Some unanswered questions - Estella Young on ST Forum

[chialc88]

Electronic Gadgets and Kids

I thought Estella had raised many questions that's relevant. To find the answers thou will takes at least another decade of intensive research.

My stories below for you pleasure:

1. At KL budget terminal. A Chinese couple carrying a baby is in front of me. The baby would be 1 years old and not able to speak yet.

He is fidgeting, murmuring in his mother's arm. His mother hold him tight as they are about to walk down an escalator.
He continue his struggle which to me seems dangerous.
Now, I know why he is wiggling ... he is trying to reach for his mother iPhone inside her sling bag.

Wow... THAT iPhone must be the baby's toy...
not just a ordinary toy but must be his favorite!
Can not leave without one minutes.
(His mum probably took it from him just before walking on to the escalator)

2. Another 1 year old baby.
This time is in MRT train somewhere from TPY up to WL.
A baby boy is sitting in his baby chair watching 喜羊羊-cartoon.
His father apparently is also a 喜羊羊 fan...
His father bend forward to his baby chair and watch the cartoon side by side with the baby.
Lovely... like father like son.
But the small little iPhone screen is so small...besides it really strain the father neck.

Really, after a while, the father stretch himself and starts to look away...
Mmm... actually he is not a cartoon fan!

immediately, the baby pull down the sunshade of his baby chair...and have the whole theatre by himself... darker and quieter environment to enjoy a good show.

Now, I know why the father is watching the iPhone... precisely he do not want the baby to live in a pitch dark theatre ...erh I mean environment.

He tried to lift up the sunshade but not as insistence as the baby. The sunshade created a cacoon for the baby.

His father looks so helpless and close his eyes to sleep.

3. This time round a little bit further in Munich.
I am having my buffet breakfast and across the table, I saw 4 teenager 14-15 years old, got boy got girls.
they are not eating bf.
Instead, each of them have one if not two handphones.
They are happily typing and reading off the phone.
For as long as I observed, non of them talk to each other.
On second thought, they might be texting to each other.

Your experiences?


A Life not Reflected is a Life not Worth Living.

[specuvestor]

Father on iphone, Mother on notebook, 2 children on iPad and phone respectively

During dinner at a restaurant

I also observe teenagers do that when they gather and I ask them a simple question: what's the point of gathering around if you not going to focus on the person infront of you?

These devices are the epitome of a 20 year techie dream but they are still tools. Unfortunately they propagate short term focus and on demand culture if not used properly. People are always the key resource until machines can "make things happen"

[CityFarmer]

Father on iphone, Mother on notebook, 2 children on iPad and phone respectively

During dinner at a restaurant

I also observe teenagers do that when they gather and I ask them a simple question: what's the point of gathering around if you not going to focus on the person infront of you?

These devices are the epitome of a 20 year techie dream but they are still tools. Unfortunately they propagate short term focus and on demand culture if not used properly. People are always the key resource until machines can "make things happen"

Fully agreed.

Life is about people, not machines

[Jared Seah]

And pray tell how are you all (me included) reading this post now

Is there a live person opposite us now?

[sgd]

In the past when you go to events or concerts there will be a large group of fans at the front of the stage they are cheering dancing and generally having a blast.

These days those fans are mostly gone and replaced by this strange group of stone faced looking people they are just standing there not talking & not moving they just holding out their arms and pointing the video enabled phones & ipads towards the stage.

Seems getting content to upload on to social media is more important preoccupation these days.

[specuvestor]

And pray tell how are you all (me included) reading this post now

Is there a live person opposite us now?

Your prayer is also answered: PC to internet during free time.

Unless it is urgent or for work, I sometimes dont even entertaiin SMS unless I'm free, and I prefer SMS than voice call.

Life itself is complicated enough. Don't need tools that are supposed to help me, to complicate it further.

[yeokiwi]

No big deal lah.
There used to be oldies and experts that complaint that the kids of the yesteryear were glued to the television and console games and not interacting with family members and friends.

So, these kids have grown up and now they are questioning the current young generation of gluing themselves to the phones and pads.

The current young generation when they grow up will complain that the next generation is always plugging into the Matrix daily and lives in the virtual world.

[Greenrookie]

I tried to restrict my kid on the use of iPhone and IPad not so much that u worried they become anti- social but that their young eyes might get hurt. There are some experiential primary schools call future schools in Singapore that expose kids to tech and computer since P1. I kinda of worry for these kids, not just eyes but how are they going to cope with a stimulus barren secondary education. I do not see pens and papers disappearing from our education for the next decade.

[gutman]

In the past when you go to events or concerts there will be a large group of fans at the front of the stage they are cheering dancing and generally having a blast.

These days those fans are mostly gone and replaced by this strange group of stone faced looking people they are just standing there not talking & not moving they just holding out their arms and pointing the video enabled phones & ipads towards the stage.

Seems getting content to upload on to social media is more important preoccupation these days.

Instead of giving their full attention and enjoy the live concert that they pay so much to be there, or listen to live talk sessions and raise valid questions, people now prefer to record them on video while they are there and go back home to watch the video over some small screens instead.

What has our world become?

[dzwm87]

I reckon technology will have a role to play on shaping the personality of future generations - perhaps more inclination towards instant gratification?

Even for myself, I find it hard to do nothing on a train ride. I have to read something on my mobile phone else I feel like I am wasting time or something.