Journal 4

When I was informed that we would be given a lecture last Tuesday, I had no idea the lecture would be so engaging. Mr. Mauricio Garcia’s story inspired me in many ways, and he turned out to be a new form of motivation. Even though his dream was not planned, he never gave up. This resulted in him being a very successful man, and encouraging others to never give up. Mr. Mo was very straightforward in his lecture, and was honest with himself in order to follow his dream. The American Dream is never the same, as long as one is successful. That’s all a person expects from the American Dream. I was taught that if you really want something, you have to go and get it. It’s important to make sure you’re happy within your life, and do what’s best for you. Another thing I learned from this is that it’s always good to be involved in your learning environment. Not only will it help you meet new people, it helps one to find their self, and their passion. Student Life groups are very important while in college, and there are many experiences to be lived. I was deeply impressed when Mr. Mo announced all the people he met, and his testimony on meeting James Earl Jones was one that I’ll never forget. I think Mr. Mo’s life was very interesting, and I wouldn’t mind living one like it: full of surprises. The American Dream is only a mile away, you just have to go through a couple of long roads.

Social Media

Alaina Woods

ENC 1102

Social Media 

February 12, 2013

Attack of The Internet

“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity”-Albert Einstein

Have you ever walked down the street and seen everybody on their phone, tablet, or even their laptop? Even though this sight is very common, it isn’t one of the best sights to see once it’s well thought about. The digital nation is rapidly expanding, and becoming more tempting everyday. I know that social media revolves around many things and topics, and often is addicting to most.  When asked my view on social media, I stand thrown. It’s true that technology has exceeded our humanity, to a point of no return.

In today’s society, every little thing is a click away. Whether it’s to check your e-mail, text your good friend, or purchase your favorite purse, you can simply use any form of technology to do so. The use of social media has increased more and more over the years, and is very common among all age groups. Also, the use of technology has become needed in the classrooms, and for many educational reasons such as random research. The need for technology is at an all-time high, and it won’t decrease anytime soon. The Digital Nation has a wide contribution from college students, who feel as if there’s a need for technology. According to an Educase study, 81% of a college population(students and faculty) rely on laptops as a most important device. Reason being, it includes valuable software, such as word processors, email, spreadsheets, etc. Even though the Digital Nation has it’s mishaps, it proves to be greatly reliable among college students.

Even though the use of social media constantly rises, many people are against it and the hazards of frequent use. In article “Teenagers and social media, doctors examine the facts”, Pat Etheridge states how pediatricians feel as if the internet is taking advantage of teaching children the necessary topics upon “health, such as aggression, sex, drugs, etc“. The technology obsessed population is referred to as Generation M2, and their lives revolve around social media. Even though I spend hours a day texting away and surfing the web on random topics, it’s surprisingly scary to me. The Digital Nation seems to take away from the things humans have the ability to do, and it often causes problems within social life. Parents feel as if they’re the reason why their child is so into technology, and would rather surf the web than read a book, rest, or go play outside.  “Being a good digital role model is part of being a good parent”, states Etheridge. The customary use of technology may have a chance of being decreased, or for better causes if parents were to set a better example.

Even though many people are against the Digital Nation, it will continue to be used by many people around the world. This is how the world stays connected, and the internet is what they live by. It’s a fact that people would rather communicate over the internet than face-to-face. Technology makes it easier to communicate with people, and sometimes improves one’s social skills. Also, the Digital Nation is very helpful within finding resources, such as jobs and post-secondary education. A prime example would be me using research to discover something I had a passion for: firefighting. The internet has many features for many people, ranging from all age groups. 

So, Einstein was right all those years ago! Technology has exceeded humanity, and it’s consumed our minds for the better and the worse. An Infographic based on social media statistics revealed that “there are more devices connected to the Internet than there are people on the Earth.” I still don’t have a side chosen when it comes to the Digital Nation, but I do know that it has positive and negative effects on people and things. The Digital Nation will continue to dominate the world, and it’s probably for the best.

Works Cited

http://www.playbeseen.com/Recent-Facts-and-Statistics.pdf

http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/100-social-media-stats_b33696

http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/infographic-social-media-statistics-for-2013/

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/health/teenagers-and-social-media-doctors-examine-the-facts

http://ansonalex.com/infographics/technology-usage-statistics-of-university-students-infographic/

Journal 3

Watching Digital Nation was a great experience to me, and I learned many things from it. As a teen, I'm very much for Digital Nation, and I use it for everything. However, this film showed me things about technology that I didn't even know about. I agree that there are many unnecessary things going around in the Digital Nation, but they all may be for good causes. I admit that I was shocked at how addicted people are to social media, and it kind of made me rethink the way I use my resources. The fact that people have died in in Internet Cafes was scary to me, and it took me to a gloomy mood, and I didn’t touch my computer for days. This fact opens my eyes to how serious people are about the internet. To me, technology is life. I wouldn’t put it before my own life, but I know that I couldn’t live without it. Many things couldn’t be done without the internet, and I find it extremely resourceful. Whether it’s to find a recipe, find help on my math work, or say hi to an old friend; it’s actually a good cause. The Digital Nation is very serious, for the good and for the bad. I actually find myself stuck between my view on it.