Technology. It is supposed to be the phenomenon that makes mankind smarter, wiser, more progressive. But when does technology get in the way of how we truly interact, communicate, feel. So is my generation dumb because of our technological advances? Maybe, but how are we defining dumb? I want to believe that technology will make our world a better place to live and helps us as human beings. My generation is not dumb...we have been raised in a society of technology that has created room for more distraction, a more fast paced way of living. Without technology we would not have been able to print multiple copies of books so that multiple peoples can read them and become "educated" and "knowledgeable".
I love texting. I loved texting so much I never made phone calls anymore and told myself it was because i didn't like talking on the phone. Yet, my goodness, has that changed for me. I LOVE talking on the phone. I can hear how someone is talking, how they're expressing their feelings. A text message is read in monotone. A text message is read how you, the reader, interprets it. Typing as a means of communication has made us suffer a loss in human relationships - connectedness.
Should young ones learn how to use technology in school? Totally - because we are all ready so advanced in science that it would seem to be merely impossible to start all over. Teach children how to use computers and the technology that has helped us learn and understand things, just faster maybe. By incorporating technology into youths education we're preparing them for a new generation where even more technology will be produced. This is where our current generation needs to realize and not forget the importance of what it feels like to go exploring, climb trees, build forts, sing, dance, play basketball, solve a simple math equation. Technology seems to have become so progressed we may not ever need to see the electric guitar in someone's hand again because we'll be able to play one virtually. If that ever happens (which in some cases of music these days it is true) I sure hope I don't see it. We wouldn't want to upset Garcia, or Hendrix now would we?
I totally agree when you say that technology hasn't made us more dumb but it has harmed our social interactions. It is important that technology is being used in our school so that children can learn an more efficient way of doing things but it is also important the generation get taught about real world things (like real music instruments) and not rely solely on technology as a substitution of these things.
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