In
this PBS documentary, we are provided with an exciting story about an information super-highway, and the people that dwell within it. A world that has opened new sights to familiar surroundings. A world where people apparently still use MySpace and listen to Soulja Boy. That world, is the Internet. Here, we learn that the Internet can be a wonderful resource for information, and a wonderful way to connect with people. And because of this luxury, people end up growing older at a much younger age. Apparently, this is supposed to be a surprise to us.
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| Welcome to the Internet, everybody. Where pictures like this prove to be less of a reference, and more of an age test. |
But what this documentary tries to shove down our throats, is that this luxury doesn't come without a cost. The impact the Internet has made on our culture is so great, that things are getting outdated real fast. Especially in schools. The documentary points out that in a world where information is at the tips of our fingers through a Google Search, the very concept of teaching can prove to be an extreme waste of time and a painfully outdated experience if teachers fail to keep up with the times. ZING.
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| Am I showing my age yet? |
The documentary also introduces the issue of "online predators" --only to say immediately after that it isn't really an issue in the first place because kids are actually smart enough to avoid these situations. Cool.
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| I CAN'T GET THE CAP OFF. NO. NOOOOOOOOO! |
Another issue about growing up online is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is an ancient myth that stems from the belief that nobody on the Internet, regardless of age or race, should be fair game for ridicule. Sadly, this notion is what causes lots of people to let their emotions get the better of them. Sometimes, if not approached with a thick skin, the Internet can apparently amplify negative feelings that would make people turn to suicide as a solution. Taylor Hilldrige can relate.
I've clearly run out of things to say about this documentary, so I'm just going to end it right here.
I hope my font choice has made your eyes bleed.
your choice of font HAS made my eyes bleed, thank you, and i do love your digimon pic. But as for the cyber bullying comment, yea you need to have thick skin but it can be a problem. Obviously we know that people one the internet are assholes, but we've dealt with people before and have experience. We can just ignore it. For a hormonal preteen looking for aproval or for a young kid new to online, or who may be alittle socially awkward or insecure, yea, maybe the internet isnt the right place to be making friends, but people shouldnt be sending death threats or blatantly attacking someone online. Ive seen people leave forums or change facebook accounts only to be continually harassed and followed online by people who just wanted to make their lives hell. so yea, if your going to expose yourself you should be ready to take flak, but people also shouldnt be so aggressive, especially when a persons insecurities are so apparent.
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