Our society has been programmed to view technology in a positive light. Who can argue with the notion that bigger, faster and stronger could be a bad thing? For generations, we have been taught to accept and embrace technological innovations and, in most cases, that such new technology is a panacea to increase efficiency and offer greater connectivity in our personal and professional lives. There is ample evidence to prove this. That said, sometimes, it is necessary to press the "pause button" - whether it's on the Wii, iPod or a video streaming onto your cell phone - and think about some of the possible downsides of technological advancement.
Case in point: the Internet. With the advent of the Internet, high-speed connections and increasingly faster and smaller computers, society has begun to shape itself around these innovations. Tasks that once seemed mundane and time-consuming now can be completed in the few minutes that elapse between getting into bed and turning off the light. It's not hard to see that the world has been changed remarkably over the past two decades.
What I always have been interested in - by "always," I mean since I worked as a camp counselor in college - is what effect, if any, technological innovations have had on children. While working with a select group of kids for two months of the year, I discovered a few very important things that apply to the vast majority of kids born during or after the 1990s. They predominantly are poor at sports and are not particularly coordinated. They spend a considerable amount of time perched in front of a computer or television screen playing games. They prefer instant messaging over using the phone. They lack necessary social skills and do not connect meaningfully with classmates. And their parents do not seem noticeably concerned with any of this.
Some may interpret these points as vast and irresponsible generalizations, but, unfortunately, this is an overwhelming trend I witnessed in four years of working directly with this demographic.
Since I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, I probably am among the last generation that remembers life without computers, no shopping on Sundays, cash payments and inexpensive gas. That is to say I remember what may be considered a simpler life. Today's youth has little to no connection with this concept. A significant difference between my generation and later generations is seen in the technological applications we both use and take for granted. If we want information, we trust the Internet. If we want to call someone, we use cell phones. If we want groceries, we can order them online. If we want to know pi to 100 decimal places - you get the picture. Everything in today's world - useful or otherwise - is accessible with a few keystrokes.
The net result of adopting everyday technological applications is that kids today have little choice but to accept and interact with computers daily as enforced by school curricula. We no longer seem to be interested in teaching kids how to think critically or providing creative expression opportunities through music, art or teamwork. Educational institutions have been renovated to incorporate computers in classrooms as a primary teaching tool, lesson plans are based on presentations involving computer-generated visual aids, and schools teach students how to use Google in courses called "Media Literacy." Yes, even education has been branded.
Essentially, today's youth are condemned to be attached to the conveniences that computers offer. This poses a significant problem for the future: Youth are destined to become increasingly dependent on technology and the Internet. They will do their taxes, order pizza, network, instant message, shop for entertainment, watch concerts and get groceries while sitting in bed. Activities that traditionally took hours now take minutes. One would think this is a benefit, but it actually can be the opposite. We are breeding generations of hermits who lack social skills needed for the interactions involved in functioning in a world we still call a "society." Being a hermit has never been easier. We will see an increasing number of people alienating themselves from society by spending far too much time alone.
-Brad Scott
Brad Scott is the affiliate manager of Adult Lounge.
This article initially appeared in the April 2008 edition of AVN Online magazine. To subscribe to AVN Online, visit AVNMediaNetwork.com/subscriptions/.
