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Mark bauerlein the dumbest generation essay
Mark bauerlein the dumbest generation essay
Mark bauerlein the dumbest generation essay
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In “Cultural Illiteracy,” a preface to the novel The Dumbest Generation, Mark Bauerlein critically evaluates how technological distractions affect the younger generation. Bauerlein states that “digital diversions” are cutting the younger generation off from culturally enhancing mediums and is in turn making the younger generation less intelligent. Though Bauerlein is correct about the increase of peer pressure due to technology, he is mistaken about how technology is making the younger generation unintelligent. Bauerlein begins his piece by asserting that “digital diversions,” which is anything technological that distracts the younger generation from finer past times, are in fact cutting the younger generation off from culturally enhancing mediums and is in turn making the teenagers less intelligent. Bauerlein continues to claim that it is the responsibility of adults to guide the younger generation towards meaningful topics. The author adds that teenagers live life minute to minute and because of that suggests that the younger generation is not concerned with the past. Bauerlein states that because of technological advances, including cell phones teenagers are in constant contact with each other. The author states that this constant contact with peers makes it very difficult for adults in the younger generation’s life to guide them toward cultural topics. Bauerlein then adds that if the younger generation continues to indulge in “digital diversions” and is not guided by adults to finer pastimes by the time they are in college they will never take part in high culture. Bauerlein concludes that “digital diversions” and lack of adult guidance will result in a less intelligent generation. Bauerlein lacks the credibility ... ... middle of paper ... ... that I have cultivated habits of analysis and I’m a teenager with access to many forms of technological distractions. Bauerlein’s piece does in fact “open the issue to some sober skepticism.” Bauerlein informs his intended audience of the invasion of seemingly purposeless technology into the everyday lives of teenagers and its consequence: loss of intelligence. However, the author lacks credibility and attempts to convince the audience by using emotionally loaded language and making generalizations without any facts to prove said statements. These tactics devalue any ideas the author originally meant to portray and cheapens this persuasive piece. Works Cited Bauerlein, Mark. "Cultural Illiteracy." National Review Online. National Review Online, 14 May 2009. Web. 16 Feb.2014. .
“The Dumbest Generation” is a title no group of people want to behold. Nonetheless, people under age thirty have been given this belittling title. To those who go off questions about obsolete general knowledge rather than the ability to take in and evaluate knowledge, this title may seem quite fitting. However, Millennials aren’t quite as dull as they’ve been perceived to be. The ability of Millennials to absorb information, rather than know general facts, and their use of contemporary technology as reading and writing resources has proven that they are quite an innovative and bright generation.
A “tethered generation” is the description that is undeniably associated with Millennials because of their technological dependence. It is difficult to define an entire group of people without considering the factors that contribute to our behaviors and lifestyle as a generation. In Kathryn Tyler’s similarly titled article “The Tethered Generation”, she explains that technology supports the existence of millennials, “To prepare for millennials, it’s important to understand how cell phones and computers have changed their brain development, the enormous role their parents play in their lives well into adulthood, and what policies and training programs” (Tyler, “The Tethered Generation”). Millennials’ minds and habits formed around technology. They learned to problem solve by consulting the Internet to find answers to questions at a rapid pace or easily can contact a friend or family member on their smartphones for advice.
She argues, “Now I suggest that the culture in which they develop tempts them into narcissistic ways of relating to the world” (244). The author argues that the society in which young adults grow up, reflects on their view of the world. Growing up in a technologically advanced society, teens seem ill prepared to deal with their day to day surroundings that require social interaction. Many millennials show little interest in anything dealing in the past. Instead, they are focused on the future and the next great technological advancement. Lastly, at the end of her essay, Turkle expresses the true social issues of teens due to the abundance of technology. She claims, “teenagers who will only ‘speak’ online, who rigorously avoid face-to-face encounters, who are in text connect with their parents fifteen or twenty times a day, who deem even a telephone call ‘too much’ (243). Turkle claims that there are consequences resulting on the heavy reliance of technology. Teens only speak over text and cannot even speak on the telephone, because they are too internal. Rather than speaking externally with others, teens are quiet while only communicating with themselves and over the phone. They would rather write words, than speak them. This is creating a generation of young adults who are not comfortable in normal social
In the past several years, the use of technology for social purposes has become the mainstream form of communication for many young Americans. Adolescents, particularly those in high school, have embraced these forms of communication as their primary way to connect with family and friends and showcase their social lives. While the use of social media promotes increased interaction with friends and family, facilitate social and political change, and spread useful information rapidly, the growing use of social media comes with many negatives consequences when abused. In his book, The Dumbest Generation, Mark Bauerlein reveals how the youths of America are being dumbed down due to their reluctance towards reading anything of substance and their
According to Mark Bauerlein, those who were born after 1982, known as Generation Y, are the world’s dumbest generation. Bauerlein argues that this generation is not meeting the standards that he believes today’s technology should allow them to reach and it is hard to argue with all of his statistics on test scores, but Bauerlein obviously does not understand this generation. Who does he think is behind it all? It takes a genius to create new technology, no matter what the technology is used for or how other people perceive it. It did not just appear out of nowhere. Generation Y is not the dumbest generation, because if they were that would mean Bauerlein’s generation failed to raise Generation Y, technology just creates itself, and test scores determine intelligence.
Where a student once had to travel to the local library or bookstore to find information, they can now find information almost instantly in their “smart” phone. In this technological age “we are raising our children in a multimedia environment. Before writing and books, information was carried in songs, dance, and storytelling. Today, the average person has a cornucopia of information readily available at home.” (Withrow 44). Anyone in possession of a computer, digital e-reader, laptop, or “smart” phone has an almost immediate access to any kind of information they are seeking. In today’s society, a two-year-old child knows how to operate a tablet or “smart” phone before they know how to read. It is this interest in technology that leads to a decline in reading as children age. Where once it would take hours to find information, there is now an almost immediate response to queries. Through the instant gratification technology provides, children begin to lose interest in reading. According to Michael, the disinterest in reading is “because reading takes time, and we have an instant gratification generation who can’t wait to read the book when they can just watch the movie” (Michael). Instead of spending days discovering a new world in a book, a child can instead spend a couple hours in front of a television and watch
Technology is found in all aspects of the average teen life. From smart phones to social media and computers to television, the technological influences of the modern day never cease to exist in some fashion. While these groundbreaking innovations can be used to access unlimited sources of information in an astonishingly short amount of time, many teenagers choose to overlook and ignore this incredible privilege. In his book, The Dumbest Generation, Mark Bauerlein depicts the circumstances behind the generation of technology and how it can jeopardize the future of America.
Imagine this: you’re looking at a pocket-sized display that permits you to access an unlimited amount of new information. As you accomplish your daily errands, that device is slipped away carefully within your pocket. For numerous teenagers all over the nation, the enticement of unrestrained wisdom is severe. They’ll pay a quick visit to the world of media, anticipating a “reawakening” within a time limit, only to return to reality hours later than they were supposed to! How are adolescents expected to spend hours in media and fulfill their essential responsibilities? The American youth is given the choi...
Based on the information provided by different sources, the state of Texas shows that it is top most illiterate state of the United States. According to an article published by Dr. John W. Miller a researcher who works for the “Time” magazine, conducted a study based on reading culture. This study showed the unsatisfactory number of people with a lack of ability to read and understand basic texts; such as newspapers. Also, according to Miller (2014) “Among El Paso adult population, less than one quarter had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2012, worse than most other cities.” When people talk about illiteracy it is generally inferred that the population does not know how to write and read, but this factor may not apply if the population is tested in another language that they may not master. Accordingly to an article the communities with the lowest scores in literacy examinations were cities are next to the Mexican border. This report will cover, the definition of illiteracy, the levels of illiteracy in the State of Texas and most remarkable cities as El Paso, and the causes and
There is no doubt that there are major benefits to this. “The discussions and debates would be endless but the past of the present natural or man-made, technological evolution or not, I believe it’s the basic human relationship that binds us together” (Lucksom). As young teens pilot this strange world, they are developing the expertise that is vital to their educational success and, eventually, their ability to compete in this global economy. The same digital screens that give young teen’s access to the world of friends, entertainment, and information also give telecommuters, internet marketing professionals, and producers complete access to them. As well as amusement and communicating for 53 hours a day, young children and youth are consuming powerful information that will help them understand who they are and how they should think and eve...
Teens may be technologically savvy, important in a culture reliant on technology, but have fewer skills in dealing with real people. The economic divide pushes those without financial means further from those with internet access and the latest gadgets. How did we survive as teenagers without cell phones and texting? Increasing reliance on e-communication puts those unable to avail themselves of technology at greater disadvantage as they enter adulthood and the workforce. Nevertheless, these problems are not confined to the youth of the world.
In Renee Wilson’s article, “In Defence of the iGeneration” (2013), she explores her belief of the iGeneration being the smartest generation yet. Through the use of many anecdotes, Wilson reflects on her experiences of teaching the iGeneration and their ability to ignore negative criticism and still show their full potential. In her article, Wilson discusses the iGeneration’s reliance on technology and social media; however, she does not engage the disadvantages of technology, in particular laptops in the classroom, which, as I argue here, is in need of more study. In this essay, I argue that the use of laptops by students in a university classroom is distracting not only to the student, but also to surrounding students. Inevitably, multitasking and distractions in the classroom will result in a decline in academic performance.
The advent of the internet signaled a revolutionary shift for society, in which participation in massive amounts of information was easily and rapidly accessible to any connected country. This digital revolution gave rise to monolithic digital communities that dominate the web and strongly influence the globe; Twitter helped Belarusian youth organize flash-protests against their authoritarian government in 2006, while Wikileaks continues to serve as a public international clearing-house for whistle-blowers. But despite these resounding stories of success, concern is spreading that there is an underlying problem with our digitally enhanced society – especially in the western world. Widespread debate has been sparked by the digital revolution over modern technology's influence on younger generations, with experts combating each other over whether the internet is dulling or expanding young minds. This debate is not restricted to education, but extends to cover issues of morality and perspectives. Education issues are tied to lacking cultural awareness and political activism, but world-views are a separate and altogether more severe problem for the next generation. As the internet becomes more embedded in our lives, youth are retreating into the isolation of private social bubbles and turning reality into a remote abstract concept. Apathetic, amoral and disconnected youth in the western world are spreading to replace the active socially charged older generations.
... only become greater. With the progression of technology our lives become easier and everyday tasks become simpler to complete, but with increase in ease and simplicity comes a decrease in authentic interactions and activities. Modern technology has almost replaced our generation’s physical social lives, it has left many basic skills unlearned, and has ultimately become a physical part of who we are. Our devices seem to be part of us, and functioning without them, for most, is an unthinkable thought. The effects on our generation’s lives today are all but minimal. With technology progressing each and every day one might find themselves observing the young children who already have the skills to unlock ipones, open and close apps, and who might even own their own “kids tablet,” and ask “How will advances in technology effect the next generation’s lives?”
A silent menace is creeping into the lives of America’s youth. It can be found on the streets. This addiction-creating snare is passed around at the movie theater when nobody seems to be watching. Paranoid teenagers sneak time in with it in school bathrooms and parking lots. Once-innocent kids are fully ensnared until the early hours of morning. Their red eyes and blank stares note a problem, but only after it is discovered, it is too late. This menace is not reefer or any other drug. It is technology, a new threat. No field advances as rapidly as technology. The newest iPhones and tablets are being introduced into many individuals’ work and personal lives. The most natural progression seems to be the integration of and focus upon technology in public schools. However, a hasty transition into a tech world may be dangerous. Technology use produces a number of negative consequences in the classroom because it enables students to become dependent, prevents effective reinforcement of topics taught in class, and places both societal and classroom minorities at an extreme disadvantage.