Part I: Post a comment of 250 words minimum in response to the following prompt: Jessi Hempel and Paula Lehman refer to the generation of students in college right now as the "MySpace Generation." For this response, serve as a representative of your generation and respond to some of the ideas in Chapter 3 of NextText. Are the writers accurate in their portrayals of the relationship you and your peers have with technology and online communities? Refer to at least three of the essays in Chapter 3 in your response.
Part II: In a separate comment, write a brief response to another student's post, expanding, questioning, or clarifying his/her ideas. Indicate the post you are responding to by referencing the student's name.
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In “Growing Up Online,” Bruce Bower relates some ways in which the Internet appeals to the younger generation. Perhaps the most relatable of these is the ability to meet people and make new friends. However, Bower does not truly take into account those who dislike such forms of interaction. Personally, I have never liked communication via e-mail or message boards; I prefer to speak to others directly. This kind of technology does certainly present benefits. These plusses are usually fairly mechanical, though. E-mail is something I use only for school purposes. I admittedly enjoy reading several online articles; these are usually relating to their content, and not for a sense of communicating with someone. Electronic transmissions are well and good for several purposes, but human interaction is irreplaceable.
Sandra Barron’s “R We D8ting?” helps illustrate the dark side of technological interaction, something that should be cautiously avoided. Barron relates a “relationship” she had been in that was carried out, from beginning to end, through text messages. The relationship ended (if it even began; the author herself is unsure) badly due to a lack of real interaction between those involved. My use of texting is limited to sending brief messages for important purposes. To actually try and attempt a full conversation with brief, abbreviated letters is inadequate and downright silly. Forgoing true mingling with other people prevents any real bonding from occurring. If the mechanics of socializing actually become mechanics, than there is probably little hope for future generations.
Jessi Hempel and Paula Lehman explore the massive social workings of the Internet in “The MySpace Generation.” In particular, MySpace is used as a primary example for how much society truly invests online. Businesses and individuals utilize the site for various purposes, but mostly to reach out to those surfing the net. I hate to sound cynical, but doesn’t this make MySpace anything more than a billboard? I freely admit that I have never been on the site, but I still think that it should be more dedicated to actual content than advertisements. MySpace is considered a social site where people can interact with one another; if that becomes intermingled with capitalism, then I shudder to think about social graces of the future. Now, I’m not trying to outright criticize MySpace or those who use it for business. I just think that socializing should be about the people, not the merchandise.
In "Growing up Online" Bruce Bower explains the internet buzz of being able to connect with riends in a new and exciting way. He also makes a case for how the internet affects middle-income students in a positive way by increasing their reading and comprehension skills. I agree with this because i have used the internet for countless reasons ranging from how to properly tie a tie when my parents weren't around to cures for tinnitus.
In Sandra Barron's "R We D8ting?" describes to the reader the mysteries of her encounter with a fellow at a bar and the strange text messaging that ensues after numbers are exchanged. This text messaging i believe is simply just another way to communicate when a phone call would be too long for both parties because they are at work or in a non-service area.
Within "The MySpace Generation" by Jessi Hempel and Paula Lehman the authors explain how individuals use MySpace for their own personal purposes of networking. Personally, I think MySpace is a little too flashy for my taste. It has a style that screams "Look at my page and my life!". This attention grabbing seems a bit juvenile to me which is why i never use MySpace.
In response to what Matthew said i agree to some extent. The social aspect of our technological world is changing rapidly and soon future generations will fail to realize that the true connections between people stem from the art of conversation and the events shared together between two people. In response to what Matthew said, it seems as if he understands that this is an ongoing process and that our social sphere is changing very rapidly to create a more impersonal society.
In “The MySpace Generation” by Jessi Hempel with Paula Lehman the authors describe a young student by the name of Amanda Adams from the University of North Texas and how she is constantly using different technologies to communicate with others. The authors use the girl as an example of how technology has become a major part of the lives of teens and young adults. Although many teens, nowadays, do communicate through websites such as MySpace and Facebook , not all teens do. I prefer to keep in touch with my friends in the more old fashion ways. I like to call friends and hang out with them, not constantly sending e-mails, instant messages or through comments on websites. At times it does become difficult to keep in touch. Just as technology has benefitted us abundantly, it also has some down falls. Like in “Growing Up Online” by Bruce Bower, Bower describes the negative aspects of the internet. Bower writes about an internet message board that is quickly growing about people who cut themselves. Instead of the internet being used for positive things, like some of the users of this internet site trying to help people find help, it is being used negatively by people giving advice on how to better injure yourself. Another down fall of technology nowadays, is the inability to hear the tone of the person you are talking to or to see the body language of the person. Like in “R We D8ting” by Sandra Barron, Barron describes how quickly a new relationship with a person can occur and deteriorate because of technology. Overall, I do agree with the authors portrayals and just wished it was different.
In response to Matthew’s comment I do agree that socializing should be about the people and that real mingling should be done in person to see if there is a connection. But once that connection between people has been establish, I do disagree with Matthews’s comment saying that having a conversation through text would be inadequate, it might be less efficient but it still is a way of communicating and building a relationship with a person.
In “The Myspace Generation” by Jessi Hempel the use of the Myspace internet site is looked at from an individual stand point as well as a business one. Myspace is used by many people for the purpose of communicating with friends and making new ones. But when looked at from a business stand point Myspace is the perfect opportunity for advertisement and making money due to its popularity. When in high school it was not uncommon for me to log onto Myspace and talk to friends or meet new people, and between those conversations I would occasionally click on an advertisement for something that caught my eye. So I think that both purposes of the site are being fulfilled and only add to its success. In “R We D8ting?” by Sandra Barron an encounter with a real person turns into a virtual relationship that doesn’t work out because it is carried out through the use of text messages. The lack of face to face contact with the other person makes the situation difficult and makes it feel unrealistic. I think that the use of text messages is a great thing when used quickly but is not way to make a greater connection with a person. I often text friends when I am in a hurry or when I know that the other person cannot answer their phone at that time. In “Growing Up Online” by Bruce Bower the internet is looked at as a form of communication and connection for friends or people with similar interests. The use of chat rooms by teens is talked about along with the good things and bad things that they bring about. I personally haven’t spent much time in chat rooms except for once or twice just to see what they were like. I think the reason why I don’t like them all that much is because anybody can easily lie about who they are. In response to the other posts I would have to disagree with Matthews comment about text messages being “inadequate and downright silly” because they make things easier for many of us such as when both parties are at work and cannot talk on the phone, so I would have to agree with Nathan on that issue.
I have to disagree with Nathan Beeley on two points he made. First, the internet does not necessarily improve reading and comprehension skills. I really hate to sound rude, but the multiple spelling and grammar mistakes throughout his response hurt his argument. Becoming accustomed to shortened text and lingo can ultimately hurt one's skills in reading and writing. Second, I do not think text messaging is addressed thoroughly in his take on "R We D8ting." He does not go over the emotional distress Barron finds herself in by trying to have a relationship via text messages. Nathan's basic arguments are not necessarily groundless, but he needs to add more detail if he wants to make his point clear.
In the article "The Myspace generation" the writers describe the relationship between the younger generation and social networking on the internet.It is widely believed that teenagers go online to make friends, to share their problems, to date, and to ask for an advice. This virtual life gives them an opportunity to pretend to be who they are not.
As for me, I use the Web in a way to make my life more comfortable but not to replace it. I prefer to meet and date people face-to-face rather than chatting and getting to know people online. The information about a person that is given via emails or text messages is inaccurate and can be misleading,which in some cases might be dangerous,for example in the article "Are we dating" by Sandra Barron. I used to enjoy socializing online when I was younger but the situation has changed. I believe that happened because I'm not the same person as I used to be. The desperate need to understand who I am and where do I belong has gone. The Web is an incredible resource for all kinds of information that the younger generation is searching for. Thus, it becomes very difficult not to develop an addiction to it. In the article "The Myspace Generation" the authors describe how such companies as Apple Computer, Coke, and Procter Gamble are using networking web sites to sell their products to the younger generation. The problem is, in order to sell their goods effectively, they need to learn how to communicate the way the teenagers do.
In the article “The MySpace Generation,” Jessi Hempel and Paul Lehman illustrate how online social networks have built up in our society. They generalize the use of online social networks stating that teenagers are joining websites like MySpace to establish an online identity. Social networks are outcomes of technological advancements, not a way of life. I joined social networks to be able to keep in touch with friends that I don’t have a chance to see often.
In “Growing Up Online,” Bruce Bower shows why the Internet is appealing to many teenagers in our generation. It is clear that one of the most important reasons is meeting new people and making new friends. Bower states that teens are able to be themselves while online because they don’t feel pressured to fit in. I think meeting people and getting to know them online can be difficult, but I don’t think there is anything wrong with keeping in touch with people you already know using online social networks.
Sandra Barron in “R We D8ting?,” demonstrates the side effects of communicating via text message. Barron narrates her relationship that was carried out mainly through text messages and barely any interaction from beginning to end. Her relationship didn’t last because there wasn’t enough face-to-face interaction, everything from getting to know each other to ending the relationship was done through text message. I think text messages are more personal than social networks, but still I feel there should be an established relationship before resorting to text messages. I text message a lot, but my text messages are usually short and to the point. I prefer talking on the phone when I have something important to say.
In response to Robert’s comment, I agree that the use of text messages is a great thing when used quickly but is not a way to make a greater connection with a person. Like I said in my comment, there should be an established relationship before resorting to text messages. It’s better to get to know someone by interacting with them rather than text messaging.
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