Question: Marc Prensky's "Emerging online life of the digital native" and Dave Weinberger's "A New World" both present different views of contemporary internet users. In light of your own experiences with new technologies do you think they are accurate portrayals? Discuss why or why not with specific examples.
TECHNOLOGY IS THE LIFE OF THE FUTURE!!!
TECHNOLOGY IS THE LIFE OF THE FUTURE!!!
Life is continuously changing, each day, month, and year sees the light and beginning of a new technological advance. Some are good, some are great, and some are bad. Marc Prensky published an article called “Emerging online life of the digital native” (Prensky, 2004) it discusses how the new generation - “digital natives” use new technology. Prensky portrays technology as engulfing digital natives life, saying that “online life has become an entire strategy for how to live, survive and thrive in the 21st century” (Prensky, 2004). Prensky states that digital natives are “not just using technology differently today, but are approaching their life and their daily activities differently because of the technology” (2004, Prensky). Prensky highlights the possibilities of the internet whereas; David Weinberger highlights the differences between the real world and the web highlighting the dangers of the internet. Weinberger says that the web is “more alien than it first seems,” (Weinberger, 2002) as people on chat sites and social networking sites may and often are not who they say they are. Weinberger states that “the web has sent a jolt through our culture, zapping our economy, our ideas about the sharing of creative works, and possibly even institutions such as religion and government” (Weinberger, 2002) . Prensky and Weinberger both express different views on contemporary users. In light of my own experiences I believe the web has many benefits if used in the correct manor. I believe that technology shapes the growing mind. The younger the mind, the more supple it is (Healy, 2000). The world is constantly changing; humans are constantly inventing new machines, new cars and new technology. The web is just the next stage in our history or “evolution”. The internet contains millions of websites and therefore endless opportunities. The following aspects of the internet will be discussed in further detail; e-mail, instant messenger, researching (school assignments, general interests etc.) and online auction sites (ebay).
Email has become an important method of business communication. If used properly it is an extremely efficient and effective form of communication that can be used to transmit all kinds of electronic data instantly. Prensky expresses the effectiveness of e-mail, and instant messaging online. He mentions that e-mail is a great way of communication because it is virtually cost free, easy and can be sent to multiple people instantly (Prensky, 2004). However, Weinberger portrays e-mails and instant messenger as another contributing factor to the new generation’s poor social and “face to face” skills. Weinberger believes that we are “falling into email relationships that, stretching themselves over years, "imperceptibly deepen, like furrows worn into a stone hallway by the traffic of slippers” (Weinberger, 2002). I agree with Weinberger in saying that instant messenger along with mobile phone text messaging is affecting the social relationships of the younger generation. However, it is an extremely beneficial technological advance in many other ways. “Email allows the immediate transfer of electronic documents, photos and PDF files to multiple precipitants for no cost” (Benefits of email and internet, 2008). An email will be saved within the email account until the receiver is ready to read the document. This saves paper and space within the household or business (Benefits of email and internet, 2008). My previous experiences with email lead me to believe that email and instant messenger are both very effective ways of transferring data, sending letters/files, and keeping in touch with others around the world. However, extreme caution needs to be taken when using instant messenger facilities.
The internet is the most comprehensive electronic archive of written material representing our world and peoples' opinions, concerns, and desires (Eysenbach, 2001). The internet is used for researching topics of interest, assessments, projects and news articles every day. Prensky uses examples to outline how exactly how much the ‘Digital Natives’ rely on the internet. “The web is now the preferred means of finding a job and chances are good that your Digital Native son or daughter will be finding some or all of their dates online” (Prensky, 2004). The internet is fast becoming the main rout of communication, research, and everyday life. Weinberger’s view of the internet is portrayed in a different manor compared to Prensky. He expresses how the new generation relies on the internet so much that it is changing who we are and how we act. Weinberger states that “we are rewriting ourselves on the Web...saying things we might not have expected...we are no longer aware of the real world” (Weinberger, 2002). In light of my own experiences I believe that relationships are changing and the ways we go about meeting new people and experiencing new experiences is different due to the capabilities of the internet. Many medical journals support my belief in saying that “individuals who seek out sexual partners online have a 30% higher chance of divorce” (How Internet Addiction Is Affecting Lives, 2006). The internet is affecting our relationships, and also plays a role in the decreased activity levels among our children. “Computers and the internet are distracting our children from physical activity and social sports with their friends” (Orlowski, 2005). There are many different aspects of the internet, as with everything in life there is the goods and the bads.
The development of the internet and the World Wide Web is a technological breakthrough. It has many benefits but, with great benefits there always comes great risks. The internet is changing the way of the world, the way of life, and the way people interact. This happens with all technological advances. For example the invention of the motor vehicle allowed people to travel distances faster, however, cars are expensive, and pollute the environment (Technology, 2009). Prensky and Weinberger both portray many good points about the internet and how it is changing the everyday ways of life. I believe that the internet is a great aspect of life; however, I believe that the internet needs to be monitored and used in the correct ways. The internet can be a very dangerous place, and caution needs to be taken when visiting selected sites. “The Web is a world we've made for one another. It can only be understood within a web of ideas that includes our culture's foundational thoughts, with human spirit at every joining point” (Weinberger 2002).
Bibliography:
“Benefits of email and the internet” http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1075422375 (21.10.09)
Crystal, D, Language and the internet, Cambridge University press, 2001
“Ethical issues in qualitative research on internet communities”, http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/323/7321/1103 (19.10.09)
Faloutsos, M, On power-law relationships of the internet topology, 1999
Healy, J, Failure to connect: how computers affect our children’s minds: For better or worse, Phi Delta Kappa International, 2000
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“How internet addiction is affecting lives”, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/43165.php (19.10.09)
“Internet effect on interpersonal relationship” http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Internet-Effect-Interpersonal-Relationship/114869 (18.10.09)
Orlowski, A, How computers make kids dumb: Is our children rebooting? The regisiter, 2005
Prensky, D, Digital Native and Digital Immigrants, On the horizon, 2001
Prensky, D, The Emerging Online Life of the Digital Native: What they do differently because of technology, and how they do it, 2004
“Technology”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology (20.10.09)
Weinberger, D, A new world,2002
