Picture this:
A group of five people is sitting around a kitchen table together. All are laughing, their attention held captive. Each takes a turn entertaining the others; every turn inspires more conversation, laughing, or thought-provoking moments. They are watching YouTube videos.
Moments like these are becoming increasingly widespread, worldwide. Perhaps more surprisingly - to me anyway - the moment above happened several weeks ago with my aunt, uncle, cousin, and mom. It resembled an evening I spent in Madrid with people from four countries. Youtubing crosses cultures and SES*, even is beginning to span the generational gap for the tech savvy. (What a great word - "savvy")
As I sat around the table two weeks ago, laughing at an improve musical about napkins pulled up by my cousin Katy, I reflected on the situation. In the screenlight, I looked at the faces around me. Everyone was laughing. I thought about other times around this table, playing board games, cards, talking. Technology in this instance was not detracting from those; but instead it was simply adding another option.
For a long time, I harbored the belief that technology killed real life. Even now, I sit at the same kitchen table, listening to a choir of cicadas, the whirl of the washer. Those things seem more real to me than this blog post, these words I type on a white "New Post" screen.
I think I may have judged the internet too harshly though. While many times it has sucked life right out of me with endless facebook clicking, net surfing, and sore eyes, it has also been a lifeline when I was far away and lonely, a means of sharing my world with people I love who are hours or time zones away. I have seen God in cyberspace - because we are the internet. God dwells with us and when we start dwelling online, guess where God shows up?
Technology, like money, food, large corporations, and time is what we make it. It is not inherently good or evil. I think it has tremendous possibilities for good, for community, for learning. Heck, we watch online videos in first grade math. They are interactive. Did you watch videos in math? Yeah, me neither.
I find this YouTube video fascinating. I recommend it and the one I linked above. Let me know what you think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o
*Those who are fortunate enough to access the internet anyway. Contrary to a quote I heard once that made me really angry: If you don't have Facebook, you DO exist. As with any social change, we MUST watch out for those with no voice.
What do you find fascinating about the second video?
ReplyDeleteIt leaves me with a question: Where are the adults? Where are the people who have lived meaningful lives and from there, can point the way?
maybe what catches my attention about it is that it's a different perspective coming from the teacher. It was made by a professor and I saw it thanks to my uncle, who's a professor. At this moment in my life, it resonated with me as I go into a teaching job and know that while this is not the world of my first graders, it acknowlegdes that students generally have a lot on their plates besides classes. Granted, some of that is... lacking in depth, but can the adults step forward and show them a more compelling way?
ReplyDeleteinteresting, yet slightly terrifying videos. definitely worth thinking about...
ReplyDeletetechnology is good in that, you and I, though we live in different states, (and, different countries!), can keep in touch and know what is going on in each other's lives. it brings us together.
but I can't stand technology when people use it to separate themselves from each other. I hate it when people are physically together, but because of their cell phones, they are mentally in different places. I heard somebody say recently (on tv or something) that we are more connected than ever, but we aren't doing a very good job of communicating. It may have been Oprah who said it. But it's true. I hate cell phones. haha (except when I truly am alone... in case of emergency!)
and, the whole internet privacy issue is something that our generation is going to have to deal with sooner or later. and hopefully before it's too late! it's scary stuff! (and, by posting this, i am adding the "machine".) :)