[DMEC] Grand Prize Essay: Untitled Essay by Kyle M.
America's youngest generation is not destined to become the useless unknowledgeable generation that many media types have predicted it will be. As a person of this generation, I know first hand what the values of my generation are, and I know what is coming in the future. Despite the negative uses for the Internet, there is an equal upside to this communication that gives me great hope and confidence.
The changing ways that kids think have three main points. They have a greater acceptance for diversity, are becoming more curious, and have great self-reliance and assertiveness. If this is truly the way minds are changing, I'm happy to be a part of it. Since there is no way to tell who people are when they're online, people have to be accepted for who they are. We learn to think about what a person says often times without knowing who said it, thus eliminating any possible bias.
This new generation is perhaps easier to understand. The Internet is making the world completely new and ever changing, creating endless possibilities for exploration. This vast world of information has proven inviting to kids, making the new generation a curious one.
Self-reliance and assertiveness are other important qualities gained from the Net. There are web sites for all sorts of purposes, from fantasy football to free speech. Internet-based self-reliance comes from the independent nature of the computer because it is designed for use by one person. When on the Internet, people decide where to go and what to do entirely on their own, and that idea has been firmly engrained in the minds of this new generation. These thinking characteristics acquired through frequent use of the Internet can be valuable in society, whether taking a stand for a belief, accepting a person's opinion, or setting a goal, are all positive attributes of the way we think, which makes me optimistic about the new generation.
The growing need for speed is another characteristic for the new generation. Constant Internet use increases our need for immediacy. They become used to almost instant access to the Internet's vast source of information and exploration. On the other hand, this new generation is used to constant stimulation, whether by having five windows open simultaneously on their computer screens or by flipping unceasingly through TV channels. Many describe this as the declining attention span of the American youth. While it is true that attention spans shorten through constant and immediate stimulation, it is also true that this constant change allows kids to "multi-task" within their own brains. The new generation has the capability of thinking about several things at one time and doing it well, much like the computers from which they acquired this quality. The constant need for stimulation has several other effects, such as the desire to get things done and not be lazy, both positive effects.
The way kids are going to function in the world is amazing, particularly as consumers. The Internet provides nearly unlimited options and choices. The vast "information superhighway" gives so many options that it will become necessary to offer customization for every product. The early signs of this trend are seen by the appearance of new sites for buying cars that allow surfers to pick a price range, color, make, model, and stereo system for their automobile. This customization brings along another desire of the consumer, the desire to bargain-shop. The Internet provides a powerful and easy tool for comparison shopping, at least comparatively easy to the past, and that ability will drive kids to buy things just their way at just their price. While the market is currently adjusting to this trend, it will only help the consumer in the future.
Kids are also affected in other ways, such as communication. My point of view allows me to look at some of the reasons that people condemn kids and bring out the positive side of them. Many people associate chat rooms with some of the negative side effects of Internet dating, e.g. not knowing a person's name, age, or sex, and the acceptance of extreme vulgar language. Sure, chat rooms are a way that kids can use vulgar language and not get caught, which can create a very bad habit. On the other hand, chat rooms can be a way to experience intelligent conversation and try out new ways of saying things, often without having to deal with the fear of being wrong or being laughed at. Kids are using this great tool to enhance personal relationships based on simple dialogue. I'm not going to encourage such behavior, but it is better than what could be going on. Chat rooms and other forms of online communication provide a launching pad for the great thinking minds of America's youth, with little or no consequence for failure. That can only improve the personal relationships of the kids.
I view these changes in society optimistically. The Internet itself is nothing more than a way of speeding up communication, along with most other everyday activities. From there, people can choose their views however they wish. The Internet does provide some bad influences, however, it also provides the means for intelligent conversation and communication. The Internet enhances certain human qualities as curiosity, assertiveness, and acceptance. I find few negative consequences from acquiring such traits, aside from those previously mentioned. The sizable and ever-changing library of information before them will also affect the way kids buy, but those effects will be completely positive and useful, such as customization and comparison.
Certain tradeoffs occur in changing generations. I won't go so far as to say that there is nothing wrong with the changes that occur, but there are positive effects that come from them. Person to person interaction may decrease, but personal relationships through improved communication will thrive. It is with these sorts of philosophies that I have great optimism for kids and their future. Adaptation will be the key. As long as the new generation and the rest of the world can adapt to these changes and learn from them, society will be able to keep on accepting change, from each generation to the next.
The Internet has changed the people of our world and it will continue to do this as it becomes more and more advanced. I know it has changed my life and it will definitely continue to do so in the future.
Kyle M. attends school in Wheatland Wyoming. He currently plays on the Varsity Jets Team that competes in Laramie every year. This essay was a Grand Prize Winner in the 2006 Global Kids Digital Media Essay Contest. For more information, please visit GlobalKids.org.
