Digital Nation

I am sitting home recovering from back surgery this week and have been working through a stack of books and DVDs.  One DVD was particularly interesting.  It was recently released by PBS and is Frontline's Digital Nation.  The 90 minute broadcast discusses the effect of technology on our daily lives and the youth of today.  There were some points that were very disconcerting.  For instance in South Korea, many young adults and children have become addicted to video games.  They even have gaming arcades open 24 hour where people can play with no boundaries. To the point that there has been an official diagnosis created to describe their condition. They have developed classes and camps to help the addicted live without the internet or moderate their activities.  Many school programs are being restructured so children are taught at an early age to use technology properly socially and to moderate their use. South Korea is a few years ahead of us but the US is fast approaching the same dilemmas.

Video gaming addiction has definitely become a concern of many US parents due to the fact that many children are left home unsupervised as parents try to survive on two incomes these days.  Many children choose to stay inside and play on the computer or on their Xbox, PS2 or whatever the new gaming trend is currently.  It is a concern that they are not being physically active enough.

There is also a social concern. The youth of today are digitally connected to friends and family by laptop, cell phone and other media devices.  They consider themselves experts in multitasking but the reality is that they are not really paying close enough attention to many focal points of live.  Such as instruction at school or whether the light at the upcoming intersection is about to turn red. The college classroom now consists of students browsing on their laptops, checking their cellphones and vaguely listening  to their professor.  How does an college professor compete with all these distractions?  I believe the best way to compete is to use these devices to highlight your coursework.  

That being said, I believe the US Army has gone too far in opening up in Florida a gaming arcade called the Army Experience that draws in preteen boys with video games that supposedly recreate the real Army Experience.  Recruiters walk amongst them making acquaintances, hoping to make a lasting impression so when they are old enough to sign up they will be hooked.  Somehow to me this seems a bit tainted and unethical.

What concerns me most is the fact that you never have the undivided attention of the digital native.  This is where things go too far.  Is it really necessary to have yourself available 24/7 for conversation on your cell phone?  And when is the last time you actually talked to someone on a phone or in person?  Social skills are suffering.  I see it with my own daughters who are reluctant to talk to people they barely know or use the phone to make inquiries.  They would rather text or email.

I think it is important to educate children at a young age about the issues of using too much technology and missing out on much of what is going on around them.  Sitting out in my backyard today, I had no cell phone or laptop.  I merely listened to the birds and enjoyed the serene feeling of being surrounded by nature and doused in the warmth of the sun.  There is nothing better!