W
e’re surrounded by technology. It keeps
our hands smooth and our blood caffeinated. It drags us closer to the heavens,
deeper into ourselves and through the imaginations
of others. There’s technology in growing apples, in
sailing the ocean and in breaching the sky. At the
heart of just about everything humans do, there’s
technology. And if there isn’t, there easily could be
and probably one day will be. It’s a wonderful thing
- not only because it ‘does stu? ’, but because without
it, we wouldn’t be human. What separates us from
chimps? Lasers and motorbikes, my friend.
There has been a lot of debate about how modern
technology will alter future generations. A particular hot topic is in regards to limiting how children
should interact with mobile and computing technologies. Of course, I have an opinion on this matter. I
regularly interact with young learner and have discussed this matter with parents on many occasions,
so I just want to take a moment to express these
opinion. Before I get into that though, let’s have a
look at the greater internet’s opinion:
Enlightening.
Amongst these opinions are two more specific opinions that I hear frequently. The first is that children
should be kept away from computers and mobile
devices in order to preserve their humanity. The second is that life was better in the good ol’ days, when
milk came in bottles and polio only cost a nickle. I
disagree with … most of this. Obviously.
Now, in my opinion, to deny a child access to modern technology is bordering on child abuse. I do
believe it should be moderated and constructive,
but not at the cost of exploration. The other day at
work, I met a grandmother and her baby grandson.
We both watched as he casually navigated this tablet computer. This little tiny baby human sat tapping
away at the screen, popping digital balloons and giggling like an adorable hyena. If you’ve ever seen a
baby playing on a tablet computer, then I’m sure you
know what I mean when I say it’s amazing. Little ones
take to technology like ducks to water. They can independently occupy themselves and interface with
activities in a unique way. Every now and then, he’d
look up with awe in his eyes, and his grandmother
would cuddle up to him and play along. It was not
anti-social, it was not mindless. It was beautiful and
human. She noted that he was teaching her how it
worked and that she loved seeing him so engaged. I
really admired that.
I remember my family’s first personal computer, the
tower of which used to grow hot against my little
legs. I remember when we first got the internet, I
remember the first time I heard the dial-up tone and
I remember the first time I used a search engine (I
searched ‘happy’). As an adult, I’ve never had any
trouble with computers. I can naturally find my way
around a computer with a bit of experimentation and
time. I owe this entirely to the fact that both of my
parents embraced computers in their households.
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