Digital Nation - Part II

According to Shakespeare, we are consumed with that which we are nourished by. In 1609, these words rang as true as they ring today in relation to the state of South Korea’s technology use. Prior to my viewing of Digital Nation , I thought that gaming was a issue in terms of teenagers as well as some adults devoting to much of their time to this virtual reality however, I never knew this habit could transform into something life threatening or fatal. One of my previous posts, Real Baby Dies as Parents Raise Virtual Daughter goes into terrible detail around how escaping reality to live in a virtual world can have real consequences in real life. One particular point that I found quite interesting is the concept of Internet Rescue Camps for South Korean students who either feel the need themselves or their parents desire them to disconnect and get back into touch with life without technology.

Technology enhances my everyday life. Because I was born into an era when computers were just starting to take off, I must admit that even though I am quite fond of the old way of doings things (writing a letter with pen and paper, calling someone on the telephone instead of texting or chatting on MSN) I am addicted to the instant gratification that a website like Google can provide. Back on the farm before we got high speed, I used to think that dial up was fast. Now, if a webpage does not load instantly or ads or pop up screens block my view of the site, I find myself getting anxious and a tiny bit irritable. If my current self have to put up with dial up, I do believe that I would reach new heights in terms of frustration level. But why do I feel this way? Because I was born close to the beginning a new computerized generation where, according to the Teaching with Technology section, technology is like oxygen. However, as a older member of this generation, I plan to ensure my students not only know how to use a variety of technology tools but also educate them in regards to keeping a balance between their virtual and real worlds since, as displayed in the Digital Nation video, in some cases, too much of a good thing can turn out to not be a good thing after all.