What impact does the internet leave upon society and adolescents who use it? People believe spending time online is either beneficial or harmful to our young generation. Brent Staples, the author of the article “What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow Up in Cyberspace”, believes the internet is a bad thing. On the other hand, Janna M. Smith, who wrote “Online but Not Antisocial”, disagrees and states the internet is a positive aspect for society. Although, the authors discuss the internet and its effects, both have different views and opinions on it.
Teens that use the internet daily are believed to have bad social skills. When it comes to interacting with other people, adolescents have lost touch with real life conversations with adults and the author blames the Net. According to Brent Staples claims, “Teenagers nowadays are both more connected to the world at large than ever, and more cut off from the social encounters that have historically prepared young people for the move to adulthood” (296). In other words, Staples states that teens are not well prepared to interact with adults because of the use of the internet. The internet affects the social skills of the younger generation who seem to be more connected to it and miss out on adulthood.
Janna M. Smith disagrees and states the internet isn’t the issue. People identify the internet as a bad thing, but she considers it a good thing. The internet has actually done good for Smith, “On the other hand, thanks to Net shopping I was able to buy my husband a beautiful bow tie made by hand by a woman in Maine” (333). The internet has made it easier for people to shop online instead of running to the store and having to waste time looking for parking and fighting the crowd. Sm...
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...net. Staples blames the internet for adolescents and their nonexistent social skills. He also believes it’s the cause behind people falling more isolated and lonely. Smith, having an opposite opinion, feels the internet is actually a good thing. She states it’s a tool that is powerful and it should be watched upon. Although, they both have different views on the internet and its use, the authors give supporting ideas to why it’s a good or bad tool for society and the effects it has.
Works Cited Page
Smith, Janna M. “Online But Not Antisocial.” Choices: A Basic Writing Guide with Readings: Fourth Edition. Kate Mangelsdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston, New York: 2008
Staples, Brent. “What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow Up in Cyberspace.” Choices: A Basic Writing Guide with Readings: Fourth Edition. Kate Mangelsdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston, New York: 2008
Evidence by Subrahmanyam, Kraut, Greenfield, and Gross (2000) states “In this study, those who were lonely or depressed were not more drawn to the Internet. Rather, the HomeNet results suggest that using the Internet in itself caused the declines in social well-being” (p. 135). The conclusion of the studies provides supporting evidence that the internet will cause depression and loneliness, since depressed individuals were not already drawn to the internet. The isolation that comes with internet usage can too add to the less likelihood of face-to-face interaction. The more one is isolated the less contact of friends and family. Adolescents have to be mindful of their usage of the internet and the effects. Social face-to-face interaction skills are a key skill to have in the ‘real-world’ versus a fix virtual
Staples’ Article “What Adolescents miss when we let them grow up in cyberspace” explains how children are constantly living their lives through cyberspace such as email, chatroom, and instant messages, causing them to “miss” essential real-life social development skills when they grow up in “cyberspace” that would be vital to them when they enter adulthood. There are many examples, however the three most significant examples that support this idea is: Research is supporting that continuous use of cyberspace is isolating young socially connected people;Staples uses Prof.Robert Kraut a researcher at Carnegie Mellon university idea that people let real-world relationship get replaced by the ones made in cyberspace; and Staples’
One of the problems with social contemplation on this subject, though, is that this situation is relatively unknown to history. Though the power structure of the internet has been compared to centralized government, decentralized government and social anarchy, Jess Holbrook, in a discussion on November 24, accurately cited the internet as being "unlike anything else we’ve ever seen." So perhaps time should be taken to evaluate the effects of the internet on not just the nation’s youth, but the nation in general. While the evaluation is taking place, the presence of these social poisons on the internet must be recognized.
I chose to continue with my current article, “The Internet: A Clear and Present Danger”, by Cathleen A Cleaver. I chose to use the styles directed questioning and free writing to create my Essay about The dangers of the internet and the affects on children.
The internet is used today for many reasons. It is a platform for people to stay in touch with others, entertain themselves and complete work tasks. In the following articles, “Internet Addiction Left my Brother Homeless” by Winston Ross and “The Pointlessness of Unplugging” by Casey N. Cep, the internet is discussed very deeply, but in two varying lights. In the article by Cep the author is writing from personal experiences and research. In the article by Ross the author is writing merely from opinions. Another major difference in the two pieces is the main idea of the articles. In Cep’s article the main idea of his work is the idea of Unplugging from the internet. In Ross’s article, rather, the main point of his work is to discuss internet
Tyler, R. T. (2002). Is the Internet Changing Social Life? Journal of Social Issues, 58 (1), 195-205.
The Frontline Documentary “Growing Up Online” was very eye opening. It’s purpose was to give the viewer a first hand experience in online culture. Some use it for inspiration, to create another life, and even communicate with anyone they want. However, all of these uses can easily become very negative. Some people use this as a tool to express themselves in ways they would never do in public. To teenagers it may seem like a fun past time, and sometimes we forget that the internet presents us with a new responsibility.
According to Internet Live Stats, 40% of the world’s population has access to the internet today. In 1995, this number was less than 1%. The first billion was reached in 2005, the second billion in 2010, and the third billion in 2014. With these overwhelming numbers, it can be presumed that having access to the Internet has never been so easy. In fact, we are so conditioned to this technology that most of our tasks depend on it to be done. Nowadays, most of the school work is done online and when looking for a job a lot of times it is required to be computer savvy. Of course the internet is not all bad, but becoming so dependent on this can surely have severe consequences. CNN released an article evaluating internet addiction. According to this article, “A 2014 study determined that about 16% of 18- to 25-year-olds are involved in compulsive Internet use” (CNN, Adair). Psychologist Catherine Steiner-Adair further explains:
The internet is a technology tool used by many individuals, but mostly young people. Many young people have access to the internet either at home or on their electronic devices. Much information can be shared over the internet by anyone, and anyone can access any shared information. Young people use the internet to communicate with peers, entertain themselves, and research information. However, is the use of the internet really helping young people?
The issue of the Internet having psychological benefits has two sides, as does any issue. James E. Katz and Philip Aspden present the yes side of this issue. Katz and Aspden used a national random telephone survey to back up their side on the issue. The survey conducted in October of 1995 compiled the individuals who took the survey into five specific groups. The groups consisted of those not aware of the Internet, non-users aware of the Internet, former users, recent users-those who started using the Internet in 1995, and longtime users-those who started using the Internet prior to 1995. The survey questioned community involvement (community, leisure, and religious,) involvement in existing communities (face to face, family, Internet,) and friendship formation (Internet and beyond.) They drew the conclusion that the Internet is helping to form new friendships and social relationships. Therefore, giving people the chance to join new groups and organizations other than those in their own community.
Online networking is the explanation behind large portions of the world's issues and arrangements. It can be utilized to bring issues to light for a critical reason, however it can likewise be utilized to spread scorn, particularly between young people. Being a teen, I can be the first to say that online networking is the way most adolescents run their life, however is it the right way? Austen McCann makes a splendid point in his article, "Online networking has permitted them to take their life online and as opposed to stating farewell to companions at school and holding up to see them the following day..."Although online networking can join adolescents to the world and loved ones around them, it is really one of the most elevated positioning
The internet socializes adolescents in ways that they can communicate to anyone anywhere in the world in an instant. It connects them to friends, family, or even strangers. The internet has socialized me in ways that I am able to talk to anyone from around the world. I also have friends in Europe, so it becomes easier to communicate with them. But also, that could be a dangerous thing, the internet gives people a way to hide behind their screens.
Inside the majority of American households rest the unlimited territory of the internet. The unlimited and always advancing possibilities have unlocked powerful new tools in communication and socialization. Tools such as: long distance visual communication, international circulation of personal thoughts, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) have all led to a closer but more distant community of people. The positive side can attribute to the fact that the younger generation seems more in tune with their international counterparts. Youth have the ability to anonymously communicate with others through various message boards, mostly governed by one policy, freedom of speech. The anonymity of the internet has created a community where social outcasts mingle freely with others; a society where jocks can converse with geeks without fear of reprisal. This community releases people from the bounds of their own flesh. Yet, technological advances have pushed society into the next dimension of communication and socialization that seemingly override traditional and more personal vessels of communication.
For example, it has become a new medium for play and entertainment for children, but is this a healthy alternative to older forms of play? And what about parents who use technology just to keep their kids quite? As with all new technologies, there are pros and cons. Although, it is unfair to blame a technology because of the content people put on it. Greenfield, Patricia, and Zheng Yan put it best when they say, “Just as we cannot ask whether a knife is inherently good or bad, we cannot ask whether the Internet is good or bad; we can simply document how it is used.” So, as much as some may blame the Internet for its problems, the real war is against the substance within the Internet (Greenfield, Patricia, and Zheng Yan 390-93). And thus comes the main argument against the Internet, is the composition of the Internet harmful to
Most teenagers in America act differently when they are online, as opposed to in real life. Children today are brought up with so much new technology that they are more comfortable with it, than people. However, if people, especially teens, acted the same both in reality and online, many current problems wouldn’t have arisen in the first place. (McCann). Teenagers today have much more courage over the internet than they do in real life.