Everyone was posting this youtube video about a message that gen-y
needed to hear, about how their heads were stuck in their screens, about
how they were missing the real world, how they were oblivious to the
people next to them, how they were lost in their devices, how they
couldn't truly experience the world alone with no one there to share it
with: "Smart phones, dumb people" one of them posted with the video.
Meanwhile,
I was glued to my laptop screen trying to help a friend deal with her
alcoholic partner; on my phone encouraging another friend to stay strong
in the face of being belittled by her partner; discussing with a friend
in Australia about the civil upheaval in Ukraine; discussing the new
Mastodon track with someone from Sweden when there was absolutely no one
next to me or around me who I could discuss that with; joking with an
online friend in America about me not liking anything (including the new
Mastodon track); telling my best friend who I haven't seen in over a
year that I was really proud of him for doing such a great job raising
his son, and at another time letting him know that I couldn't wait to
hear the lyrics that he was writing for my latest piece of music;
getting to know someone in Canada, Scotland, Norway, England, South
Africa - getting to know the world that I lived in and it's people,
places I may never visit, people I may never meet. Why would I want to
lift my head up from all that if all I have to face is the same old
relationships that don't relate to me - never have, never will? Why
would I want to lift my head up to see more examples of bad role models?
I
know that there are people that that message needs to be heard by, that
it has relevance to, and that maybe because I'm not Generation Y, I
shouldn't be affected by it. But I am just as human, just as ensconced
in this new media as anyone, and like anyone, I desire people I can
relate to, joke with, have conversations with that are meaningful,
supportive and helpful. Why should Generation Y lift their heads up if
the world around them isn't the world they connect with; if the war and
bitter exploitation of idealism portrayed by mass media isn't something
they can relate to; if politics and the vote is just another way for
governments to take control (why vote at all if governments are all the
same?); if peace can be achieved through learning about each other and
the humanity that lies beyond races, colour and belief systems at just
the click of a button or the swipe of a screen; if involving yourself in
a multiplayer online videogame is your way of connecting with many
different people from around the world and having lots of fun while
doing it; if true love can be found with text exchanges on a digital
background? Is Generation X losing touch with the society that they
themselves have created?
Yes you are right: "Smart phones, dumb people"
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