Archive for date: October 23rd, 2015

In my attempt to disconnect, I did not achieve the full 24 hours. I made it about 9 hours, then found myself succumbing to the comfort of wandering various social media on my phone while on break at work. I remembered my goal, looked up, and saw two of my colleagues also starting into their phones. I smiled because it is interesting how so many interactions silently occur between two people on different ends of a screen. The need to make plans in person has been replaced by the convenience of social media. Most people in America rely heavily on technology for daily tasks and interactions. Office communication occurs almost solely through e-mail, assignments are submitted electronically, and information is shared through media in countless forms.

During the time that I was disconnected, I had longer conversations than usual and smiled at more people. Conversations were longer because I was focused on the conversation and not awkwardly looking at my phone every few minutes. Looking around different locations at times it was hard to find someone without a phone or laptop in hand. If someone is alone in a shop, restaurant, the library, etc., it is socially acceptable to hide behind a phone or laptop to avoid social interaction. Most people would almost find it odd if someone he/she didn’t know tried to strike up a conversation while waiting in line.

I think that if the entirety of one’s interactions occur through e-mail, texting, or social media, it is perhaps a social issue. However, when technology is used as an adjunct to IRL communication, it enhances communication. As a side-note, being available 24/7 to everyone you know via texting or social media can be exhausting. I think it is important to have a set time everyday when communication is solely in-person, and the phone is put away for a few hours. Along with this, there should be certain places where being on a cell-phone is prohibited or at least frowned upon, including any dinner table, restaurants, social gatherings, and walking on the sidewalk (which I am guilty of). This way people would be more mentally present, because I noticed that 50-75% of people are on their phones in these places, including me. It is something that I am trying to get better at, because at the moment I’m not sure I would survive without my phone.

I found it interesting in chapter 6 when it states “dont let TV be your teenager’s main source of sex education”. I feel that this is interesting because many parents out there do not sit down with their children and talk to them about sex; they rely on the TV shows and the movies the children watch to teach them what they need to know.  Many parents also expect for their kids to learn about sex in schools.  Me personally i feel that certain shows can help educate teens what consequences can happen, however i still feel it is important for parents to have a talk to their children and make sure they are fully aware of  what can happen and way to prevent diseases.

I found it interesting that when surveyed about sending nude or racy pictures, there were more adults who said they have done it, than teens.   Sternheimer states, that teens “…age group is actually less likely to be sexually active than teens were twenty years ago”.  Also that “the rate of high school students who have ever had sexual intercourse declined from 54% in 1991 to 47% in 2011”.  i found this interesting because i would have thought that the rate had increased instead of decreasing.

As the times change so will the people in those times. With that said, I think the media plays a huge roll in teens having sex at an earlier age than in previous decades. Seeing the teen pregnant mom show on MTV is one of the shows brought up in this chapter and having that in your face when turn on that channel. Someone should tell MTV that the M in their name stands for music, but that isn’t much better these days. People getting pregnant to be famous is a part of the media that I really can’t stand and there are pictures of women and men in hardly any clothes is even your face at the grocery store. Reality shows that make drama just to stain the air is giving the teens these days bad advice in my mind, meaning if these kids are getting their education from these shows there is going to be may problems.  Im not saying that people weren’t premiscuous or dramatic in earlier decades because the text tells us that sex in the 20’s and 30’s was there but it wasn’t in our faces and children’s faces in those days and that is the difference. What is there to do though? I think educating our kids and spending quality time is the answer but that is way easy when I say that when I have no kids or wife and I can sit around all day if I want to. What do you think everybody?

Scott Lang