Family columnist warns .‘electronic apocalypse’ . online generation electronics-addicted youth

From:
THE CONSCIOUS REPORTER

FULL TITLE:
Family columnist warns of ‘electronic apocalypse’ from online generation of electronics-addicted youth

Subtitle:
The physical apparatus we use to process the world is being re-shaped, and if we don’t preserve what we once had, our very sense of being will shift permanently and irreversibly. The content of our digital lives is no longer an appendage to life — it is reaching a point where it is life.

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consciousreporter.com...
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HOW DID U FEEL WHEN U MISPLACED YOUR PHONE?

73% PANICKED; 14% DESPERATE; 7% SICK; 6% RELIEVED

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Are we really alive and free, interacting face to face? Where has the listening ear gone? Is all connection lost?
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We are losing empathy [emphases included in original]

Researcher Tim Lott longs for the days of old, describing the ugly reality that 21st century humanity is beginning to create. He wrote, “The physical apparatus we use to process the world is being re-shaped, and if we don’t preserve what we once had, our very sense of being will shift permanently and irreversibly. The content of our digital lives is no longer an appendage to life — it is reaching a point where it is life, in the sense that the imagination can conceive of nothing else.”
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In researching the problem, he found some startling statistics. For one, the average teenager now manages 4,000 text messages a month. Five years ago, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that adolescents from 8 to 18 years of age were spending seven hours a day on handheld devices and phones. Tim also made a startling connection in his research. In a compilation of 72 studies, he found that the current online generation had 40 percent lower levels of empathy than previous generations. [red added]
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“Human relationships now seem to be marked with what resembles a series of nervous tics — phone tics, PC tics, tablet tics,” wrote Lott.
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I agree.
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I've long pondered what IS the attraction of the texting etc. ???
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The only conclusions I've come up with so far are:
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1. IMMEDIACY. It gives the illusion--VERY desperately sought by seriously RAD afflicted folks--THAT THEY MATTER, HAVE SIGNIFICANCE, ARE WORTH breathing air and taking up space. Immediacy, immediate feedback, responses substitute for proof that they are worth something.
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2. It's a compromise between the desperate need for human contact and the fear of the risks of human contact. At least with a cell phone, one can hang-up; not respond to the text; wait. There's a greater sense of:
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3. !!!!!CONTROL!!!!! . . . and for RAD afflicted serious !!!!!CONTROL!!!!! FREAKS . . . CONTROL can be close to everything. They are seriously insecure in a list of ways--therefore they desperately try and !!!!!CONTROL!!!!! everyone and everything around them in order to diminish the very scary, anxiety ridden feeling of vulnerability, insecurity, the risk of losing out, disintegrating, being nothing, having nothing, having no one.
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4. It gives the ILLUSION of intimacy, contact, connection, being "in-tight" with someone without having to pay the price of authentic risk that comes with authentic intimacy, contact, connection. i.e.
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A) There is a semblance of dialogue . . . There's no eye contact, no touch . . . but words are exchanged with SOME emotional content getting across successfully--though likely somewhat distorted by the medium.
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B) There's a semblance of importance in the other person's life--they bother to text, answer their cell, etc. They may do that with a dozen people but at least the other party feels good being included in the dozen.
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C) There's a semblance of getting somewhere, transacting business in the relationship. The text dialogue goes somewhat from "A" to "B" in content. The content may be shallow, hot air, fluff, lies, blather, deception etc. but at least it gives the ILLUSION of something happening. For folks who are far from comfortable in their own skin and who are terrified of being alone or "bored," that ILLUSION of something happening can be the difference between doing OK and depression or a melt-down.
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5. There's a feeling of being hip, with it, cool, modern, at least somewhat tech savy. Again, a boost to the self-esteem of the RAD afflicted masses.
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6. I've long pondered why men seem to be so much more talkative on cell phones than in person. I think one reason is that they can refuse to answer, turn it off, end the call. They feel more in control and less threatened by the females who are so much more gifted verbally and communicatively--particularly emotionally. So, there's a buffer sense of safety with the phone as a buffer between the two persons while giving the illusion of significant contact, interpersonally 'touching' in a sense.
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7. I think some folks--maybe women more--like the record of the interchange that's saved when texting. All the better to pull the man up short for not living up to his text. LOL. Some men are likely similar on such scores.
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There's probably more than the above going on but that's it for now.
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Cheers.

a reply to: BO XIAN

As an anecdote to this... yesterday I was at an air show over a lake for 4th of July Celebrations. For the finale at night, two vintage Mig-19 jets passed over the dock with FULL afterburners. There were two young children on the dock and didn't take their eyes off the phones once. It was pretty sad.

a reply to: MarkOfTheV

WOW. Interesting.

I'd think it would be hard being a wise responsible parent of this generation. Particularly if they were in the public indoctrination joints, i.e. schools.

As I've noted before . . . a friend got word via her friend who works at the college and was at a Dept of Ed meeting in D.C. . . . where officials noted that THEY WERE DELIBERATELY dumbing down the students.

Treasonous bustards.

I think the media and technology is a major part of the dumbing down.

So, Box. Yesterday I read on Drudge some of this, on how many hours teens use their cell phones and how addicted they were. with a mixture of alarm and wonder. I mean, I have texted maybe a dozen lines in my life. I keep my cell phone off unless I want to use it or have it pre-arranged to keep it on.

So I'M not addicted like this, I thought smugly. Oh, wait.....

I hang out on ATS and a couple other places with my laptop, kind of a big cell phone--just like you.

So are we that different?

a reply to: BO XIAN

Seems like the author of the article lost a bet due to the other person looking up the answer on their iPhone and instantly having the correct answer.

Just kidding.

I have a 3 month old daughter now, and I worry about where the tech world will be when she is old enough to make her own decisions. The amount of info that can be shared, good or bad, is astounding. It used to be, we'd have to go to the library to find the info we needed. Or if we wanted to see boobs, we'd have to sneak out dads playboys or catch a glimpse at the pool, praying for a boob slip.
And the texting thing is out of hand. It's fine and dandy if it's work related. I know we at the post office use our phones daily for gps and communicating with each other out there if we need help. But for everyday personal use, it's out of hand. I have to consciously set my phone down to engage the world around me. My wife on the other hand is hard pressed to leave her phone alone. She's addicted to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and w/e else she uses on her phone. It's sad.
Sticks and stones on the other side.

a reply to: schuyler

Do you suffer significant anxiety when not on ATS?

Do you break out in a cold sweat when you can't logon or post?

Does 95+% of your sense of worth come from ATS?

Do you fall into a horrific state of depression if you can't post or read ATS?

Do you text all your BFF and whine endlessly when you can't reach ATS?

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I doubt it, if I know you at all.

Nor do I.

I think we both have very significant other parts of our lives that bring us meaning and fulfillment quite apart from ATS.

And, we both have a list of other very meaningful relationships.

Yeah, ATS is a significant part of our lives and relationships. . . .even a very significant part. However, during my 2 year break . . . I survived quite well otherwise. I suspect you would, too.

I would panic if I lost my phone but only because damn they are expensive!

a reply to: rollanotherone

Interesting.

Sobering.

Well put.

I use my phone to text for lunch appointments etc. I typically have the volume low and often don't hear a ring or txt notice.

I don't talk on it more than I absolutely have to and that very briefly. Am still getting used to avoiding using it on the side where my pacemaker is.

I hate using it even on speakerphone. But I will use it to arrange meetings and answer quick questions.

And I don't suffer fools gladly who presume to allow it to interrupt a lunch.

My best friend has a relative that is also seriously RAD afflicted . . . 40 something probably late 40's. Maybe early 50's or so. She clearly doesn't have other significant friends per se. She may call or text 2-3 times during our lunch. He's no psychologist but he's a sharp cookie and knows what's going on. He usually ignores them until after lunch. I'm patient with the situation as he's a priceless Christian Brother. But it is sad.

Yeah . . . raising kids in this era . . . a mission impossible, for sure.

a reply to: Jaxsmash

Don't they have insurance for such things?

And don't you have all your contacts backed up?

a reply to: BO XIAN

Who the hell is the conscious reporter and who cares what they write..no offense OP..

As one poster has mentioned we panic because they are so expensive and they have all of our private information...now if the phone companies would guarantee a new phone every time you lost it people would be fine providing they did not carry information...

I also panic when I misplace my keys and wallet...not because it has some psychological hold over me but because it is part of my arsenal of urban survival...

I've said it before...I hope the internet goes away along with cellphones and not because I'm someone who wishes to be a hermit but we got along fine in the 80's without them and I'm sure the 70's, 60's, and 50's were just peachy..

I personally feel great when I leave it at home but my wife may disagree..

a reply to: chrismarco
Unfortunately there is no going back. You say the 60's and so were better times or something along those lines. I don't think so. We have access to much quicker news stories now days and can check the validity of sources much easier than before. Good with the bad. Lesser of two evils and all. I'm grateful for the progress we've made. I've had to deliver packages to houses out in the middle of nowhere with out any paperwork and only my phone to help me deliver it. For that, it makes my job easier and allows the person who ordered their purchase to receive their product.

I very rarely ever use my cell phone and it's always turned off unless I'm making the long highway trip to the city for whatever. Emergency purposes only. And I wouldn't have a clue how to "text" someone. Come to think of it, I don't know if my 20 year old cell phone even has texting capabilities.


But my computer ? Yeah... they'll have to take 'my precious' from my cold dead hands.

a reply to: chrismarco

Uhhhhh . . . any number of professional counselors could have written a similar if not more hard hitting article.

The addiction phenomena are real for the reasons stated in my commentary.

No one has a gun to your head demanding that you agree or even understand.

It is a modern issue influencing millions of lives.

The degree and types of influence are worth discussing for those who care about the individuals they love--particularly their children.

more people are worried about the speed of their internet and phone than whether they have money to buy groceries.

At least the price of phones has come down. Many people were spending more on their cell phone than their electricity.

More and more people have become totally reliant on technology, if it disappears it will mess up their mind temporarily.

a reply to: rickymouse

For some, hopefully, it will be a temporary discombobulation. But for many, they will likely be catatonic for hours if not days or longer.

That should make it easier for the extermination teams to get their jobs done more unfettered.

a reply to: BO XIAN

I concluded some time ago that smartphone and Internet tech truely connects the planet.

So, having 9 and 12 year olds I started paying attention to exactly what they are watching.

My son, who has his own YT channel for gaming, can easily spend the lions share of after school and weekends watching YT vids, particularly pewdepie, markiplier, diamond minecraft and game grumps.

With my daughter its school message boards and Instagram.

I control the charging chords and batteries and remotes so I limit their time using this tech to what I consider acceptable levels however as my sons YT channel increases in popularity I find that I am allowing him to explore this more often, again under my guidance.

The best I can do is provide guidance to my kids for tech use and the understanding that real life takes precedence.

originally posted by: rollanotherone
a reply to: chrismarco
Unfortunately there is no going back. You say the 60's and so were better times or something along those lines. I don't think so. We have access to much quicker news stories now days and can check the validity of sources much easier than before. Good with the bad. Lesser of two evils and all. I'm grateful for the progress we've made. I've had to deliver packages to houses out in the middle of nowhere with out any paperwork and only my phone to help me deliver it. For that, it makes my job easier and allows the person who ordered their purchase to receive their product.

So folks forget how to use maps so the phones are great and we can also,,surf porn, snap chat, facebook, myspace, send pictures and immediately regret it, cyber bullying etc......even with the validation of new sources who gives a crap? So you or I can feel smarter than the average person because we care about facts..apparently facts don't matter to most...we still have cancer, aids, leukemia, war, more propaganda than ever thanks to the internet...so with all this progress that we have we still ran into economic collapse, we have become a global community and by that I mean all businesses are stationed in other countries...

I'm dubious about our great advances...and don't get me started with the advances in music...

I was born in the 70's so I worked my way up through computers and yes although it makes things more interesting I'm still not sold that we are better off with the system today that has turned people into the walking dead..

a reply to: Sublimecraft

Sounds like wisdom to me.

And a constant 'battle' to stay alert and on top of a rapidly changing context.

Thanks.

originally posted by: chrismarco
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I'm dubious about our great advances...and don't get me started with the advances in music...

ABSOLUTELY INDEED. LOL. I was in the HS graduating class of 1965. And I hated the popular music back THEN!

I was born in the 70's so I worked my way up through computers and yes although it makes things more interesting I'm still not sold that we are better off with the system today that has turned people into the walking dead.

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I think that's the objective. Gotta have the Eloi mostly dead to shuffle them off into the caverns of the Morlachs.

Sigh.

Thanks.

a reply to: chrismarco

Maps don't revise as quickly as google maps does nor does it tell me where accidents are so I can avoid them when I'm delivering express mail. Deadlines and all.
And we've always had war, cancer, leukemia, propaganda. The world will always be what it has been. Just faster and more in your face. So you think people were thinking the same as you when microwave ovens were the new and shiny thing? How about the automobile? I mean, horse and buggy is "more green" but you only see those in major cities and only as a nostalgia thing. Unless youre Amish. Maybe the Amish really do have it all correct. Could you do the "Amish thing"? I know I couldn't.