10- Informal Internet Research

http://www.trashyourtv.com/node/391
The most interesting part of this research piece was the estimated calculations for how much time we spend actually just sitting in front of the television. Just sitting and watching. I really liked this article because it stated to forget about all the symptoms, effects, disabilities, etc. that a person may undergo when watching so much television. Instead to just think about the basic thing which is time. The time we waste when just sitting there and watching. And what we could be doing in that time wasted. The article states "ow many of society's problems could have been fixed with that absurd amount of time." The article does not get in depth with what society could solve but it makes me wonder. I kind of feel like without some television society would not really be able to be informed of the problems that society actually faces.

In the end it says to think about what it would be like if suddenly the whole world or you yourself stops watching television and needed to live on without it. This would be really hard to adapt to since for me I have already been so adapted to watching television. As Andy said, television to me is like a "digital pacifier". It calms me, I watch it sometimes before I go to bed, when I just want to spend time a lone on my coach. Although thinking about this Internet article thing I do think about how much television I watch and what I could be doing at that time. Sometimes I find myself glued the a good movie or series on television saying to myself "its okay, as soon as this show is over I will finish my homework" or "clean my room" or whatever stuff I need to be doing. Even when I say this it never actually is true as hours and hours of television go by and I end up doing my homework or picking out what I am wearing for the next day at the last minute right before I go to bed. So I do at times think that television does definitely take away time that I could be using to be more proficient but not only that it is like a digital distraction from doing more use full things.

http://www.neuropsychiatryreviews.com/may04/npr_may04_excessiveTV.html
This internet research piece is basically about televisions effects on children. This is something that for some reason i always here but never in depth. This talks about how television probably causes ADHD in children when they watch television at a young age, it effects them at a later age. That television "may promote inattention" to children. I do not really know if this article is entirely true based on my past exposure to television. This is the wonderful story of when I discovered cartoons:

When I was younger and was growing up in Hong Kong my parents usually left us (my brother and I) at home with the nanny or the babysitter. As children we did not like watching the news or movie channels because they were boring and we didn't understand it. All we wanted to watch was cartoons, cartoons were the only thing that sparked any amusement. Although the only cartoon we were able to watch was this crappy little kids cartoon that ended at around 4pm or 5pm and told us in Chinese that it was time to go to bed. Every time it would be that time in the day and the shitty Chinese cartoons would cut off and the grown up news and movies would come on we would just sit around and play with our toys and whatever there was to do. We never were really disappointed when it ended anyways for the fact that it played the same thing everyday. So one day (i remember so clearly) when i was maybe 6 or 7 years old after the crappy Chinese cartoons had ended I was playing around with something I never touch....THE REMOTE. I was playing around with the channels and pushed the buttons and coincidentally pushed the channel 22 (sad that i even remember the channel). And that was the day I discovered CARTOON NETWORK. I swear I still remember the feeling I got when saw the vivid flashes of light and the American cartoons speaking on the big box in front of me. The first thing I did was put on a big smiled and screamed for my brother "JOSH!! I FOUND CARTOON NETWORK!" And ever since then all we ever did was watch cartoon network as if we were worshipping it. Thinking back on this I did not grow up with ADHD like the article said I probably would. Although in the article it states that children from 1-3 would be effected at the age of 7. And since I did not start worshipping the television like a true American since I was 7 I wonder, will it not effect me till a later age? I mean I am already 18 and I think I am pretty attentive with my surroundings and I am pretty good my school work. So for this reason I think in some cases this article can be complete bull. Unless there is something about me that I am not aware of. Although this could be the reason why I am so addicted to the television and how it is like a "digital pacifier" for me to relax and be in my own world but not sure about it actually causing ADHD or being less inattentive.

My blogs are looking too wordy and felt like making it feel better to the eyes by putting up a picture. I didn't have any ideas for picture so here is just a picture of my brother. I think we do not look anything alike. Hes is such a obsessive Warcraft nerd. I miss him! :) (thats Hong Kong in the background by the way)


http://www.tuvie.com/
This to me was by far the most interesting site. I guess mainly because it is refreshing to see how technology or how people are using technology to "better" the world or more specifically the environment. I am not really sure how accurate and for real the things on the sight is but at least it is different then all the "technology sucks and we are all rotting" talk. I wonder if in the future we are actually going to use our advanced technology to help the environment and our health rather then our personal needs. For example in this site (if you scroll down enough) it has a small little paragraph about how there is a new advanced air purifier system known as the "Oxygen of Green". It apparently ensures fresh air inside our houses if we get one. It also talks about a Eco-friendly bike. As if bikes weren't already Eco friendly enough compared to cars.

All this stuff sounds so great but it still sort of puzzles me. For example is the "Eco friendly bike". I mean should they be making more Eco- friendly cars? If you read the small paragraph about the bike it does not mention anything about how it helps the environment. You would think it spits out purified air like the "Oxygen of Green". But again it mainly talks about how it will make traveling and bike riding easier. Everything must be easier! That is for some reason the way of American living. Faster and easier to get your food, easier way to travel instead of walking and riding the traditional way, flushing your toilet easier, talking to your friends easier, etc. I feel like sometimes companies use this whole manipulative concept at times about how their product is not a "bad technology" and actually helps our environment or our health but in reality it is just another way for you to buy buy buy.


http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/392672/how_technology_and_science_has_made.html?cat=15
This article was really fun to read for me. This article relates to a lot of my ideas and feelings about technology. I too think that there is a device and not even just a device but some sort of supplement to make anything easier. Although technology as a more focused subject, I think it is definitely making us lazy. And whether this is a good or bad thing I have to state that I can be a big hypocrite at times and I think everyone can be! I say that technology makes us lazy and takes away our ability to gain further knowledge at times but do I really want to give away my fast searching internet? Probably not...

This reminds me of the fact that sometimes people can be in denial with how much time they spend being digital stimulated. They feel as if it is a bad thing to be on their computers, phones, etc. for hours. And whether this is probably true they do not have any idea of why so the most common thing is probably to deny it or admit it and pretend to think of it highly. I know I can be a huge hypocrite at times. At times I think technology is making us all fat blobs (like the article stated) but I do not think I would give it up for something hard, this is mainly because I am too afraid to adapt to living without technology. Living the non-easy way. And other times I just try to think highly of technology to hide the fact that it is bad. "Technology is the greatest things on earth, how else can I shop without having to actually walk on foot from store to store?". In the article it states we even do internet banking, shipping, etc. It almost gives us no reason to go outside and see sun light ever again.


http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/is-social-networking-killing-you/
The title of this is a little dramatic but the main point is that social networking sites is to vast for our tiny little brains to handle. Our brains are use to one environment to be able to socialize directly but social networking provides a whole different environment to socializing indirectly. I thought this article was somewhat interesting because it actually had effects on the brain itself and using that information how it effects outside our brains and the way we act. The lady in the article compared social networking to be a lot like video games(The lady is also shown talking in the video and she has a funny accent). Although this article is filled with fancy scientific reasoning I still feel like it's main point is like every other idea about social networking... that it takes away our time from doing something more significant like direct socializing. In the article it states "The time we spend socializing electronically separates us from our physical networks." This is basically all the main ideas I had or anyone else had about social networking.

Also it talks about how it may physical be hurting us due to the fact that we probably spent most of the knight on social networking sites. I myself must admit at times i find myself staying up late chatting with people or looking at people's facebook's or whatever. Thus causing me to loose sleep which effects my body physically and mentally. So in some ways maybe its dramatic title "Is social networking kill you?" kind of true.

http://accessories.ifrogz.com/109/technology-isolation-syndrome/
This was pretty cool because I learned that apparently the top 20 words that teenagers tend to use most, especially in texting or chatting online includes "yeah, no, but, and like." Kind wish it was something more intelligent but they are common words to be used in a lot of sentences. Although these seem like cute facts it kind of scares me in a way because it talks about a teenager's vocabulary today includes 12,600 words as an average adult present day had a vocabulary of 21,400 words. Thats a pretty big difference but could that small set of vocabulary stick? This article talks about how the lack of vocabulary skills and communication skills can be noticed in workplaces and even on telephone calls. I feel at times this can be true for me.

In my opinion I think I do not have enough vocabulary or communication skills. At times on the phone I have a hard time telephone calls (especially professional ones) properly or even speaking in front of "professional" people in a well mannered way. I mean sometimes I feel it can be caused by nerves (depending on the situation) but at times I think I just do not quite know what to say. The article states that "Kids need to get talking and develop their vocabulary". I think this over at maybe this is true. The fact that instead of speaking directly we depend mainly on texting and chatting online where our vocabulary ( i know this is very true for a lot of people, especially in school because I have spoken to many of you online before) includes "lol", "Lmao", "wtf", which are not even full words. They are basically abbreviations. This makes me want to actually at least write properly on texts if I am not willing to speak to people directly properly.

HW9 Returnd Triangle Comments on Videos

Back At Yazmin's Comment
Hello Yazzy.
Thank you for your lovely manner on the way you comment on my posts :)
And thank you for all the points you noticed on my video and how long your comment is. I appreciate that you took the time to write all this for my post.

I really liked point in the comment about what would be so bad about actually have to be social with a stranger and have a conversation with someone I do not know. I mean I have had small encounters with speaking with strangers but they all turn out to be so awkward because I end up not knowing what to do or say. Your point really made me realize, what is so bad about this? I never really took the time to think and wonder what is the worst that could turn up to happen with just saying something friendly to a stranger. I guess our society as well as I is so adapted to your antisocial train rides that we forget all about our social skills or how to be friendly.

You stated that I noticed how I am not willing to change these typical daily routines with my digital devices. I guess it is not really the fact that I refuse to change, it is just that I have not been given a reason to. Maybe this unit will like every other of Andy's Unit has but for now I hear all this babbling about how "technology rots our brain", "we get addicted", yada, yada, yada. That is not really a good enough reason for me to change my digital expectations. Although your question/ point about what could be so bad about taking away my ipod force field from the socializing world really did make me think about changing my way of hiding from socializing with strangers. I mean I will not end up saying hi to every stranger on the train, that is how girls my age end up getting sexual molested or something. Maybe instead I will read a book or something because my ipod shielding does not seem to be as effective since in my video I just look so uncomfortable.

I feel like we both have some sort of the same lifestyle with our digital devices. We may have different reasons for the different devices that we have but I think in a bigger picture we are all still painting...just with different colors. Meaning that we all have our different reasons to be digital involved with our technological devices but in general we still use technology for our own personal reasons. We both have similar points about people's social skills and the fact is that no one really wants to omit to changes.

I wonder if you and I may be able to put down our digital protection without feeling vulnerable. But what is it that we are so afraid of? I feel as it maybe it is not direct socialization but maybe something else, it could just be because "everybody is doing it"? Maybe it a generation thing, like a style? Like new clothes, everybody has to have the newest technology and with the newest technology comes with the newest slang/ attitude.


I took it upon myself to get someone else to comment on my video so here is my comment on Samantha C's comment on my video:
Hey Sammie,
Thanks so much for doing me this favor and commenting on video. I really appreciate it since were both seniors, sticking it out for each other to do good this year :)

I think that your right about extending the section of the video of me on my sidekick. At that moment I was actually on aim talking to someone. I should have showed me texting as well, or using it to type up homework online or offline. I would have gotten more analysis probably if I done so to see my reactions and such to the different ways I used my phone.

I always thought that I was just so in zoned because I used my cell phone for like communicating to people digitally but i almost forgot completely that sometimes I use the internet on my phone to complete homework. I usually use it to do homework for Andy's classes on the blogs. I guess this is a way that my cell phone actually does benefit me. Although how could i forget how it benefits me and just think about how I become disembodied (new Andy vocab :)) while I'm using my phone.

I think that your view of my video of being "unique" and "funky" and although that could be the kind of person I am perceived as (which is not bad) but I didn't really try to perceive my video as unique and funky. I would have put some music and some cooler scenes if I tried but the main thing I tried to show was just my me on my digital devices, no hoax, no music, no cool digital effects.

Thanks for relating to me about the whole ipod deal on the train to avoid awkward occurrences. I think that is one thing we have in common. I guess one thing we can both think about is why? Why are we so afraid of awkward occurrences? I have a little of an idea and am trying to think about this topic a little more but what about you? What are some reason you may have for pretending to do something on the train to avoid nonsense?

HW8- Triangle Comments on Video

YazminP's Video
Here is the comment:
YAZZY!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED YOUR VIDEO! To all honesty. I felt it was so amusing at some points and it is great to see you interact the same way at home as you do in school, especially with your digital devices. I just think about Andy’s class and your reactions when he rags on you for using your texting. And I loved seeing little baby Mateo!!

I really liked the fact that you stated that in your point of view, when looking at your own video you noticed things that you may have never noticed. You mainly focused on how much you pay attention to certain things with each piece of technological device. For example when you are on your cell phone you tend to zone out completely. On the computer you are partially zoned out but not too much to the point where you are completely zoned out like you are with texting. And the television for you is just not really a big issue. I like the fact that you are not afraid to admit that you still like cartoons because to be honest I still watch cartoons at times. This could be because of my child experiences with television (if you read the unfinished version of my latest post you will understand more).

I think that everybody has their own digital device that they prefer and are more addicted to then others. Or maybe a better idea would be that everybody uses different technological device for different reasons. For example I use my sidekick as Andy greatly stated (and I can’t get enough of the word) as a digital pacifier. I have it as a comfort, I always have it next to me and always use it to tcheck the time, text people when I am in awkward situations, or just have something to hold in my hand, etc. As other people (maybe for you) may mainly use it because they want to keep connected to their social lives even when they are not able to directly socialize. Everybody has a different reason. I watch telelvision because maybe I am making up for the times in my youth without cartoons and good American television. Who knows? There is always a different reason why everybody is so in tuned on different levels with their different technological equipments.

I cannot really help you to develop your video since it is your own creative video and it was so adorable. BUT I can help you develop and expand on your writing. As I stated in the previous paragraph. Why exactly do you think you have different connections to each device? Why do you primerly use them? If you think about these questions more in depth maybe you can figure out whether it is a good or bad things or maybe help you break out of your zone? And in the last paragraph you write about how you and your sister are basically the same and even though there are digital distractions you guys are both still very outgoing despite all the digital devices around to play with. Would you think this is okay that your younger sister grow up in the digital life. What about little baby Mateo? Would you not mind if he grew up with the same digital lifestyle as you and your sister? Especially since he is probably going to grow up in a whole new generation with a whole new generation of new advanced technology! Can you imagine being older and wondering what the super cool technical device could be in his hand that would be like some sort of advanced cell phone, processing holograms or whatever the future has in stored for the next generation of teenagers? I can kind of tell in the video that he is already sitting infront of the television watching Spongebob even though he probably has no idea what he is looking at. He must still get amusement of some sort from watching the flashing lights and the funny noises.

After watching your video and reading your post I am thinking a lot more about how “in the zone” I get with each digital device I have. I have never really thought of this. I think with my cell phone I use it more as a comfort but when I actually text I am pretty sure I would be able to be more attentive to my surroundings then you are with your texting. The television on the other hand, my eyes glue to the screen and I struggle to choose whether I should listen to my dad asking/telling me something or listen to what people on the screen are saying. I cannot do both though like you can when you are on your computer. So everyone is on different levels for different reasons.

Thank you for posting the video. I trusted that you were going go post it up eventually since you are one of the responsible ones. It is okay if you posted it up a little late because I understand that it was your father’s birthday. Now all I have to do is keep nagging Conor to post his video. If not I will probably just end up commenting on someone else’s video. (haha….uhh) Well I will see you at school. Luvvv youuuu<3

Comment on Conor's Video(finally...)
Hey Conor, you finally did it! Yay! kinda...
Your video is cool, i really like your personality :) Although your video cuts off halfway when your mom comes in the video. Despite the fact that you took FOREVER to finally get this up and the fact that your video cuts off I thought your video was pretty decent and enough for me to comment. Thanks for getting it up before the weekend so I can do this already and get the weekend off.

In your video you primarily just showed your different technological devices such as your orange ipod, Xbox, mom with laptop. You did not really show you yourself using these devices. Although from my perspective I feel as if maybe you did this by purpose since you mention a lot that you would rather be outside and when you are grounded you have to "resort" to video games and such.

Your video was a lot different then other mainly because you did not record yourself using any of these digital devices (probably besides the camera or whatever you were using to record yourself. I am not sure if you did this by purpose or not but I felt like maybe you might have purposely done things because of the fact that you are not as digitally involved as most of us. Since you always mention that you would rather spend your time outside the fact that you showed to not really be using these devices shows how aware and attentive you are. Unlike the most of us who are so zoned into our computers, ipods, etc.

Although you still do have a lot of different digital devices for someone who would rather be outside. This makes me wonder maybe you could have at least tried showing what you looked like on your new ipod so that I can better analysis whether you may actually be less hypnotized by digital devices. You maybe could have show the first part of the video of you being outside chilling and the next part of the video of you playing video games and see which one you look more relaxed or having a more enjoyable time with. Also to help better develop this post you can for one fix the video up more and find out why it cuts off. I would have really liked to see the rest of your video. it was just getting to the good part. :P

Your post really makes me think of the differences between the way you feel about your video games and the way I feel or how I've seen people react with video games. For example playing video games would be the last resort if you had nothing better to do. For most kids they get grounded from being able to use these things. They get grounded with no television or computer for a month. I do not get grounded but form watching television shows I see that how this whole grounding thing goes down. I feel like this may make kids feel as if technology was more of a privilage which gives teenagers more of a reason to want to be stuck on digital devices even more. I wonder if kids would get grounded for going out more and parents reversed certain ways they punish their children would it make teenagers want to go out more rather then be stuck on digital screens?

Again thanks for finally posting your video up. Please next time try to do your assignments on time though! For YOU as well as the rest of us. Your in 11th grade now, "your most important year" as everyone says it. Make it count! And as a senior I'm here to help if you need it. :) See you at school.


Comment on Sammie's Video:
Hey Sam, Im glad that we agreed to do this. I feel like it will benefit the both of us as we are mature high school seniors. Your video was straight to the point and not messy. Thanks for doing it in general.

I wish you would have wrote a little of your own analysis of your video but that is okay I can still write about it. I noticed how in your video your not only being digitally stimulated by your ipod but your also reading! I feel as if maybe you use your ipod to help you focus on certain things, to help keep you sane and relaxed. Since sometimes being digital stimulated helps you block out and be in your own zone so maybe this is why your ipod helps you read and be focused on the book without distractions. Although there was only one distraction in your video which was your black berry. The only thing that can take away your focus is another digital device.

I think everyone has concluded how certain digital devices keeps us sane and stress free. We see this in a lot of peoples videos like mine. Most of the time when people read or do there homework they listen to their ipod to help them focus and not get distracted by others people's nonsense. This happens to me a lot in study hall (my Tuesday advisory choice). Everyone listens to their ipod and I noticed it actually gets people to actually be more focused to do their homework. Probably because they have two choices. To talk to people and be unfocused or listen to their ipod where they can't really communicate and listen to people so they do their work in the rhythm of the music they like most.

Unlike most people, I cannot read and listen to music at the same time. Although I do listen to my ipod while I sketch or paint. It is a relaxer and I wonder how physical we are being effected, could this be a benefit to our selves to be able to focus on things more? I feel like this is really weird because we always speak about how digital stimulation distracts us but can it be true that in some way it actually helps us focus more?

Thanks again for helping me out and I'm always here to leave you comments back when you need it. <3 See you at at school

Video Project

Untitled from Cloe on Vimeo.

The first thought I had when I saw the first part of the video of me on the train and listening to my ipod, i thought about how weird and uncomfortable I look. I do this thing where i look down and pretend like im flipping through my ipod sometimes to feel less awkward on the train. I mentioned before about how we use technology sometimes like our ipod on the trains to avoid actual interaction with people. This is so I could avoid awkward conversations on the train, so I do not have to look at other people on the train, like avoiding eye contact. For example when there is people on the train like homeless people or people who are causing a scene I look down at my ipod and flip through it to avoid any eye contact. Like a digital shield, as if there was a little digital dome around me protecting me from actually have to face socialization.

The third video is my point of view of when my boyfriend is so distracted by his video games, and how bored I feel waiting for him to get ready so we can go out and walk around. Plus how in zone he is with his video games as he yells at the screen as if the people in the video game can hear him.
The second part of the video of me on my sidekick, I thought about how fast I can type on my sidekick. My finger movements are like lightning speed. Would you call that a skill? As I think it is kind of cool I think of how sad it is that I spend that much time with my sidekick. It never leaves my sight. I look hypnotized by my sidekick phone but at the same time I look more comfortable and at ease.
The fact that this is largely a part of my life and what I do on a daily bases, I do not really know how to feel. I feel like it takes away from my social skills. Some of it makes me feel like I could be doing something else within that time. I could socialize directly more with friends and my boyfriend but at the same time I find comfort from technology. I find that it is an enjoyment and helps me relax. I have adapted to using these technology and do not really want to make changes to them and try to adapt out of using technology.

I never really want kids and I do not have any younger siblings but I have a brother that was so addicted to video games (warcrafts) that if effect our relationship greatly. Most of his time (when we use to live together) was him facing the video screen and me sitting in front of the television. Sometimes I wish I could have taken those things away and spend more time with each other and bonding and having a real brother and sister relationship. So in a sense if I had a younger sibling or a child I would not mind if they had some sort of time with their technology that soothes them since I feel sometimes without technology I would feel I would go insane but at the same time I feel like I would not want my brother or son or sister if I had one to be using most of their time doing what I do in the video. It takes away "bonding" time. Its like eating all together at a dinner table and not speaking. I would want to have a relationship with the people I love.

I think that devices such as wii doesn't really do much for me personally. I have a wii and they say you are suppose to stand up and it gives you physical experiences with what ever you are playing with as if you are interacting with it. The wii remote you are suppose to swing around in certain way. When I play my wii, I still sit on the coach no moving. The only difference is that im flicking my wrists WHILE i'm being lazy on my coach just laying there like a lifeless doll. I think things like the wii is just a failed attempt of "excersize and being physical". It is an excuse for people to not feel so guilty about sitting in one spot for a billion hours a day. Its like "if i get the Wii sports game and pretend like I am actually being physical then I do not have to admit that I am a video game addict and play video games all day". I think these things are all successful attempts for video games and technology companies to get people to buy more of their product...

Interviews

Interviews With Dad

Why is technology/ digital life so significant to you?
"For me email and video conferencing with picture and audio is uhhh..umm... helps me do business instantly over seas, and if I were not able to do that we would probably be broke"

Don't you think that it dulls your mind like everyone says "rots your mind?
I think that it is the opposite, it doesn't rot your mind. It makes science advance more rapidly.

I am actually surprise you say this, do you think you are only saying this because you are were from a whole different generation? So your point of view is effected by the generation gap?
I think that it is equally phonemically for your age to utilize the internet etc.
There is one down side: it should take away from face to face social contact. The only down side. To me technology is similar to the first telephone in my parents age.

Don't you think it makes our ability to construct our own ideas become un-existent? We are always relying on other's ideas and facts to know our own.
No, it adds to our interest in upgrading our technology. Like to see it upgrade every five years. In ten years you won't be typing on a keyboard, you'll be doing it on a open touch screen.

There is a lot of stuff about how technology takes away from our ability to socialize. For me, i call it a digital shield. It shields and maybe even blocks us from socializing and interacting. You think we are loosing our charismatic skills? Like Josh (my brother), he played warcrafts literally all day and all night, hardly had any friends, did not finish college and was just so socially inept...

Your brother was socially inept because that is just how he is and it would have seemed the computer took away from is social skills but I think if there was no technology he would have most likely found something else in its place to be more socially inept such as art or reading. We would distract ourselves in many ways, technology is just the most interesting and advanced way. Anything else? Because I want to go to bed...



Interviews with Strangers
Smoking Business Suit Man
How many hours a day do you think you spend using technology and being digitally stimulated?
Probably from 15 to 16 hours a day. Although its because I work with music production so its kind of my job.

If you had children how many hours a day would you let them be digital stimulated? Would you limit them or let them use it as much as you might?
I mean I don't really care as long as they get their school work done i guess.


Mother with Super Cute and Friendly Baby

How many hours do you think you spend using technology and being digital stimulated?
I don't really know, not very much. I guess I would say around 1 hour or 2 hours a day.

Your baby is really adorable, how much digital stimulation you think you would limit her or give her?
She doesn't really spend a lot of time in front of the t.v.or anything. We usually go upstate and we are very active. I guess maybe like also 1 hour a day or something.

What about when she a little older, like 12 or maybe even our age, 16, 17, 18 years old?
Ummm. I don't know I guess like not much, 1 or 2 hours or something.

(I must mention that this interview was really amusing to me to the fact that when we went up to this mother she was texting on her cell phone which I think was a envy touch for Verison. And even MORE ironic was that the baby was playing with a real black berry that was obviously not for real use and had cute pink stickers all over it.)


When I giggled at the baby and pointed at her "pretend" blackberry she said:
Yeah, I know but its not for real. Its just pretend. Just for play.

Middle Aged Hispanic Guy
How many hours a day do you think you spend being digital stimulated? Like television, ipods, cell phones? Any of that stuff?
2 Hourshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

If you had children yourself how would raise them around all the technology?
Kids? I would limit them, I don't want them to get zoned out like a lot of kids these days are doing on their computers and watching t.v.


Do you think that digital stimulation takes away our ability to construct our own ideas and opinions?
Absolutely not! Technology doesn't take away from our abilities to do anything because it gives us the ideas in the first place. It gives us creativity and inspiration.


2 Really Friendly White Guys in kinda Business Suits


How many hours a day do you think you spend being digitally stimulated? With television, cell phones, internet, all that stuff?
Dude A: 3 to 4 hours a day
Dude B: I would say about the same too.

Do you have children? Do you raise them in any certain way to be around technology? For example like not let them be digitally stimulated a lot or...?
Dude A: I have a 17 year old, I don't limit my kids. They are always on their computers.
Dude B: Well my son is 28 so I can't really limit him but growing up I did not really take away his technology privileges.

Do you think that technology and digital stimulation such as facebook and all these social networking and television take away our ability to construct our own ideas and opinions about a lot of things?
Dude A: Yes, its sido social activities. It keeps us away from reality and makes us sometimes stuck in one location.
Dude B: See I am totally opposite. I mean it does take away our face to face communication but I think without it we would not be able to take in so much information as we already do.


Interview with Kinda Friend Outside of School

How many hours days do you think you spend digital stimulated such as t.v., internet, social networking, cellphones, videos, etc?
At least 13 hours a day.

How many hours do you think is too man hours?
Umm, I think there is no limit to how many hours because now these days or in our new generation people are able to keep themselves updated with the world.

But don't you think that digital stimulation keeps you or any of us from being directly socially interactive with people? For example when I want to cuddle with you your always telling me to give you a minute and your screaming at your video games?
Well, there are two things that people need to know which is the difference between interacting with technology and reality. I think I know how to control myself because if I didn't know how to control myself I wouldn't even be able to speak with you at this moment or anyone else for that matter. Wouldn't I just speak to you via networking rather then spending time with your directly and seeing you in person? And plus it is stress free, it helps sooth me. Every time I play video games or watch t.v. it keeps me from going crazy and worrying about everything all the time.

Do you think technology takes away our ability to construct our own ideas, creativity, opinions and views, etc?
Everything is created by technology. Accept we know that human's minds, creativity, ideas is the reason for technology to be existent. Technology and digital stimulation just adds and gives us a boost to the creativity, ideas, opinions, whatever that we already have.

When you have kids in the future one day, how much time would you give them to be digitally stimulated of any kind?
Throughout their childhood I would at least give an addition of 30 minutes of using technology every year that they get older.

HW Triangle Comments!

1) To Conor
Helloooo
I really thought it was funny in your second paragraphishhh when you wrote "who doesn't like easy? Demons, that who?" I thought it was funny. I appreciate humor in people's blogs, also I do agree that many people these days take the "easy" route out.

Your whole second paragraph was amusing but I do not quite get the parrot analogy? If it was an analogy at all. I agree with the fact that there are much more things outside of our digital igloos that people are just not really aware of.

I feel like people are not really aware of what there is outside our digital perspective. We are maybe not aware of these things, that is why we do not do them. And I think that a lot of people, maybe teenagers to be exact probably feel the same way you do about the "digital thing". A lot of us know that all this technology is bad but most of us probably do not know why, this is what prevents us from breaking our digital barriers.

Although I really liked your humor there is a lot you could have definitely expand on. Maybe you can do a second draft, since you mention a lot about what we could be doing instead of being on our computers, cell phones, etc. Maybe you can write about what those things could be. Most importantly, what could be done by people to prevent themselves to be hypnotized by technology. And why do you think other people and yourself feel technology is bad, even if you don't quite know...take a guess :)

Your post was very short so its hard to consider a lot but the beginning does for a brief moment make me ponder on what I would actually be like, my everyday life, without or less technology, what would my daily life be like. Would I read more? Have a better vocabulary? Be more aware of things? Be more social? Who knows right?

Look forward to reading your next couple of posts or your second drafts hopefully ;)
See you in classss.

2) To Yazmin (The Elder one, wrinkly old)
Hello Yazzzyybearrr
I really liked how you take notice to a lot of things in your blog such as how young kids as young as 10 are using social networking and the scary feeling you get. I like that you were personable. I ponder a lot about how technology will advance in the future and our effect to it as well. I really liked that you talked about your family such as your little brother :)

And i definetly agree with the fact that everyone (not just kids) are addicted to technology. And most of the time this starts from a really young age. Kids are basically taught be addicted to technology from an early age, it kind of relates to the food unit of how kids are taught to eat certain foods at an early age.

I have seen many cases of kids as young as 10 to have myspaces and facebooks. For example my friends 12 year old sister has a myspace and puts up pictures of herself and making it seem she is 16 instead of 12. I feel like these sort of things are defeintly so dangerous. This is why there are so many cases illegal child activities. To catch a preditor and such. There are many cases of when kids are punisher they are taken away of their privilages to use technology. This is bad because it makes kids feel the need to want technology more. When I read Conor's small blog post he stated that his parents took away his privilage of going out and doing sports and was stuck with his technology. The fact that his parents show that doing sports and doing physical activities is a privilage it makes his need to want to do physical activities and go outside more.

In your last paragraph you state a lot about your little brother. Do you think that you would maybe raise your brother to think differently about technology and not take the same route as most children are with their addiciton to technology? Maybe you can expand on your thoughts of the idea that your brother's generation will be full of more advanced technology and he will most likely be in the focus of it. Also in the second paragraph you mention a little bit about why teenagers our age are so obsessed with social networking (to be "cool"), maybe you can expand on why this may be so important to our generation? And why we need our technology in our hands at all time and yet we don't we feel un easy.

After reading your post it made me think more about the effect technology has on children younger then me and the effect of technology on them. It makes me think of child development. Is it good to raise all these children around all this technology, should we encourage it, take it away, or just leave it alone? I also started to think about my childhood and how technology effected my way of growth. I wonder if I would have been my defintion of "Smart" without so much digital stimulation. I know for sure technology defeintly ruined my brother's life. My brother grew up playing video games, mainly Warcrafts (hate that game with a passion). My brother was socially challenge (and i am not saying it in a funny manner), he was really addicted to the game to the point where he had no friends and no social skills. Computer games ruined me and my brother's relationship since we never talk. He got so addicted that he got bad grades, just slipped by high school and dropped out of college. So I feel that if technology is expose to kids at a young age it would really effect the way we are in the future.

Anyways, thanks for actually doing the blog post and writing a significant amount for me to comment on. Love you!! <3 lol

3rd Assignment- Babbling Thoughts on Digital Life

Being a teenager in our generation technology seems to be like a crucial essential to our daily lives. Probably 85-90 percent of my day is taken up by some sort of digital stimulation. The television, my cellphone, and the computer are things that I do not go a day without as sad as that sounds at least I'm truthful about it. Every time I leave my house I always check to see if I have my cell phone in my purse. Right when I get home from school I check my facebook and emails. Although I realize how much digital stimulation I am getting i do not quite know what is it about all this technology that is so irresistible. So one thing that I think about is what is it about technology that is so hard to get away from? What is it that makes us so bored and anxious when we go a day without watching our favorite series on television and checking our facebooks,myspace,twitter for messages? And when we eventually go outside we get cell phones which have internet to be able to check online social networking sites! Its like it never leaves us!

Although it is said by so many of us that technology such as the Internet and television is so bad for us we still constantly use them, even people in the older generation use them such as my dad who uses the Internet all the time(whether they are as good using them or not). Although when my dad uses the Internet he uses it for business emails and all he ever watches on t.v. is the news. I myself still find myself staring at the television no matter how many times teachers say to watch less television and no matter how many times it is said that it "rots your brain". I always find myself flipping through MTV, G4, or whatever cool hip television show is on. I guess the reason being is that teenagers like me always hear and know that its bad for us but we are never known of HOW? But what are ways that technology has benefited us? What are the positives of technology as well as the negatives? In class a junior (I think his name was Conor) stated that "digital communication has it's positives and negatives". This I would agree with. Things like the internet provide ways to keep in contact with long distant family members and friends. I use facebook to keep in contact with my friend from Hong Kong I have know for years and to keep in contact with my brother even though he never responds to me I can still see what he writes on his status on facebook to know what he is doing or how he is doing. The phone can be used for the same reasons as well. My dad uses it for business so it benefits our family because it helps to make a profit for out living. We can use the internet and television to receive information.
I also feel as if social networking is not just a way of socializing but its a way people are able to project an image they may not be able to show in real life.This is another reason why so many teenagers like myself are so attached to the internet. For example people put different "status" on facebook, and depending on whatever status they put, for example "YOO WE OUT TONITE TO PARTY, GONNA GET SHIT FACED" or whatever, they may be trying to project an image that they are "cool" because they party. Some people put up certain pictures on facebook to project specific images as well. For example I put up pictures of my boyfriend and I to show that I am taken or in love. I also have many pictures of me hanging out with friends which is projecting a image that I am social. Many people probably do the same. Some people may put up pictures of their family mainly to show they are family oriented. There are many different ways people depict there image on social networking sites. It is a way to show your social among piers. It is also a way to spread rumors and gossip. It makes me wonder why it is so important for people to ensure others know of their social status or their personal image? Also just like how people may show off how expensive their car is and their new fancy kicks people use how technical and newly upgraded iphone is and how wide screen their television is to maybe show their social class. I wonder if showing social status/class is one of the things that drives people to be so attached to technology devices? These may just be the few ideas I have of why technology takes up so many hours of our lives.

Another reason why teenagers are so obsessed with social networking may be because they are able to express their emotions, ideas, opinions better. For example yesterday I missed the VMA (Video Music Awards), where celebrities are nominated and win depending on which celebrities/ singer has the most votes for their music videos. A lot went on in the VMA that made people twitter and facebook like crazy. For example apparently during the VMA when a singer named Taylor Swift one an award, another arrogant singer name Kanye West rudely went on staged, grabed the microphone and plainly emplied that she should not have won the award. As soon as this happened people on facebook (i don't have a twitter so I do not know if its the same) started to write their opinion of this situation. Some people wrote stuff like "Kanye West is an asshole." and others said stuff like "Kanye West is so cool". I on the other hand missed the VMA so i wrote "Missed the VMA, oh well" to try to show that I didn't care. I feel like people can't wait to express their opinion so the easiest way is to put it up on these social network sites which can be broadcasted to the whole world. So I think that another reason why teenagers love the internet, mainly social networking is not only for their personal image but also for expression of ideas, emotions, and opinions. Although why are people so eager to express themselves so badly?

Also technology is shown to be things that make our lives "easier", less of a hassle. You can see this on a lot of commercials on television, for example when they have commercials for getting insurance online, or getting the latest super vacuum that cleans your whole house faster. Other ways that advanced technology makes lives easier:people use to use CD players but now we have ipods so you can have your whole music selection in one, computers and cellphones keep advancing to be smaller and smaller to be more compact in your lap or pocket. Besides from t.v.s and phones, technology in public keeps advancing as well to make people's lives "easier". For example, sometimes in stores there are automatic door openers, some places even have automatic toiler flusher (as if its that difficult to flush a toilet). You can even get your groceries delivered online and even get a pizza delivered online too (sadly I have tried this before, getting a delivery from Papa Johns. I hate pizza). It makes me think, is it just to make our life easier and more convenient or is advance technology just a way to feed our need to be lazy?