Response to Frontline’s Digital Nation: Life on the Virtual Frontier
At no other point in history have we all been as immersed in technology as we are today. The wired world we live in has had an incredible impact on the human race. However, as exciting as it often is, a question lingers: is it all too much? Is it hindering us more than helping us? The Frontline produced video, Digital Nation – Life on the Virtual Frontier explores this issue and the impact technology has had on many different aspects of our life. Technology has become essentially a limb from humanity, but we must find a balance to protect ourselves. From the nine chapters in the video, there were four that I found especially interesting: “What’s It Doing to Their Brains?,” …show more content…
The second chapter of the Frontline video, “The South Korea Gaming Craze,” is an example of how frightening and powerful technology can be. Games sound so harmless and, when not abused, usually are. However, in South Korea the Internet game addiction has become a health crisis. It is now treated as a psychiatric disorder in the country. Internet Rescue Camps have been put in place as a treatment for the young people that have developed an Internet addiction. Before attending the camp many admit to having had medical attention due to a condition that resulted from overusing the computer. Unfortunately, after watching this part of the video, it seemed to me that there was still little hope for change even after the students leave the camp. The technology is just waiting for them to return. In Chapter 2 of the video, “What’s It Doing To Their Brains?,” Dr. Gary Small says that because young people’s brains are not fully developed, “how they choose to spend their time will have a profound effect on what their brains will be like for the rest of their lives.” (Small, 2010) In thinking about the young people of South Korea and the rest of the world for that matter, this is quite disheartening. As upsetting as it can be, there is another belief about gaming. Katie Salen argues that video games can help with learning and development. She has even helped to create a New York public school that is completely centered around gaming. So maybe, in moderation, gaming can be
At no other point in history have we all been as immersed in technology as we are today. The wired world we live in has had an incredible impact on the human race. However, as exciting as it often is, a question lingers: is it all too much? Is it hindering us more than helping us? The Frontline produced video, Digital Nation – Life on the Virtual Frontier explores this issue and the impact technology has had on many different aspects of our life. Technology has become essentially a limb from humanity, but we must find a balance to protect ourselves. From the nine chapters in the video, there were four that I found especially interesting: “What’s It Doing to Their Brains?,” …show more content…
The second chapter of the Frontline video, “The South Korea Gaming Craze,” is an example of how frightening and powerful technology can be. Games sound so harmless and, when not abused, usually are. However, in South Korea the Internet game addiction has become a health crisis. It is now treated as a psychiatric disorder in the country. Internet Rescue Camps have been put in place as a treatment for the young people that have developed an Internet addiction. Before attending the camp many admit to having had medical attention due to a condition that resulted from overusing the computer. Unfortunately, after watching this part of the video, it seemed to me that there was still little hope for change even after the students leave the camp. The technology is just waiting for them to return. In Chapter 2 of the video, “What’s It Doing To Their Brains?,” Dr. Gary Small says that because young people’s brains are not fully developed, “how they choose to spend their time will have a profound effect on what their brains will be like for the rest of their lives.” (Small, 2010) In thinking about the young people of South Korea and the rest of the world for that matter, this is quite disheartening. As upsetting as it can be, there is another belief about gaming. Katie Salen argues that video games can help with learning and development. She has even helped to create a New York public school that is completely centered around gaming. So maybe, in moderation, gaming can be