This Modern World

1520 Words4 Pages

This Modern World

Today’s world is very modern; we have television, computers, and a large variety of electronic devices, right at our finger tips. How are these modern marvels affecting society for the good or bad? Or does one have a worse affect on society than the other, for instance television verses internet? Both television and the internet have pros and cons. Television can be very educational, while also being a mind warping addiction. Same is the internet being a strong form of addiction but also being a great communication medium. Talking mainly about the internet and its affects on people both Brent Staples and Janna Smith wrote articles discussing these topics. Agreeing and also disagreeing on certain aspects of the topic. Young adolescents and adults alike use the internet possibly for different reasons, each aspiring potential affects upon both of them, varying from good to bad. These affects consisting of: possible isolation from others increased or decreased relationship quality, or even missing out on vital socializing experiences.

Staples states in his article (what adolescence miss when we let them grow up in cyber space) that the internet is more isolating than television. He states “online shopping, checking e-mail and web surfing- mainly solitary activities- have turned out to be more isolating than watching television, which friends and family often do in groups” (296). In other words people are choosing to do all these things on the net instead of activities with their families more often. Some one or a group of people that was isolated before being introduced to the internet than it in turn can enrich your social life. Whereas for a young person who can get carried away and allow the in...

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...er time spent on the net; in fact she says she “relishes” her time with it, going as far to say it is a “part of their family” (332). Avoiding shopping crowds and running into people you haven’t seen in years that you really don’t want to see anyway, is avoided. Not only does it not affect her personal emotional health it conveniences her greatly. Staples agrees with the study suggested in Smiths article, but on the underlying topic they disagree greatly.

Work Cited

Staples, Brent. “What Adolescents Miss When They Grow Up in Cyberspace.” Choices: A Basic Writing Guide with Readings. 4th ed. Ed. Kate Mangelsdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston: Bedford, 2008. 295-7. Print

Smith, Janna Malamud. “Online but Not Antisocial.” Choices: A Basic Writing Guide with Readings. 4th ed. Ed. Kate Mangelsdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston: Bedford, 2008. 332-4. Print

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