Jeff Richmond R-R#5

Who Needs Pong?

Produced and directed by Rachel Dretzin and John Maggio, Daiteline's video “Growing Up Online” shines a light on the growing use of the internet and social media by teenagers. Rachel Dretzin and John Maggio covered several of the topics in their video such as the effect of internet on the class room, cyberbulling, the internet as an avenue to different forms of self expression, and how teens (ruffly 90%) are living their lives online now. Jessica Hunter's (A.k.a Autumn Edows)internet experience was about living a different life. Starting at age 13 she started taking photos of herself and posting them online. Not photos of herself as she was seen in public, everyday but different... Not Jessica, but Autumn. Many teens are finding this to be a place to share themselves. Too much of themselves, some would say. But as our generation changes (and changes rapidly) who can really make that choice, or police them when they are made..

The video itself really bothered me, and that has to do with my connection to the internet. I have have not had cable “TV” for 10+ years but have exchanged it for cable internet. I do not watch TV out of habit now and for the most part do not enjoy it anymore. Because I have not been inundated with media as the norm I see more what is meant and not what is said. Not only do I have a different (not necessarily right opinion) when it comes to news as I have done research for myself and found somethings to be spun poorly. I have also done a lot of research on major mass media corporations and find their tenants despicable. I would hope PBS would not succumb to the same failings, as major media, but who knows anymore. I was on the fence as to the full message from the segment. Was it “INTERNET BEWARE!!,” or was it “parents now a days don't trust their children and/or are ignorant.” That was the two signals that I was getting from the show, but I will say it brought up some good questions. Where is tech going to take learning, and how deep is the rabbit hole when it comes to the changes social media will have on our day to day lives?

My beginnings with the internet were akin to an opiate abuse. Gaming was my fix, and I needed it worse than some hardcore drug addicts. It was to detract from my day to day life. The game hinged around “leveling” you would do a task or kill something till you got enough “experience” or “exp” to level. As you leveled it would take more exp to level, hence making it harder to level. The feel of accomplishment when really nothing was gained was numbing for me, and very intoxicating. I mostly played MMORPG's (if you know that acronym your a nerd or know someone who is) that stands for massive multiple online role-playing game. Most people would recognize these games as “World of Warcraft” style game but these have changed from magic and wizards to first person shooting games or FPS like “Call of Duty” or “Halo.” Many of these games have a large social aspect to them as well. Interacting with people of every demography all over the world is fun to say the least, and for some is an outlet to express themselves in a way their normal will not allow. More people are becoming connected in entertainment, more than many would think. This was my lure to the internet. Most games taking much of a person's time loose interest to all but the dedicated when a person gets to a certain point in the gaming world. This is what happened to me and as a result I had a computer with an internet connection that was the center of my daily ritual and no game to focus on. What was a boy to do? I started by searching myself for interest, and I always liked learning. The internet is the largest resource for information that a person can find. I found that I had a great interest in many things, but to my astonishment as much as I wanted to learn the information was there to be had. A bottomless well of knowledge. Another part of the internet is the ability to interact with people not just socially but in a learning atmosphere. The ability to ask a person qualified to answer your question, things, is empowering and informative. I would say that the most of my internet experience was one of learning and growth, with only the smallest pinch of binge-gaming and back-sliding.