Not Dumb Just Different Is technology making us dumber? When social media users abbreviate or utilize “slang” does it instantly qualify an individual as being lazy, illiterate, or unintelligent? One of the major misconceptions about technology is that it distracts individuals from actually learning. That the use of social media is creating a generation of users who lack grammar or proper sentence structure. In her article “Our Semi-Literate Youth? Not So Fast?” Andrea Lunsford sheds some understanding of why these misconceptions exist. Through years of intense research, she ultimately concludes that technology is here to stay, that naysayers should not jump to the conclusion that it is intellectually damaging. Rather, they should understand
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That perhaps the taboo of technology creating a dumber generation is in fact a misrepresentation. This is explained when Lunsford expresses that, “Young people are for the most part aware of the context and audience for their writing” (Lunsford 572). In other words, students are choosing on their own free will to alter their writing style. That the decision to not use proper punctuation or sentence structure isn’t because of the effects of technology, but more of a deliberate and calculated decision to express one’s character. It is further explained that regardless of the various types of writing styles, ultimately students are learning more through what she called “life writing” or writing outside of school curriculums. That perhaps the real problem with technology may lie with some teachers and their inability to …show more content…
That although it might have presented new challenges since it’s debut, like being reliant to spell-checkers, calculators and GPS. It has also without a doubt also solved some challenges in the past, like spelling, quantum physics calculations, and helping mom with getting to her destiny accurately. But we can all agree, regardless of which position you take on this matter, that technology and social media has brought upon a whole new level of writing engagement. I’m sure English professors across the world would agree, that a student writing with or without errors, is much better than a student not writing at all. So, is technology making us dumber, lazy, unintelligent or illiterate? My personal answer if not obvious by now is no. I believe, social media and technology is an extension of man himself and overall a good thing. Good in the sense that it has allowed users to continuously engage the act of writing or as Lunsford stated, “The participatory nature of digital media allows for more-not less-development of literacies” (Lunsford 573). That regardless of technology’s faults it essentially is doing more good than harm and when it comes to social media messaging and the lack of proper usage of grammar and sentence structure. Ultimately, It is no different than engaging individuals verbally on a physical level, as both forms have multiple variations of styles when it comes to the
That perhaps the taboo of technology creating a dumber generation is in fact a misrepresentation. This is explained when Lunsford expresses that, “Young people are for the most part aware of the context and audience for their writing” (Lunsford 572). In other words, students are choosing on their own free will to alter their writing style. That the decision to not use proper punctuation or sentence structure isn’t because of the effects of technology, but more of a deliberate and calculated decision to express one’s character. It is further explained that regardless of the various types of writing styles, ultimately students are learning more through what she called “life writing” or writing outside of school curriculums. That perhaps the real problem with technology may lie with some teachers and their inability to …show more content…
That although it might have presented new challenges since it’s debut, like being reliant to spell-checkers, calculators and GPS. It has also without a doubt also solved some challenges in the past, like spelling, quantum physics calculations, and helping mom with getting to her destiny accurately. But we can all agree, regardless of which position you take on this matter, that technology and social media has brought upon a whole new level of writing engagement. I’m sure English professors across the world would agree, that a student writing with or without errors, is much better than a student not writing at all. So, is technology making us dumber, lazy, unintelligent or illiterate? My personal answer if not obvious by now is no. I believe, social media and technology is an extension of man himself and overall a good thing. Good in the sense that it has allowed users to continuously engage the act of writing or as Lunsford stated, “The participatory nature of digital media allows for more-not less-development of literacies” (Lunsford 573). That regardless of technology’s faults it essentially is doing more good than harm and when it comes to social media messaging and the lack of proper usage of grammar and sentence structure. Ultimately, It is no different than engaging individuals verbally on a physical level, as both forms have multiple variations of styles when it comes to the