Caution: Social networking rots the brain
by Stevie Smith - Feb 24 2009, 17:00
Interested in a more interactive TTH? Join our Facebook Group
Want regular updates from The Tech Herald? Follow us on Twitter
Talkback
Add your comment (no registration required)
page: 1 2
'infantilising' the development of young brains? What?! You need a computer just to find out what that word even means. Give me a break... Sure, we all need to unplug for a while, but I still remember so-called experts saying my hearing will be gone by the time I'm 30 if I keep listening to music on my magical Walkman-and now I'm 36, hearing is just fine.
You had to look up 'infantilizing'? Well, there you go. What? Go have a hearing test and see how your ears are.
As the deaf son of one of those hearing experts, I can tell you that the data backs up the predictions and people are going deaf sooner. The fact is you can lose 90% of the inner ear's receptor 'hair' cells before most people notice any problem. They don't regenerate. There is some evidence to suggest they adapt to save what hearing you have, but once it's gone, it's gone.
Regarding social networking sites, it wouldn't surprise me in the least (and I love Facebook).
Facebook Gives You Cancer!
Maybe this conclusion comes from the observation that social networking sites are full of idiots. So are golf courses, cinemas, sports grounds and yes even university.
There are idiots everywhere, the come with the species, don't blame Facebook.
I think peak oil is about to wipe them out.
BTW this is the age of interuptions in the workplace, in fact its the age of interuptions everywhere you go these days.
I thought I'd like to point of on this page your reading, there was at least 3 'adverts' for 'social' sites. go figure, ha.
Ironic isn't it? Sadly, we cant control where the ads come from at this stage. But yes, the irony that there are social networking adverts does stand out.
-Steve
Lady Susan Greenfield, hereon known as Synaptic Pharmacology Egghead, surely misses the point. That point being the most influential aspect to drive changes in mind, or the brain, depend on how long one engages in activities for.
For my mind, Synaptic Pharmacology Egghead [or SPE for those of use whose brains have been irrevocably damaged by Facebook et al], is scare-mongering as she doesn't understand how most young people, and not so young, use social networking sites.
Sure there are some that use it excessively [just like some people drink excessively] but I don't think there is any research anywhere in the world that claims the younger generations are 'always' on social networking sites.
Just an other example of an oldie not really understanding a youth trend. This kind of misunderstanding between generations always seems to pop up, no matter what period of history.
She is right, and gratz for bringing it out into the open.
The culture we have of Facebook, MySpace and Beebo is actually harming us, giving us into an unrealistic POV of the world and making our self-worth depend upon the number of friends we have (quantity over quality) with all the associated problems that this *will* bring.
Go on, deny it... you feel good when your friends grow in number - quantity over quality.
I know plenty of teenagers, particularly girls, that spend all their time from as soon as they get home from school until dinner, maybe do a little homework and then get back to instant messaging, posting MySpace bulletins with a quiz or something similar until they go to sleep.
And the more 'geeky' boys tend to do the same, except they'll be playing World of Warcraft with thousands of other players simultaneously, or an FPS with limited social interaction, in addition to chatting, perhaps with the aforementioned girls.
This only becomes a problem when it's done excessively, and obsessively.
In an increasingly digital world, with computers and TVs running off the same display, lines are easily blurred, habits are easily formed, and a developing childs mental health could theoretically suffer as a result.
But that's what parenting is for. If you can put a password on the adult channels on your TV, you can schedule their computer to log off, and put a password on it, at least until their old enough to keep their own digital dilly dallying in check.
page: 1 2
Add your comment (no registration required)
Comment on this Story