In today's high paced, get exactly what you want- type society, we have become incredibly dependent on electronic, digital mediums. Almost everything we do in our every day lives, depends largely on electronics. Technology has also become incredibly more available to the present generation than it was when our parents were growing up. Now, if you were to pick any three or four kids out of any ten, i would bet that all of them have at least a cell phone on them at all times. Thats only talking about phones; if you were to look for musical devices and all the possible electronics kids are walking around with today, you would be amazed.
The video, "Digital_Nation," portrays really well just how depend our nation has become on electronics and technology. So far we were able to see examples of different students and families who just simply would not be able to function without all of their electronic gadgets and gizmos. I personally see this in my everyday life as a college student. I could never explain just how many times a day I rely on technology and use forms of it for leisure activities. I also see this dependence where i work during the summer. I work as a camp counselor with little kids, and i can say with certainty that last summer out of my group of about 20 third graders, all had a cellphone... everyday.
In the second part of the video, The people discuss gaming and the internet in general as an addiction. They discuss how in many other countries, gaming addiction has been identified and is starting to be treated on a larger, more serious level. There are actually some physical problems associated with gaming, where children's eyes become damaged, and there are cases where people actually become dehydrated and even die while playing games because they are so involved in the game they forget about the physical problems and needs of their own bodies. They talked about one particular child who was diagnosed as being addicted to gaming, and was then sent to a detox type center for people addicted to the internet. They also say that the reason for many people to be addicted to gaming is because it creates a second life for them, and it's like a movie they have the ability to create. They can be whoever they want and act as they please, often in a matter different from their real life. It brings excitement to their boring lives.
In the video, they continue to speak about technology in schools today. There are schools now that are requiring students to have laptops even at very young ages. They also talk about how this can lead students to become distracted by an incredible number of different things. They also talk about how now that people are using the the internet so often it effects the style of their writing. People are no longer thinking in complete thoughts and therefore writing in paragraphs and small thoughts instead of long essay type writing.
The video focused briefly on virtual reality, and its effects on people and children. The military currently uses virtual reality as a form of therapy for returning soldiers and their fight to become used to reality of home once again. They also said that with one study they used young children and had them experience something for the first time through virtual reality. The results of the study showed that after only a week, 50% of the children truly believed that they had actually had the experiences they saw through virtual reality. They had merged together reality and virtual reality. If this study is true, it is a very frightening concept that we can actually believe we have had experiences we only had through virtual reality. What will be real and what will be fake. Nothing will be certain.
They last thing that the video talked about that really interested me, was the concept of using the internet and games for corporate meetings and affairs. I feel like this concept could lead to fraud and problems with communication. It changes the whole concept of work that was established hundreds of years ago. People go to work and do their work, and then come back home. Now people can do their work at home, and all their meetings and affairs. This brings about the possibility for an incredible amount of distractions, and could lead to companies being less productive.
Overall I think this was a very informational video that kept my attention, and introduced me to new information about technology I had never known before.
