I see an alarming rise in video broadcasting vs reading.
News is now aired (live or taped) on the internet instead of typed so readers
are not left much of a choice but to watch the news instead of reading it
themselves.
When did this trend of visualizing news replace the ever
appreciable written format of news? Some people want to just kick back and read
the day’s headlines at their own pace instead of watching it read out by a
pretty face on screen.
I remember there was a debate on whether kids should learn
cursive hand writing at all as their future has no place for cursive
handwriting. Kids nowadays are taught how to type as more of the homework finds
its way online. Paper home-works are soon to become obsolete just like cursive handwriting. I was
shocked when my kindergartner was told to take a test using the computer. I
mustered courage and told the teacher that I am an old fashioned mom that
limits computer-time so my little one will not have the same proficiency with
the computers and the mouse compared to the other wiz-kids. She looked at me
and then said not to worry as he’ll learn soon enough. And he did as all the
school homework was given online.
I still try to limit my kids exposure but I wonder for how
long can I succeed? I recall reading how Steve Jobs limited his children’s time
with the iPad and other technology. After all, having a rich imagination is
important and it should not be killed or wasted with toying around doing
nothing…The whole world is changing whether we like it or not. I still want my
kids to learn hand writing as I believe it’s a basic skill. I still want them
to learn typing. I still want them to learn how to read instead of watch and
listen to what is read to them.
In the process of creating ease and comfort, I hope the
world doesn't kill itself. This all reminds me of the Disney animated movie
Wall-e; how life on an outer space ship with all the comforts offered through
automated systems made the people ‘morbidly obese’, unable to do the simplest
of activities such as walking, lazy,
dumb and incapable of thinking on their own…. What a sad state of affairs we
are all headed towards……………..
