Clash of Opinions

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Recommended: How do media influence adolescent behavior

Everyone views the Internet’s resources in a different way. Some view them as an aid in deteriorating the existence of human contact. Others see the resources as powerful tools to help humans in their daily lives and when used wisely, can be very beneficial to everyday life. Brent Staples, a columnist for the New York Times, and Janna Malamud Smith, a psychotherapist and writer, are just those people. Both have written very persuasive articles on the subject as well. Staples’ article, “What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow Up in Cyberspace,” focuses on the negative outcomes of the Internet, where as Smith’s article, “Online but Not Antisocial,” focuses on more of the benefits of the Internet and how to use it to it’s full advantage. Both Staples and Smith mention topics such as Internet isolation vs. television isolation and online shopping to support their points, but they have completely different aspects on the effects of Internet usage.

Since Staples and Smith are not the same gender, they have different views on online shopping. Staples, being male, views online shopping to be “more isolating than watching television, which friends and family often do in groups” (296). In other words, if one were to go out and go shopping, one would be around people and friends and family could even tag along. Online shopping is a strictly solitary act because you are indoors with your eyes on the screen not needing to interact with other people or ask an employee for assistance. Seeing as Smith is a woman and a mother, her impression of online shopping is positive and she views it as time-saving (333). Instead of looking for parking, she can sit in the comfort of her home for only 15 minutes and have all of her shopping don...

... middle of paper ...

... to decide whether or not they like the isolation compared to human contact.

To sum up, Staples is a man built on traditional conversation and Smith is a woman who prefers her alone time. Staples thinks online shopping and Web surfing takes away family time spent around the television or going out to shop with the family while Smith relishes any chance at alone time and thinks online shopping actually saves time. The two authors have written their opinions on how the Internet is effecting the youth of today, now it is just time to see what youth does.

Works Cited

Smith, Janna Malamd. “Online but Not Antisocial.” Choices. 4th ed. Ed. Kate

Manglesdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston: 2008. 332-4. Print.

Staples, Brent. “What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow Up in Cyberspace.”

Choices. 4th ed. Ed. Kate Manglesdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston: 2008. 295-7.

Print.

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