I’m convinced this is a problem that can be solved only by changing attitudes about how the mind spends its time; no authority figure can force kids to wean themselves away, at least at times, from the technology that they’ve grown up with and love.
Monthly Archives: November 2010
Are We Connecting More But Communicating Less?
Recent statistics say that cell phones are now being used more frequently for data (e.g., texting, web surfing) than for phone calls. This has led me to think more and more about trends in interpersonal communication in general. Until recently, almost all communication was face-to-face. To be sure, earlier civilizations had smoke signals, carrier pigeons,…
Obama Gets It! The Negative Side-Effects of Digital Distractions
On today’s Huffington Post, the headline for Obama’s commencement speech is: “Obama: iPad, Xbox Turn Information Into A ‘Distraction’.” In his speech he is quoted as saying:
“And with iPods and iPads, and Xboxes and PlayStations — none of which I know how to work — information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment,…