strangecell (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} strangecell) wrote,@ 2008-03-09 11:38:00 |
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Wiring up the global brain
From a recent article in New York Times:
The article briefly discusses the pervasive text-messaging of teens these days, and potential consequences, good and bad. Jack, Loryn and I all got cell-phones for the first time last year, when the price became affordable, and Jack strongly requested the text-messaging option, which he got. Our subsequent experience reflects a lot of what is mentioned in the article - Loryn and I have sensed the emergence of a social network around Jack and his friends, as well as some distancing in communication between us and him.
On the whole, I think the positives have outweighed the negatives in his case. He seems to have a good group of friends (as well as a girlfriend) with whom he appears to be sharing fun times, going to plays, getting together to practice and create music, and doing various goofy things on the internet. Given our somewhat remote location outside of town, I think the electronic links (both cell-phone and internet) enabled him to reach out of a potentially isolating pre-driving period of his life.
Of course, isolation can have its own important consequences, both good and bad. I was pretty introverted as a teenager and spent a lot of time reading and doing things on my own. I suspect that had a large influence on my subsequent desire to pursue careers in engineering, computer programming and science.
I'm curious to see what the world will look like 20 years from now, as people get further wired together and into the global net.
From a recent article in New York Times:
“Part of the idea of Paris is being in Paris,” Ms. Turkle said. But during an afternoon stroll, her daughter received several calls and text messages on her cellphone from friends back in Boston. Her daughter, she said, felt compelled to return every one.
When Ms. Turkle asked why she didn’t turn off her cellphone and enjoy the city, she said her daughter replied, “I feel more comfortable talking with my friends.” But her daughter’s friends didn’t even really want to talk. “They just want to know where you are,” Ms. Turkle said. “It’s a new sensibility.”
The article briefly discusses the pervasive text-messaging of teens these days, and potential consequences, good and bad. Jack, Loryn and I all got cell-phones for the first time last year, when the price became affordable, and Jack strongly requested the text-messaging option, which he got. Our subsequent experience reflects a lot of what is mentioned in the article - Loryn and I have sensed the emergence of a social network around Jack and his friends, as well as some distancing in communication between us and him.
On the whole, I think the positives have outweighed the negatives in his case. He seems to have a good group of friends (as well as a girlfriend) with whom he appears to be sharing fun times, going to plays, getting together to practice and create music, and doing various goofy things on the internet. Given our somewhat remote location outside of town, I think the electronic links (both cell-phone and internet) enabled him to reach out of a potentially isolating pre-driving period of his life.
Of course, isolation can have its own important consequences, both good and bad. I was pretty introverted as a teenager and spent a lot of time reading and doing things on my own. I suspect that had a large influence on my subsequent desire to pursue careers in engineering, computer programming and science.
I'm curious to see what the world will look like 20 years from now, as people get further wired together and into the global net.
