PeacefulChaos Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 This is sort of rhetorical. And understand, please, that it's not directed at anyone here. It's more a general sentiment that I feel is all over the internet now. What is with all the hate of the 'next'/younger generation? I feel like I'm constantly seeing pictures of kids looking at their phones and jokes about the zombie apocalypse... like I can't get online without seeing someone saying that selfies (and technology in general) are what is wrong with the world today. That selfies are proof of total insecurity... or proof of a self absorbed generation, depending on who you ask. (I actually take selfies a lot, for neither of those reasons, and I think that both of those declarations are extremely ignorant - but that's another post.) Everywhere I look I see technology demonized. If someone shoots someone else it's the fault of a video game. Video games are leading the world to hell, apparently. People blame social media for their unhappiness. There's a general disapproval of the fact that it's now easy to message someone in seconds. They say that this pseudo-connection is inhibiting people with real personal connections. (I can see where that is coming from, BUT I still don't get the overall demonizing of everything technology that happens in the process.) People (general) just seem to hate everything technology. They want to blame everything on something, and maybe technology is just the latest thing to be able to pass the blame to? Is this something that will pass when something new comes along? Or will there be an overwhelming response of techno-haters for ages to come every time something bad happens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I think every generation does this; just the reasons change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 I think every generation does this; just the reasons change. True. I guess I just notice this because it's the first thing I've been around for in it's entirety. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 well..... there may be some of that. I won't deny it. It's hard to get used to new technology. I don't hate it, but I'm not enamored by it, either. I wouldn't blame all of society's ills on it but..... it certainly has come with its share of problems. The least of which being a generation who thinks texting is a great way to communicate. Texting is a good way to transfer information, but texting is not true communication. Selfies....well, I'm not sure what it's a sign of, but I get little sick of them. "Look at me! Look at me! Look at me do this! Now, look at me do that!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Okay, texting can be true communication. My DH and I stay connected through texting daily. We have very personal and important conversations via our personal inside comments/jokes and shorthand. I am not saying all texting is this way. I actually don't text many people, but the few I do text with we absolutely use it as an extension of our IRL relationships and it is as real a communication as what we do over the phone line or in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I feel like there's a time and a place for those kinds of things and people don't have any sense when it comes to understanding when and where. Also, my kids have wasted a whole lot of time on social media, texting, watching mindless Youtube videos, etc. I think there are a lot better things they can be doing with their time, and I get annoyed when I have to harp on them to find something else to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Okay, texting can be true communication. My DH and I stay connected through texting daily. We have very personal and important conversations via our personal inside comments/jokes and shorthand. I am not saying all texting is this way. I actually don't text many people, but the few I do text with we absolutely use it as an extension of our IRL relationships and it is as real a communication as what we do over the phone line or in person. Absolutely, this. Texting, along with inside jokes, I think sometimes create more of a connection with some of "my people", including DH, but also with friends from way back, and far away. Snapping a quick pic of some innocent item that connects you and a friend via an inside joke and sending it with a quick wink or smiley face opens up a dialogue that otherwise may not happen when we have busy lives, jobs, families and live 2000 miles apart. Normally DH works 12-14 hour days when "home", in an environment that is not conducive to conversation (constant bombardment of information from several directions = interruptions) so our main communication is via text, and since my only current (and distant future) form of communication with my hubby is email, I can't really hate on "techno written word" as valuable. That said, it is super sad to see people glued to screens out in public when they are with other people and it's not just young people! I do shake my head quite often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I don't get it either and I don't agree with those sentiments. I see some amazing young people, both homeschoolers and brick and mortar schoolers. This is their world and keeping them away from the technology of their era does them a disservice IMO. I also don't get blaming technology hating on age (as in "I'm too old to understand it"). Steve Jobs? Bill Gates? Both old guys (or Jobs would be an old guy if he was alive). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 watching mindless Youtube videos, etc. I wish my kid didn't know about YouTube. He doesn't even have a phone yet. I confess to thinking YouTube was mostly mindless until recently. Ds will often tell me about something he learned and when I ask him where he learned it, he tells me YouTube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 but you know what he is obsessed with? Science and technology videos. That is what he constantly watches. He has learned so much from them! So it's not all bad. Mine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Just like anything else.....it can be used for good or bad. Texting and messaging has been great for my special needs daughter with severe stuttering issues. She can easier type out her questions and answers at times than verbally ask them and it allows her to communicate with a lot more people than her currently fluency allows. For my 26ds with Fetal alcohol, the video games can be a big downfall as he will play them as much as allowed and even if they aren't "bad" ones, they still affect him and he gets crabby from too much screen time. I like facebook for keeping in touch with friends around the country and even a few missionaries around the world............but my guidelines are DO NOT post anything on facebook (or text it) that you would not want posted on the screen in front of church on a Sunday morning (or for a child posted/read to the entire school) as that is about how private facebook and texting are. It is easy for someone to share something to someone who shares it, etc. or have a text be accidently sent to someone else or be forwarded without your permission.......this especially applied to pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 It doesn't bother me, but I maintain that some people do look like zombies. Are you sure they're not real zombies? Sometimes it can be hard to tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 TV is out of style, so smartphones and their features are the new targets of contempt. *shrug* I believe music was the 'problem' before TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Are you sure they're not real zombies? Sometimes it can be hard to tell. Yeah, that's how Bill Murray died. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 have you seen that millennial "we suck" video? The method of delivery is a little hipster-ironic for my taste, but the message is pretty legitimate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I see a lot of criticisms of kids not having reasoning skills and attempts to increase critical thinking by introducing concepts to kids before teaching them the basics they need to use the concepts. Anyway we have blamed tv, rock and roll, the Beatles, the car etc and that is only in the last century or so (a bit more). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I love YouTube. My 12 year old is obsessed with YouTube, but you know what he is obsessed with? Science and technology videos. That is what he constantly watches. He has learned so much from them! So it's not all bad. My son is the exact same way. He also watches history documentaries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 My personal experience:I am a fairly heavy technology user for communication, but not entertainment. When my children have too much technology use (more than 2 hours per weekend day), their behavior deteriorates and they become more argumentative and unresponsive to me (this might be where the zombie comments come in). Among my children's friends, I notice that the heavy technology users are uncommunicative and have poor interpersonal skills, to the point where I look at them and think "glad that's not my kid". The light tech users are engaged, look me in the eye, can make social small talk, and can converse on a variety of topics. I don't know whether this is a cause and effect situation, or a correlation-type situation I am seeing, but there is a marked difference between the 2 groups in our social circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Same with my kids! AND, we were able to program our Toyota Sequoia fob with it! Under $100 off ebay (with key), compared to the $450 plus tax I would have paid at the Toyota dealer. I am currently watching a series on Asperger's by Asperger young men. It is great. So, the adults are enjoying it as well! I confess to thinking YouTube was mostly mindless until recently. Ds will often tell me about something he learned and when I ask him where he learned it, he tells me YouTube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavandula Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 The reason my dd and her online friends use technology more is they had the social problems in the first place. The technology helps them communicate with other kids. Plenty of people are in that situation. It's also true that plenty of children are capable of socializing "in the real world", being respectful, etc. and while being allowed to use technology. Honestly, I just find it pretty funny that people chatting on a forum are complaining about technology usage at all. I hear people on tv complain about people watching tv and not spending time with their families. Huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I look at technology as a way to document - life, work, skills. Once you share, others can use your sharing and learn new skills, develop new life goals, and view information concerning their work and career. However, I view this as mainly an adult avenue. I do think that technology in an essence will promote and create a type of ADD for kids. It is a continuous stimulant. We can create tech junkies. We can hinder social development. Social media is not a substitute or a means to social connections that should be relied upon. It is only an extension. The lack of physical ownership that words hurt or that bad people exist is hidden among the letters and pictures. The child cannot learn the consequences of their actions online or feel any empathy for the person behind text. So, what do you end up with? You end up with a child that is largely isolated from the physical world and dissociates with the reality of it. The same could be said of too much TV and too much game playing. This dissociation is why the "they" blame video games and social media now. Reality is not real to this type of junkie. Couple this with any form of mental disability or mental illness and you have a problem that will develop severe and inappropriate reactions. Add real social pressures and real problems and you get an unrealistic response - such as a school shooting that reminds you of Call of Duty game play or erratic driving under the influence similar to Grand Theft Auto. You train the brain to respond to situations. We guide our children to make appropriate responses to situations and respond to problems. Imagine hours and hours of game play in which the "bad" response is what earns you points, eg killing or stealing or driving fast. Do this over and over. How do you think that child will respond when faced with a situation based on the learned response? Ah, as with anything ... moderation. :) You can abuse anything. Something to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 A friend's child hurt her foot enough to need crutches because she was walking around reading a book. It's just a quirky story. Had she been reading the same book on her phone when she got hurt, it would be a Sign of the Times. People who LIKE to complain will always find a thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Actualy, most of the college kids I know, and I know quite a few, know how to use it, but aren't married to it. They seem to know when to put the screens down and get out to enjoy real life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Technology has a time and place. I see nothing wrong with young people or anyone taking advantage of the new forms of communication. However, when you are surrounded by people at a get together and don't know how to keep your phone in your pocket for more than 10 minutes you have a problem and need to reevaluate your inability to communicate in ways other than using technology. As for selfies, I hate them. The people I know personally who take and post selfies are the self-absorbed people that always want the attention on them. Not saying everyone who takes a selfie is like that but the people I know are so I have a negative feeling towards selfies. That being said I don't particularly care if someone posts them, I usually just hide them because I've never seen a selfie that actually looked good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 This is sort of rhetorical. And understand, please, that it's not directed at anyone here. It's more a general sentiment that I feel is all over the internet now. What is with all the hate of the 'next'/younger generation? I see almost the opposite here, there's an overwhelming trust and faith in technology to easily cure any hard problem. Our local public school is trying to get enough money together to give all elementary school kids ipads, because clearly that will solve all the educational ills in the schools. Gosh, what could possibly go wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Speaking of selfies, this is so funny... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavandula Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 The hate for selfies is also.. bothersome. Especially considering a lot of the hate goes towards teenage girls. People tell our daughters to be pretty, their appearance matters a ton, and then when they like them and take pictures they're considered self absorbed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Technology is evolving faster than manners, social mores, neuro research and the legal system possibly could. We're flying by the seat of our pants a good part of the time and that makes people, particularly older people with longer perspective, uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 The hate for selfies is also.. bothersome. Especially considering a lot of the hate goes towards teenage girls. People tell our daughters to be pretty, their appearance matters a ton, and then when they like them and take pictures they're considered self absorbed. In my family I did have to ban one of my daughters from posting selfies. But this is the only daughter who is into makeup, hair, fashion. The selfies were either a cause or a reflection of her constant preoccupation with her looks. We had a long talk about it and decided to shut down her Instagram. Recently she told me she thought I was overreacting last year but that she is really glad I helped her pull herself out of the vicious cycle of posting selfies for compliments. The compliments made her more self focused and determined to earn more compliments. Some kids are more prone to falling into self absorption. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavandula Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 In my family I did have to ban one of my daughters from posting selfies. But this is the only daughter who is into makeup, hair, fashion. The selfies were either a cause or a reflection of her constant preoccupation with her looks. We had a long talk about it and decided to shut down her Instagram. Recently she told me she thought I was overreacting last year but that she is really glad I helped her pull herself out of the vicious cycle of posting selfies for compliments. The compliments made her more self focused and determined to earn more compliments. Some kids are more prone to falling into self absorption. Oh of course it's not good to build a dependency on that or anything, and I get that there are some, and probably many people in situations like that. But I find many people rush to judgement and call all girls who take selfies self absorbed, arrogant, etc. and it just seems unnecessary. There can definitely be a balance. My daughter used to be rather self conscious and getting compliments has made her feel confident, but she also knows that compliments and looks aren't everything and doesn't depend on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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