This is a response to the article Wired by Emily Listfield.
All in all, it was an interesting article that brought up good points, but mostly, I didn't like it. I found myself shaking my head many times throughout the article. I found some parts I did agree with however. At the beginning of the article, when the author shuts off her phone and places it at the other side of the room while getting ready for bed and her daughter begins to freak out because it is "too far away", I know the exact feeling. Part of my "bed time routine" is to plug my phone into the charger right next to my bed so I can text up until I fall asleep. I know it's bad, but I have an obsessive need that needs to be fulfilled.
A part that I completely disagreed with was in the transcript of the MSNBC's Morning Joe with Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough. Mika, who has two daughters, 13 and 15, says that she's "constantly popping in to see what's going on. I will take my daughter's computer and immediately look at the history, before she has time to do anything" (Listfield 10). What happened to trusting your children? It's not even like they're very young where they probably should be watched to make sure they aren't somewhere they shouldn't be. Her children are 13 and 15. Both teenagers and soon-to-be adults. When they go to college, they aren't going to have someone breathing down their necks watching what they're doing. In addition, the fact that they know their parents don't trust them is terrible. Children should feel trusted so that they can develop into independent and confident members of society. If they know their parents don't trust them, then who will? It sends a completely wrong message.
On the other hand, I understand where Mika is coming from. The Internet is not a very safe place. Its one of those things that you have to have your guard up at all times. People can gather a great deal of information about you off the internet by nearly clicking a few buttons and pressing a few keys. I get that she is trying to protect her children from giving out too much information, but it's her and her husbands job to teach their children about how to protect themselves while on the internet. If someone on the other side of the world knows what their 13 year old got on her last History exam, that's the parents' faults for not teaching their child how to keep information private.
A last part of technology that the article touched upon was cyber-bullying. "For some kids, it's a positive experience, strengthening friendships and communication. Others though, may feel left out, obsessively comparing themselves to peers and seeing the fun others are having... Social media sites like Facebook, as well as texting, can also lead to cyber-bullying" (10). I can honestly say that I have never seen real life cyber-bullying going on, which may be why I find it difficult to believe that Facebook and texting can go hand in hand with cyber-bullying. I completely agree with the first part of the quote, however. Facebook is a big way my friends and I communicate. My best friend moved to New York almost 4 years ago and we've stayed in contact through Facebook and texting. Also, any party invitations go through Facebook. Facebook and texting a great tools for my life and imagining life without them is a little difficult. (In no way am I proud to say that...) The second part of the quote, the people being left out on Facebook, I don't think that actually happens. Facebook is one of those things that you make it what you want it to be. If you want it to be a way of communication to other friends, that's what it is. If you want it to see into other peoples' lives, then that's what it is. Facebook isn't one of those things that you are excluded from. You have the same capabilities to go onto someone's wall to say "Hey, how's it going"? as the next person.
My closing statement isn't that I hated the article and thought it was trash-- it wasn't! It was an intriguing article that I just simply didn't agree with. The fact of the matter is, we are a world run by Facebook and our phones. I honestly think that its just the wave of the future and people like Emily Listfield need to come to terms with it. Now I will publish this and go check Facebook and my phone.
Good night.
