Are We the Dumbest Generation? Adults often argue that the intellectual ability of today’s generations has taken a turn for the worst due to the amount of technology they are exposed to as they develop mature ideals. English professor Mark Bauerlein examines in his 2008 book the effects of digital media and how it has caused young people to be more connected and technologically savvy as a result of the wide range of modern inventions, but he also asserts that this has caused them to become less intelligent; therefore, he presents the modern ages as the Dumbest Generation. Young people have a tremendous amount of information available to them due to technology through social networks, the internet, and video games. Many respectable individuals discuss on whether to call the modern generation the “dumbest generation” (Bauerlein) or realizing that they might be participating in an intellectual revolution.
Having an intellectual conversation or debate is no longer limited to the classroom, technological advancements in communication have driven people to interact and collaborate with people all over the planet spreading and expressing new ideas in new ways. It lowers the barriers of self directed learning and inspires exploration to satisfy curiosity or interest by offering a degree of freedom and autonomy not apparent in classrooms (Et Al 3). This is one of the greatest benefits of the internet, it grants you the freedom to learn about whatever you want while allowing you to establish credibility for yourself in your field of interest by connecting you to people interested or involved that field of interest. This freedom to share exchange ideas, creations, and feedback promotes the youth to create, share, and collaborate. Whether it be posting a tweet or writing on a blog, technology is giving young people a more and more diverse variety of ways and reasons to express their thoughts and opinions through writing.
The Dumbest Generation Since the beginning of time resources for knowledge has excelled and advanced. Throughout generations technology has grown along with the human mind set, but due to this growth many would call today’s generation lazy or incompetent for having resources at their fingertips as Mark Bauerlein wrote in the excerpt “The Dumbest Generation”. Being a part of the dumbest generation I would disagree. Today’s generation is more intelligent and more open minded than generations previously due to the advantage of technology and the creativity being shared around the world along with having more opinionated voices that can be shared . From the time 1900’s the intelligence level has risen within the generations proving that we’re not dumbing ourselves down from the
The internet offers competitive pricing, easy access and convenience, customers can personalize services. The worldwide web not only features products but also services that allow consumers to pay their utility, credit card, mortgage and car bills online. Customers can search travel destinations and make reservations for airfare, hotels, and rental cars from the comfort of their own home. Technology advancements have made connecting to the internet easier and affordable; many businesses offer hot spots for Wi-Fi access. More and more companies are using the internet to promote new products and services.
Toward the end of the article, he argues that students in America today mature much more quickly than they did in the 20th century. He supports this assertion by providing with a scientific fact that “the age of first menstruation has dropped at least two years since the beginning of this century, and not surprisingly, the onset of sexual activity has dropped in proportion” (Bostein). He suggests beginning education earlier and graduating high school at the age of 16, not 18. By the time students are 16, they are ready to enter the real world. While Bostein’s reasons seem persuasive, they are ultimately illogical.
The Out of Touch Party DAIDRIC D. YOUNG COMM/215- ESSENTIALS OF COLLEGE WRITING November 20, 2012 Dr. SHEILA BASSOPPO-MOYO The Out of Touch Party The Republican Party has leaned so far to the right that as a whole they have lost connection with the most average American voter. Their positions on government health care, women’s reproductive care, education, immigration reform, and same sex marriage are all contrary to emerging thoughts of a young and new generation of voters. These views reflect a timeworn mentality that has to change if the GOP plans to make a return to power. Taking a closer look at these platform issues, the party has an uphill battle ahead of them. The GOP base tries to deter attention away from their prehistoric views
Cheat to Success In the article, “Can Students be Paid to Excel?” Jennifer Medina reports that paying students for their performance at school can actually help them become better students. Then again, in the introduction of “Drive”, Daniel Pink gives proof to show that “extrinsic motivators”, like money, are not always the best way to inspire learning and growth in a person. This is why Los Angeles middle schools should not offer students cash rewards to improve the student’s academic performance because as time goes by, student’s academic work will go down the drain. Most students get the job done as long as they are being paid to do so. I know from reality and from the introduction of “Drive” by Daniel Pink, that states, “Rewards can deliver a short-term boost---just as a jolt of caffeine can keep you cranking for a few more.
Most people find that looking things up on the internet is distracting because you are already on the web so why not check YouTube for a funny video, or update your status on the social network. Is the advancing of our technology worth the making us dumber as Nicholas Carr states in his piece, "Is Google Making us Stupid?" We are live in a technologically civilized society.
Response to Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants After reading this essay, I agree with Mr. Prensky that America’s youth is constantly leaning towards the uniformity of digital technology in society today. Each generation is becoming more dependent on technology than the last, consequently forcing them to subconsciously lose their ability to obtain information through books and other tangible resources. As human beings, when one of our five senses are weakened or lost, the remaining gets stronger. Therefore, in the same concept, when one sense is heightened another is weakened. This technological generation lacks what the “obsolete” society calls, sociably acceptable standards: Sociable standards such as finding information and research through
So with this rapid rise in text messaging and it now being our new means of communication, is it hurting literacy in teens? Over the past couple years the debate over whether text messaging is hurting literacy in teens has held the spotlight for many literacy experts. According to Experts such as David Crystal and Jennie Bristow text messaging improves literacy and it is the lack education that is hurting literacy in teens not text messaging. For teens the use of text messaging is improving their literacy. Crystal believes texting may actually enhance our writing and spelling, and has little or no effect on our language as a whole.