Who would’ve thought that the day would come where we looked to each other and say, “we’re too connected.” In the ever-changing world of technology, the internet has been the vehicle that gears this rapid change in society. Our new normal is becoming countless hours in front of a screen while multitasking between emails, messages, funny videos, and assignments. Researchers wonder how this overconsumption impacts our future generations or better, the world?

In this week’s screening and reading, we dive into the impact the internet has on our children’s minds and the changes society has opted into to keep up with this new technology. In Frontline: Digital Nation producer Rachel Dretzin explores how the Web and digital media have fabricated a new modern culture. A culture where working, learning, comprehending, and connecting with one’s pears has changed dramatically. In this documentary, we see a current student’s world as they undergo their day to day school. Students and professors explain their frustration with remaining concentrated and screen-time health hazards.

In countries like South Korea, which at the beginning of the digital era used the internet as a marketing tactic to refine their image in the modern world, they are receiving backlashes on young adults’ health. In today’s sense, South Korean has moderated its entertainment realm to increased tourism, surged economically, etc. With that change, it has increased students’ internet access. There are plenty of pop-up PC gaming rooms around South Korean, allowing 24hr access to fast speed internet and computers for guests to play for hours. While many students think it’s a great time waster to escape the intensive world of school and life for a moment, it has lead to a crazy health hazard. Cases have surfaced of students dying after going hours in gaming marathons with a lack of food and water, and the strain screen-time has on vision and hearing. When the interviewer asked, some of the students filmed if they got their school work done and believe they are addicted. Many students negated the answers as they thought they weren’t addicted but instead just having fun.

Even in America, many students spend countless hours in front of screens that affect their social life and comprehension of the information they are obtaining. Stating to Understanding Mass Media, “There are three important aspects of communication that the Internet has changed, and these have instigated pr the way we connect socially: the speed of information, the volume of information, and the “democratization” of publishing, or the ability of anyone to publish ideas on the web.” (459)

      Because many of today’s students base their day today on the internet for many, they cannot live without it. Even MIT students who’s entire career are based on remaining online tend to catch themselves believing they can “multitask.” Throughout the day, many students are doing work, emailing friends, on Facebook, on a date but ultimately never focusing on one task for too long. Many of these students’ societal climate is highly shallow as they realize that no one is actually listening but instead worrying solely about themselves.

Question: How did you feel when you stepped away from your phone and saw your peers glued to their screens?