Help me solve connection problems.
Entering DePauls Lincoln Park John T. Richardson library, every person I notice on the first floor is looking at a screen: a laptop, computer, or smart phone. I get off of the elevator on the fourth floor and find an empty table by a window, near an outlet of course. As a freshman student at DePaul, I have relied heavily on my laptop for getting work done, especially in my first year writing course. Once I plug my laptop in, I open Google Chrome, which gives me the message Unable to connect to the Internet. My network settings open and offer me a link which reads, Help me solve connection problems. This prompted my wondering, do connection problems really only apply to my wireless network settings? My writing course, WRD 103, has recently engaged in discussions on the impacts of technology on the classroom and personal experience. Sitting here in the library, I wonder why it was so important to me that I find a table to myself. Whats more, why was I annoyed that among all the empty tables, a professor decided to join me at mine? After all, we are sitting at a table with four chairs. I think our connection issues go far beyond spotty WiFi, and its the heavy attachment we have to technology which people often blame for our weakened personal connections.
In my own contemplation of solving connection problems with observations of personal interactions fading, possibly caused by technology, Im reminded of a debate which was discussed in class. In a debate on CNN, Mark Bauerlein, author of The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes our Future, very candidly criticizes my own generation. He states, young people are drowning in digital diversions which purvey teen stuff and the adult realities of history and civics cant break through. His fellow arguer, Emory college graduate David Feldman, feels my generation, we have this incredible ability to filter this information and to know what is important. On one hand, it seems possible that we, my generation, are missing out on a wealth of information due to our tendency to get caught up in social networks. However, as Feldman points out, times are changing and our fluency with technology has allowed us to develop skills which can give us a leg up when we join the workforce.
Similar to Bauerleins views are those of Nicholas Carr. Carrs essay, Is Google Making Us Stoopid? was assigned in class along with many other readings which explore digital thought. He points out that although the internet makes coming across information very easy as well as entertaining, it is shaping the thought process of humans by allowing less thought, concentration, and contemplation to go into learning. Thus, less learning is actually occurring. I agree with him that the ease with which we can now obtain information on the internet has made our brains lazy and the frequency in which we have come to use the internet is wearing on our concentration. However, I feel that Carr places all of the blame on the internet alone and weakens his argument by avoiding mentioning any other possible contributors towards this issue.
Along with the exploration of many writers opinions on technologys impacts, part of the curriculum for my first year writing course was to go out into the field and interview other people on the subject. It was the stances of Carr and Bauerlein which provoked my speculation of the opinions of my mothers boyfriend, Will. Will is the president of his selfrun marketing company whom I have to come know very well. He is an avid reader who thoroughly enjoys international history, languages, and politics. In speaking with Will, I learned that he quite strongly disagrees with Bauerlein and Carr. Will eloquently replied to Bauerleins position by saying.
I dont think that the younger generation is social misfits. In other words, I feel that your generation is more socially adept and because of this social media, you are actually able to understand more of the social life whereas I think our generation did not. Our generation got news and shared things with people at such a slow rate. Our rate of digestion of what it means to be human is slower and not as complete. I think the younger generation is quite the opposite of introverted due to technology.
Because Will is very involved and knowledgeable in history, civics, cultures, etc., I think his stance would catch Bauerlein off guard. I do agree with Will that technology is extraordinarily beneficial to education and that if research proves it to be a detriment to the human brain, we will adapt and evolve to find new ways to exercise our minds.
Although Will did express that he felt technology has negatively impacted his concentration level, similar to the views of Carr, with further contemplation, he felt that Carr may be wrong.
I build radio controlled airplanes, and there is a level of engineering and concentration, theyre not a paper airplane. I remember being able to concentrate on that a lot more than I can know. Now with these new technologies it seems like I cant concentrate on anything for more than a half hour at most. But I remember all of my jobs have been related to a phone ringing, so I was in a technical support position where we would have to get a hundred calls a day and we didnt have computers then, just paper. Right out of college I got those jobs and I was in them for a long time and I would notice back then, I was unable to concentrate. So, to a certain extent, I take it back. Even when we didnt have computers or cell phones, I was distracted. So I think its the activity youre doing that can ruin your ability to concentrate, rather than just the technology alone.
Will seems to point out a flaw in Carrs argument, where it becomes difficult to determine whether the cause for a lack of concentration originates within technology, or within ourselves. I believe Carrs response would acknowledge that aptitude for distraction is universal, however, he feels technology is making the process easier. After speaking with Will, I became curious how my 16-year old sister would feel about the subject. Generationally, I believe the key differences between Will and Rachel are uses of social media. Although Will spends many hours on the computer and internet for work, research, and entertainment, he hardly uses any social media devices. On the other hand, my sister Rachel, a junior in high school, primarily uses the internet for social media. Despite how Rachel might lack the years of experience and abundance of knowledge which Will has accrued, many of her viewpoints matched his.
When I asked Rachel about her views on technology, she told me that technology has great capacity to improve our education, but absolutely hinders our ability to focus. I asked her what the biggest problems with technology were in her life.
Technology probably makes me take five times as long to get my homework finished. Sometimes I actually give my phone to dad or Chris and ask them to hide it while I do my homework and then ask them for it back when Ive gotten a good portion done. And it helps a lot. If Im on a computer usually I can just be focused on one website at a time but if I have my phone on me, Ill be a lot more distracted. Its texting, Twitter, and Instagram that distract me.
Rachels reference to the very distracting nature of social media and opinion that it isnt necessarily taking over our lives connects to the opinions of Steven Pinker. Pinkers essay, Mind over Mass Media was one of the only articles discussed in class which wholeheartedly supports technology. While addressing the counterargument of the way experience changes the brain, Pinker rebuttals by explaining, the existence of neural plasticity does not mean the brain is a blob of clay pounded into shape by experience. He feels that the impacts of electronic media are not nearly as significant as critics imply, noting, like Will, that distraction is not a new occurrence and cannot be blamed on technology alone. He believes the best solution is to implement self-control, to resist the temptations with our own will. I like this point because it strays from the typical blame being placed on advertisements, social media, and digital devices for our lack of attention span. Instead, he places the responsibility in our own hands. Did anyone force us to create a Facebook account or buy a smart phone? Sure, it is more convenient to keep up with modern trends, but it is not necessary for survival. I appreciate the way in which he gives us the power to exercise our minds without allowing us to simply blame the internet for its deteriorating.
From my own experience, generational differences do impact our experiences with technology, but not necessarily our viewpoints. The agreements between Will and Rachel and the universal acceptance of technology Ive witnessed in my experience at DePaul are indicative of the modern necessity to wholly embrace technology. The older woman who joined me in the library was, like me, utilizing technology for the entirety of her work. However, I feel that she may have been more comfortable joining me because she came from a generation with much more personal interactions. Thus, I feel that although my generation benefits widely from technology, we could take a note on maintaining more personal and social relations with one another from the older generations. It seems although the ways we use technology differ, the time which each generation spends with technology do not. The social disconnect can be blamed partly on technology and partly on generational differences, but it is not the fault of either alone. Ive realized through hearing the many perspectives of others that its a lot easier to blame technology than it is accept our human flaws. It is in our nature to experience laziness, distraction, and even shyness which may lead to social disconnect. Next time Im at the library, I should join a peer instead of frantically searching for a place to be alone. Or perhaps next time I get on the L, I will take out my headphones for a few minutes and strike up a conversation with the stranger to my side.
By: Katie Hall, DePaul University
November 11, 2013
