Technology is really not all good

The New York Times examined an age-old topic on the negative consequences of technology. It really is about time this is discussed in detail and published.

The Internet is one of the main sources of technology which is nowadays prevalent in society. Video games are extremely enticing to kids and teenagers. I was exposed to this particular game played to Kate Perry's Fireworks song. One is supposed to use one's fingers to clear the balls randomly sliding down 3 candy canes. Thus, speed and agility are needed. Though it seems fun, it does personify this excerpt from the article: "Their brains are rewarded not for staying on task but for jumping to the next thing". Thank goodness there are disciplines like the arts to aid in the focus skill of one's mind.

The computer may be an ubiquitous tool in our lives but should a youth want to be a computer specialist when he grows up, he will still need academic subjects like English to communicate with other like-minded colleagues and Algebra to directly aid in the job. Also, the ability to speed-text on one's hand phone may make one seem dexterous but it ultimately causes blisters and calluses to form on the fingers, as well as the skin on the fingers to harden and dry. The finger joints may become stiff and inflamed too.

Reading some of the views on computers given by teenagers saddens me. Computers become a means of escapism from the harsh reality one lives in. In order to shut out the fear that comes from being exposed to external conflict, one numbs it through the drowning in virtual reality. Facebook provides one user with false gratification in terms of the mistaken thinking that one is doing something productive.

It is also alarming to note that video games can lead to "lower sleep quality" and "a significant decline in students' ability to remember vocabulary words". I think I have bore witness to this truth without knowing. :S

"Computers(should)be combined with education to better engage students and give them technical skills without compromising deep analytical thought." I am trying to do this in my teaching. It allows them to learn more in terms of general knowledge and my subject, and to be independent in finding information out on their own while advocating creative thinking in terms of the method needed.