Reading Responce 4

Electronic Obsesion

In the video text “Growing Up Online” directors Rachel Dretzin and John Maggio interview many people with the intent to show a picture of what it is like to grow up with the internet and the electronic media we have today. The directors pose many questions for instance, ”Is technology a big part of these kids' lives?” and “What do you think it is about the Internet, and particularly about social networking, that has so quickly captivated teenagers?” Dretzin and Maggio interview C.J.Pascoe, a sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley, to gain an insight into the teen media culture. Peter Brust an FBI special agent in charge, Counterintelligence and Cyber Divisions, Los Angeles FBI field office to find out what cyber crimes affect teens and how bad they are. Along with several teen to gain their perspectives’ on this emotionally charged issues.

The internet and electronic media such as, cell phones and mp3 players have become an integral part of life to a point of unhealthy obsession. According to CNET news teens 13 to 17 years old on average send and receive about 1,742 text messages a month. This is not including actual calls. My own daughter had own month when she had sent and received almost 5000 texts in a month. I don’t understand how it’s possible. She has a part-time job, goes to high school full time and gets almost all A’s. More shocking is that according to Crunch Gear, an online data crunching site, teens spend 31 hours a week online that’s around 4.4 hours per day online. Everyone spends some time on the net, but when you combined that with 1,742 texts how much family and community time is left. Is this beginning to be a scary picture? When this is pointed out to a teen the remarks I’ve heard range from “You can shoot off a text any time, It only takes a few seconds.” To “I’d rather send a text because I don’t really want to talk to that person right now.” Also having Mp3 players that can carry movies and an entire jukebox worth of music in your shirt pocket is yet another convenience that keeps teens from direct interaction. Some of this really astounds me, because I remember when I was a teen and a big part of doing something was just the point of getting away and being with someone somewhere else. If a friend and I spent all afternoon talking and trying to find our other friends I would still have a great time. Today somewhere else is as close as in their bedroom on the computer or texting on their cell. The internet is very involving and engaging and between it and our other electronic devises they are becoming consuming, of our attention and our lives. This all reminds me of the movie “The Matrix,” except humans are not batteries but are willing participants in this information and social networking matrix.