Digital Divide: Urban Myth, or Rural Truth?

Maryam Arastu

In addition, media exposure has been seen to be negatively correlated with performance in school and positively correlated with risk taking and aggressive behavior.

Though the concept of the “Digital Divide” is extremely prevalent around the globe and even in the US, the vast majority of American youth, regardless of socioeconomic status have access to substantial amount of technology and media. As the results of Roberts et al 2008 indicate, “Saturation or near saturation levels have been reached for all but the newest electronic media, and those are likely to follow much the same pattern”. As expected, television remains to be the most ubiquitous form of media usage, but its position could easily be usurped by the closely following video game.

Recent research abrogates the fact that age is a key determinant in technology and other media exposure. As the following data would suggest, “overall media exposure follow similar, age- related patterns”. The researchers speculate that the bimodal can be explained by changes in kid’s available times, which are driven by academic demands.

The Digital Divide, edited by Mark Bauerlein, brings up another looming setback of the exponential advancement of technology- the proliferation of the disparity between the “Haves” and the “Have Nots”. Many believe that technology will be the solution to poverty, ensuring educational tools to the less fortunate. But with technology expanding at nearly lightning fast speeds, budget cuts and minimal resources hinder the poor’s ability to get back on par with the rich.

Be wary of the Shallows… and Mind the Gap

In The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, author Nicholas Carr brings to the light the fact that media is a double-edged sword. There is no doubt that the Internet, once military database turned World Wide Web, has a plethora of uses. The downside is something the masses fails to see: how it may be effectively “re-wiring” the core circuitry of our brain. This concept of neuroplasticity is the basis of many of Carr’s arguments.

After hearing of this Digital Divide, I began to mull over the long-term effects and came across some interesting findings. Oliver Curry, from the London School of Economics, goes as far to speculate that generations from now, there will be only two distinct groups of populations- the wealthy, beautiful and intelligent “Eloi”, and their not so complementary counterparts, the “Morlock”, who do slave work to keep the Eloi happy (BBC UK). Though one can’t directly attribute this hypothesis to the digital divide, they would be foolish if they failed to recognize the part that technology could potentially play in widening the disparity.

Technology- “Antioxidant" or Neurotoxin?

The benefits of technology speak for themselves. There isn’t a rock on this earth that technology has let unturned. It has managed to burrow itself into everything we have, say, or do. For this reason, there really is no reason for me to go on and on about its marvels. It manages to do that for itself quite well.

In contrast, I want to spend some time introducing you to its “Dark Side”. Carr states, “Going online habituates [adolescents] to juvenile mental workouts”. How many times have you been to a new website that just didn’t find it easy or straightforward enough, and took your time elsewhere. We like simple; that’s just how we are. Carr and Bauerlein make the point that our repetitive simple tasks are ridding our brain of our more analytical and critical thinking skills. It’s like spring cleaning going on in our brains. If we don’t use it, just toss it. Because of this reason, Generation Y, or the people who are under the age of 30 are dumping the idea of more linear thinking and adopting a more fragmented style. Anything long and drawn out seems frivolous and boring, thus making it difficult to focus in class, or read that 15 page long article for homework.

Side note: Though the word neurotoxin is used figuratively, lets not forget the literal meaning. It can be loosely defined as something that can cause harm to the brain, or nervous system. Sure all this technology, is all great and fine. It permits to video chat over multiple devices, or talk on the phone without even having our phone close to us. Its uses are as diverse as the tropical rainforest… but what is it really doing to us?

We are constantly surrounded by Bluetooth, infrared, and other signals. Are all these somewhat unexplainable chips, wires, and hybrid metallic compounds affecting our health? Due to the intrepid advancement of technologies, there are virtually no longitudinal or long-term studies. As much as I hate to say it, we are all guinea pigs. It suddenly makes you put down the iPhone or MacBook and pick up the old-fashioned pen and paper, huh? With the amount on time we are exposed to technology is increasing, so is the likelihood so is the likelihood of other problems.

The media has caught on to this phenomena by putting in commercials every 10 minutes or so. A lot of news channel show 2 minute clips of video rather than having the newscaster stand there and read out the news. Newspapers are slowly going extinct; everything is online. A more personal example, I find it so tedious to actually read articles when your given a convenient one paragraph abstract outlining everything.

Do you even think you’re getting “dumber”, or is your ego doing a good job of masking it?

In times like this, people don’t even know that they are progressively being re-wired. In reality, the vast majority of us fail to realize how much of a distraction technology can be with the hundreds of emails and texts we get on daily basis. In my opinion, we as a society are already dependent on technology and there is not much we can do to change that. The best way to alleviate this problem of a more distracted fragmented, and sometimes bored, Generation Y is not to strip them of their gadgets, but to help them strike a good balance. It’s time to put down that Kindle Fire and pick up a real book! Not only will the publishing industry thank you, but those pesky little neurons in your brain will too!

If someone were to ask me, “Is your generation becoming dumber?”, I would respond with a “Yes”. But what worries me a great deal more are the generations that follow. Little kids in my family can’t even walk yet, but can navigate an Ipad 2 like a seasoned adult. What implications do these have for our future? Will playgrounds or Legos even exist? Or will they all be built into the latest and greatest of technology. At least for their health’s sake, I hope Gene therapy catches on soon, I don’t even want to get started talking about childhood obesity. After all, our children are our future, and to be frank, the future is looking a little bleak.