It's no surprise that issues regarding Internet usage and it's impact on society are brought up almost on a daily basis. But sometimes one has to wonder just how valid these concerns are...
Take for example this article written in the Globe and Mail. The article brings up the concern that children's brains are being turned to mush because of the how early on they're being introduced to Internet-compatible devices. The article is definitely worth the read since it brings up some interesting points. And in addition to this, the writer uses examples from Neil Postman's "Amusing Ourselves to Death" and Nicholas Carr's "The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains" to give her thoughts a sociological context.
But, although I agree kids might be getting on to the technological bandwagon far too early - my 3 year-old nephew can work an Iphone better than I can and my 2 and 7 year-old nieces already have their own email accounts - perhaps this is just an evolution of society? I'm sure people thought it was nuts back in the day when toddlers started watching TV. I know my family were definitely concerned at one point with my intense love for the tube.
But I don't think this early exposure breeds stupidity in any manner. I think it's a new way of creating a cultured generation. I learned a hell of a lot from watching TV and to this day I randomly spurt out the most arbitrary tidbits of information on topics I had no idea I knew anything about. Isn't the whole idea behind acquisition of intelligence the correlation between culture and the mind?
I definitely find it shocking and a bit unnerving sometimes that children out there are so technologically savvy but maybe it's not such a bad thing? Thoughts anyone?
