Article One

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/16/world/americas/16iht-currents.html

This article confronts the idea that in today's society perhaps the advancement of the digital world is causing harm rather than help. The author gives examples such as Mcdonalds offering Wi-fi in all restaurants and Google offering internet at certain airports. He goes on to talk how cell phone companies are battling not for who has the best cell service, but rather the best wireless coverage and smart technology. He makes the claim that human's need for instant gratification is being granted, but there is a rising cost that many people do not want to see.

I could not agree more with the writer of this article. It amazes me how people use cell phones in today's society. I'll admit that I browse the internet and check my email, but that's where it ends. People use their cell phones for so much more: facebook, Twitter, Myspace and Youtube to name a few. We are going into an age that not only wants but demands instant and constant information no matter the location. People go camping in the woods and cannot understand why they can't update their Facebook status when they get there. I feel as though people are losing key values to the digital age. It is extremely common to look around a college class and see students either texting or browsing the internet with their high speed blackberry. Meanwhile, the professor is discussing very difficult information with these students not paying any attention. These students yell and complain when they fail tests, only to tweet during the class how mad they are.

Another current article located here, http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/university/article_7835ca65-b347-53c1-b04b-42d90be6d5cb.html describes this upcoming problem as well. A media expert working at UW-Madison explains that, "If e-mail came in I felt a need to read it right away. Or I’d go to look up one thing on the Internet, and I’m so curious I’d get distracted and spend time reading all these interesting articles." She goes on state that all the devices and growing information made her feel "cluttered"and caused her to "never get work done". This cannot be more accurate in the world today. I find myself even now working on this assignment being side-tracked with a Youtube video and text messaging. If my generation of men and women become more and more distracted with the growing digital world, we will face an incredible challenge for the future. If someone loses their cell phone or internet connection, it is as though they are lost and confused. They have no idea what to do with themselves and become extremely frustrated. No one can understand how our parents got through life without a laptop or a smart phone. I worry and hope this trend changes, or the future might be different for all of us.