case - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/09/tech_dragnet/
I know that has been mentioned before, but if kids couldn't chat with friends, use facebook or browse the web with phones, do you really think they would carry them about?
Anyways, times are a changing, we are getting old and maturing into the kind of people who drink jacobs creek and exchange witticisms over vol au vaunts. we need to just accept that we are slowly being left behind...
that's my two cents.
That's me alright, different.
*twitch*
Thanks
+1
And thank you too
Going by what you said, I don;'t see such a problem. You sound like the marjordy of the responsible people,
I grew up through the emergence of the PC. Then, I was as many users are today, extremely enthusiastic about what it could bring to the world. Blindly so in fact. I saw them as nothing but good and would listen to no counter-argument that might dispute my single-minded belief in technology. When others were busy reading porn magazines in the school toilets, I could perhaps be heard screaming 'coor, look at the chips on that', as I hurriedly thumbed my way through the latest PC magazine. I was a believer!
I'm now forty and my love affair has ended. It's ended because I realised my chip-laden lover is relentless, selfish, and ultimatley destructive of many things that made us stick together as communities, and indeed, a society.
She took jobs away from people I knew, she thought nothing of being instrumental in teaching children to sit in their bedrooms hour after hour instead of going outdoors and playing, she made the spread of news more liberal and less professional, resulting in greater paranoia from society. She made the term 'friend' worthless as it was relegated to the value of someone who just happened to use the same website as you. She did far worse but the list could go on and on if I allow it to.
Then came the mobile phone. (I still won't use one, despite two different people having purchased me one, apparently because I 'need' one.) It made the selfish grow ever more selfish as they blighted the otherwise quiet time on trains and buses, in restaurants, and even in cinemas. Suddenly everyone felt their need to talk (utter rubbish in most cases) was more important than everyone else's need to just be. We became judged by the look and the features of our mobile phone. Got a 'brick' for a phone? You're an outcast. It mirrors society - facile and bland.
I am certain of two things: (a) technology has provided us with some great things and some great advances, but it has taken far more than it has given. (b) even the most ardent supporter will become disillusioned with technology as they grow older. When they are young, it hasn't taken anything that they cherish away from them. As they grow older, they begin to see technology as the thief of many things that brought enjoyment to their lives.
Last edited by SniperX on 08 Mar 2009 - 08:37
Thank you, SniperX. I'll be sure to
But it's nothing more than nostalgia - a sadness for the familiar past that has now become distant, and fears over the realization that the future is moving forward regardless of whether we want to embrace it or not. That realization probably becomes most apparent when people think about raising children. After all, you'd model your parenting abilities off of your own parents and childhood experiences, but the "childhood landscape" of today no longer resembles your own.
Will the children be OK? Will society be OK? Yes, everything will be fine. Things may not turn out as you'd expect it or want it, but society will continue to exist and move forward.
As for what kids are growing up with today.....how is it any different than the last generation or the generation before that? This is what progress is about. People are more connected today, and better off because of it IMHO. Who gives a **** if kids are playing pokemon against each other all day or building a fort? There is still a basic element of interaction that exists between two people that builds social skills that will aid them in adult-hood...so **** it.
As for what kids are growing up with today.....how is it any different than the last generation or the generation before that? This is what progress is about. People are more connected today, and better off because of it IMHO. Who gives a **** if kids are playing pokemon against each other all day or building a fort? There is still a basic element of interaction that exists between two people that builds social skills that will aid them in adult-hood...so **** it.
That's not quite what I meant, but thanks for the feedback none-the-less. Today my brother had his friend 'round, and again, they just sat on separate couches and played on their DS's. Not talking to one another. When it came time for his friend to leave, they didn't even say goodbye. That was it, and that's what I meant...I see that type of behaviour all too often, and that's how they will grow up.
Now that is bad! :/ Have you said anything to your brother? Asked why they aren't going out and running around, maybe playing sports with each other?
As for what kids are growing up with today.....how is it any different than the last generation or the generation before that? This is what progress is about. People are more connected today, and better off because of it IMHO. Who gives a **** if kids are playing pokemon against each other all day or building a fort? There is still a basic element of interaction that exists between two people that builds social skills that will aid them in adult-hood...so **** it.
Well, I'm not a doctor or something but I'm pretty sure that its better for a child to physically play outside than sitting home all day in front of a monitor.
I do believe that games are FAR better than passive TV watching and that games do stimulate brain activity. But it should be done in healthy amounts.
Feel free to laugh at me but Wall-E might really be prophetic and people might really be unable to do any sort of physical work in a couple hundred years (assuming the human race and/or earth still exist).
Your fetus was a weak article. FYI, it is 'cliche' for children to build a fort; it's how you kept the girls out of your club dumb ass.
Maybe you don't understand what a viewpoint is or how it works, but Sam is entitled to his, you to yours, and me to mine.
Most if not all prospering nations do not have societies keen on the idea of moderation. Look at the crumbling US economy due to debt from consumers and greed from lenders. This editorial spoke volumes to me about my observation in my own life and what I observe in the lives of others. I don't view technology as a good thing or as a bad thing, rather I view the individual applications seperately. Medical tech has saved many lives and will save more, but this social tech garbage has done little else but feed compulsive, addictive, and wasteful behavior. Has social tech put dollars in your pocket? Put food on your table? Taught you marketable skills? Or has it put instant gratification at the fingertips of anyone with a mouse and a phone line?
In my own life I enjoy technology, but it has burned me. When once I would long to play a game I read about, earn money to purchase it, and then pay ever nook of it until I mastered it, I can now download every game from my childhood in 30mins and there it sits on a disk with no meaning. Instant gratification destroys meaning.
This editorial spoke about children raised on tech. Not about quality of life improving tech, but entertainment, social, and superfulous tech. Yes a cell phone can improve your quality of life, but it also can easily be abused. Give it to a child and it WILL be abused no doubt about it. That's your choice though, and our society cannot take that from you. The point is though is that people are making the choice to get these tools and not making the choice to educate there children in responsibility and moderation.
You can't raise your children entirely on sugar and corn syrup, or you'll end up with obese children with health problems later in life. The same will be true with our young ones who subsist on technological junk food. They will grow up endulging their want and that will carry on all though their life resulting in a diesease of some sort later in life whether it be laziness, financial ruin, or in-person social retardation.
No blackberry, no IM, no twitter, no god damm facebook or myspace or whatever.
Why? I've got ACTUAL WORK to do, that's why. I don't have time to stand around and type messages into devices all day. Email, telphone, or face-to-face. If it's not important enough for one of those options, then I don't have time for it.
that means you need to turn down your brightness. Plus, you shouln;t have it up at full brightness anyway
As for the thing being too bright, well that's why there's brightness and contrast controls on it. You should be able to tweak your screen nicely to fit your comfort level.
As for "percecting the technology for human vision"... well, that's practically impossible. To make an LCD that was perfectly tuned for a given set of eyes, the darn thing would have to be custom made for one user. In case you haven't noticed, everyone has different vision and different eyes. Sorry, but the market for custom LCD screens is rather small at this point. Us poor schmoos will have to put up with mass-produced ones (not that I'm complaining)
Nicely written, Sam.
Nicely written, Sam.
Very true. After all, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are relatively successful
I disagree. They are only bad if YOU make it that way. If you use it responsibility, then its fine.
Regarding "social" networks, I consider them as bad a plague. Like you correctly said, people start to function better behind a virtual setup than a real one. I absolutely fail to see what twitter serves. Why do my friends have to know exactly what I'm doing? I'm sure that if they are really interested will give me a call or even ask me on msn.
However, whilst my phone is a veritable swiss army knife of connectivity tools (from having Push e-mail to being able to create Wireless hotspots with JaikuSpot), I've found that if I'm not careful, I find myself almost being addicted to being connected. I'm pretty sure that it's been interfering with my sleep, and I definitely feel like my mind is on a constant 'buzz'. As a result, I've made a lot of effort since I've started to dedicate some of my time to being 'offline' - I turn off my mobile, and my computer and unplug, either going climbing, walking or doing something else unrelated.
I think realising you need to balance this time is part of being a responsible adult - if we didn't prioritise what was important for ourselves, whether it be health, paying the bills etc. we'd be in real trouble, and for me I see this as the same. So in a similar vein, I think that managing device use is part of responsible parenting. I'm starting to think about starting a family, and I plan to ensure that my kids spend a good proportion of their time offline. Technology can be a wonderful thing, and if leveraged correctly, can facilitate fantastic results, and it will be important for our children to be able to use it. But it should be balanced with a rounded lifestyle and that's the route I'm planning to take. What does everyone else think?
Nowadays, any gathering revolves around some kind of electronic entertainment device.
Thanks
You simply can't compare your days to kids now. The world is not the same. It doesn't matter if you or I required a cell phone when we were kids. The fact is the way the world works NOW is different. People got along without roads, should be take those pesky things away too? Your parents never had those new newfangled water gun things. Did you need those as kids? Or how about bikes?
TIMES CHANGE. And with that, the standards of society do to. Come to terms with the realization your parents said all the same things to you a billion times about how "they never needed this" or "in my day we did this" and that you're now doing the same and get on with life.
You simply can't compare your days to kids now. The world is not the same. It doesn't matter if you or I required a cell phone when we were kids. The fact is the way the world works NOW is different. People got along without roads, should be take those pesky things away too? Your parents never had those new newfangled water gun things. Did you need those as kids? Or how about bikes?
TIMES CHANGE. And with that, the standards of society do to. Come to terms with the realization your parents said all the same things to you a billion times about how "they never needed this" or "in my day we did this" and that you're now doing the same and get on with life.
I concur, we don't need these things, but they are handy. I have an iPod touch which I use frequently to find news, etc. However, if people abuse these things that they become dependant on them and don't know better, then it's a problem. I get what you mean, but I'm just saying...there is a limit as to too much of something.
You simply can't compare your days to kids now. The world is not the same. It doesn't matter if you or I required a cell phone when we were kids. The fact is the way the world works NOW is different. People got along without roads, should be take those pesky things away too? Your parents never had those new newfangled water gun things. Did you need those as kids? Or how about bikes?
TIMES CHANGE. And with that, the standards of society do to. Come to terms with the realization your parents said all the same things to you a billion times about how "they never needed this" or "in my day we did this" and that you're now doing the same and get on with life.
All that you mentioned "those old days" people were OUT THERE, the problem were discussing here is that it is now transforming to be on there chairs now.... resulting in lazyness, fat people etc
I think that it comes down to the parents' responsibility and fault as opposed to the technology's. And in that aspect, again, every generation has had something for parents to abuse to make caring for their children "easier."
Screw the iphone, everyone talks about it like it's the bee knees. It's just a phone. Start using other examples, I don't know, any phone that costs more than $300.
Article is true, but it's to be expected. We create the technology, we can hardly whinge about it.
Screw the iphone, everyone talks about it like it's the bee knees. It's just a phone. Start using other examples, I don't know, any phone that costs more than $300.
Article is true, but it's to be expected. We create the technology, we can hardly whinge about it.
I just used it as an example; everybody knows the iPhone. The same can be said for Android, or most other smartphones. Sorry :
It was just an example
An example that everyone the world over uses.
Everything is about the stupid iPhone. Nothing against the author, just angry that it's all about this stupid ugly little phone.
Everything is about the stupid iPhone. Nothing against the author, just angry that it's all about this stupid ugly little phone.
Okay... that is a very extreme viewpoint. I mean, I've heard of disliking a product, that's natural, but getting annoyed everytime you hear its name or here it used in an example is... wow!
I'm 32, and since I was 4 yrs old I had a portable game (minnie munchman http://www.retrogames.co.uk/stock/assets/i...i_Munchman.jpg) when I was 6 or 7 I got a ZX spectrum, and basically used that all through my childhood, upgrading to a Amiga then PSone etc...Had the internet when I was 19.
Has it ruined me?
No I am a successfull Software Engineer.
But in reallity its up to the parents to control how their own child "grows up". When the child can make its own decisions (late teens) then its up to them.
People in general always want the easy way out and rather get money the laziest way.
Blaming technology is wrong! Go live in a cave if your that worried!
I'm 32, and since I was 4 yrs old I had a portable game (minnie munchman http://www.retrogames.co.uk/stock/assets/i...i_Munchman.jpg) when I was 6 or 7 I got a ZX spectrum, and basically used that all through my childhood, upgrading to a Amiga then PSone etc...Had the internet when I was 19.
Has it ruined me?
No I am a successfull Software Engineer.
But in reallity its up to the parents to control how their own child "grows up". When the child can make its own decisions (late teens) then its up to them.
People in general always want the easy way out and rather get money the laziest way.
Blaming technology is wrong! Go live in a cave if your that worried!
Did you spend every waking hour on these devices though? And neglect schoolwork? I think I'll hold back on the editorials for a while, lol.
Please don't
I'm 40 and grew up through the spectrum, ZX81, commodore 64, Vic 20 etc. too. And, as I grew up in a pub, I had constant access to the then emerging table-top video games, such as Asteroids.
However, like most other kids I knew, we also went out on our bikes almost every day, we socialised in the local playing fields, we ate with our parents, we were still afraid of the law, and the notion of being stuck on a telephone all day would have driven my friends and I to tears.
You couldn't sit on the computer and pretend you were doing your homework because homework then generally involved sitting and writing, and, invariably you asked for help with it from your parents so that you could get out on your bikes more quickly!
To suggest that because you had these things and are fine despite it is just flawed. I can't believe you think, even for a second, that the times are comparable. There is an absolute wealth of difference in so many ways.
Being stuck in your bedroom, unable to go outdoors and mix with your friends, was a punishment then. Now it seems to be a preference. That can't be progress.
@ Sam: The number of replies should tell you that perhaps stopping your editorials isn't needed. I, for one, think your recent entries have been the best on Neowin. Take from that what you will.
Last edited by SniperX on 09 Mar 2009 - 11:06
I agree. Don't stop, it looks to me as though (surprisingly for the internet) it's actually created a respectable bit of debate here, which is what a good article does!
I'll get editorialing again by the week's end. Thanks
you have to be glad that at least we have the choice to use it or not.....instead of some military state that forces you to use these things.
good article though.
good article though.
That's a very good point, there.
For example, back in my day, i learn to program using a rusty book and i was able to do many programs and i learned a lot. But today, a lot of young programmer are clueless if they can't find the right code to copy paste (laziness and stupidness)
Or if a contemporary children want to do a homework, today he copy from the net (wikipedia), then print and that's it. Currently he is too lazy to "collect" information from several and different sources.
anyway: if u dont like it.. dont get the psp for ur kids... get some book they prolly wont ever open.
Look at the long posts on this thread, for example. Duh.
Obviously, society's changing. Would you rather have society be static and dull?
I'm 26 myself, btw and no, not planning on having kids anytime.
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