very true the general abhorrence of reading literature or history is flabbergasting.

Nihil novum sub sol, old people complaining about how stupid the younger generations are. I am sure that in the past they blamed it on TV, Radio, and even electricity. And I am sure the current net generation will find an excuse to call future generations stupid.

What a load of crap.

Hey, I have an idea: let's stop blaming kids, the producers of video games like GTA 4, the people who run websites like Myspace and Facebook, and let's focus on where much of the problem actually lies: with the parents.

I'm 25, so maybe this article doesn't specifically apply to me, but I remember when I was a kid my parents strictly limited the amount of time I spent on the computer. I got to play video games maybe two hours a week, and the only other times I ever used the computer was for schoolwork. I never had a Nintendo or any other console, and I grew up right in the middle of that. We had 56k for my entire childhood, so I never really got to use the Internet much for leisure until college (~2001). I didn't even have cable TV. I didn't have a portable CD player until I was 16. Hell, I didn't even buy a cell phone until I was 22.

Kids nowadays expect their parents to buy them iPods and laptops and cell phones, but guess what? THEY DON'T HAVE TO. But the parents do anyway, and then they bitch and moan and go to Fox News and complain about how the half a second of nudity in Mass Effect is DESTROYING AMERICA.

What a bunch of idiots.

I still blame TV. Now that's stupid.

***** Author: The Internet Stupifies the Young ****

.......funny though......its made a genius out of sniper and jonryker......

Crescent,


You raise an excellent point.


My boys would watch TV and play video games all day long if I let them.

However, I don't let them. My wife and I ration their screen-time.

As much as I abhor their love of the screen, I take comfort in the fact that they enjoy even more the following:

Reading
Doing puzzles, especially with mom (I suck at puzzles)
Playing outside, particularly sports
Crusing the lake on Grandpa's boat
Going anywhere or doing anything with their grandparents - any 1, or all 4 of them
Choreographing lightsaber duels with dad
Helping Dad cook a pot of whatever the food of the week is
Etc


Children need active parenting. Period.


PS - I am no saint in this regard, despite my above list. I too frequently turn the TV on so that I can tackle chores in peace.

Maybe this author read a lot of Spud's writings?!

Just a thought.

Spot on, Crescent.

Absolutely 100% true. We also limit the amount of screen time for the kids.

I have a further opinion that it's not necessarily the amount of screen time but what is on the screen that is stupifying.

"the producers of video games like GTA 4"

Side note: GTA 4 has already pulled in more than 500 million dollars in sales.

500 million dollars!!!!!!

I have a further opinion that it's not necessarily the amount of screen time but what is on the screen that is stupifying.


That is certainly a big part of it, Lipsore.


I am generally ashamed of what my kids like to watch, with a couple of exceptions:

Tom and Jerry
The 3 Stooges

My generation elected George Bush. I don't think I will preach about the superior knowledge my generation posesses over the youth of today.

"where much of the problem actually lies: with the parents."

Hmmmmmm... Yes and no.

If the products weren't invented, manufactured, and sold, there wouldn't be a problem.

The world was spinning long before the internet.

People managed to survive just fine without have the ubiquitous cellphone stick in their ear. (Who the frak are these people talking to all the time?)

Much of the responsibility lies with people themselves and the attitude of: if we can, we will. Rarely a thought concerning the consequences.

The internet does not stupify the young. Inattentive parents stupify the young by having the internet watch their kids.

Zot,


You raise good points, but I don't think you effectively refuted the point you responded to.


As parents we all have to recognize the ever-chaning pitfalls within our society and adjust accordingly.

Rapidly changing technological advances are no excuse for ignorant parenting.

I happen to agree with this author.

After spending the last couple of years trying to train this younger generation I have come to a realistic conclusion. The younger have two different ideas of reality.

One is afraid of everything real but is willing to learn, bit slowly, but likes to work.

Another doesn't like work, ignores authority, and all true information comes from their network of media devices only understanding issues happening at the moment. No knowledge of current history or things 30 years past. People like me are just idiots who work to hard and have no life they say.

Funny though, I am the one able to take the vacations, have my toys, while the younger generation seems to think the companies owe them it.

Strange mix of attitudes that for sure.

JJ,

my kids rarely watched TV, I would not have cable in the house, no vid. games, made them read and play sports, music and do chores for allowance. Both are off at universities performing at the top.
They are technobabies without a doubt, but put up great arguments why they shouldn't care about politics and voting........They think it is all a scam.

Side note: GTA 4 has already pulled in more than 500 million dollars in sales.

So!!!

You say this like you hold this company up to some token of godliness.

Again with the parents, have to really laugh.

America's children in the 4th grade rank at the top of education and intelligence across the world and by the time graduation comes about they are at the bottom across the world.

Says parents are doing a pretty good job as young children, but as the children need more schooling education as they get older the system seems to fail.

It seems people just can't get past the realities of our miss handle educational system and the demands of blaming the parents.

If spelling and the ability to count change is any measure of intellectual development, the Professor is spot on. Modern teaching theory discounts basic skills in favor of high self esteem. Just more bullshit, that puts our general population behind Asia and Europe.

$war,

That is exactly the direction I am trying to take my kids (7 and 4).


Their problem is that they are too smart for their own good. My oldest made the cut-off by 2 weeks. He's the youngest kid in his class and he's entering the MAGNET program next year.

What's really scary is that my youngest missed the deadline by a few weeks. My youngest is even smarter than my oldest was when he was this age. Watching this little 4-year old assemble a puzzle better than is old-man is a humbling experience to say the least. I can only hope that he has great teachers as his older brother had - he'll be one of the older kids in his class and he's probably smarter than his older brother was when he was the youngest in his class.

They are a couple of months over 3 years in age, but are 4 years difference in grade.

Says parents are doing a pretty good job as young children, but as the children need more schooling education as they get older the system seems to fail.

It seems people just can't get past the realities of our miss handle educational system and the demands of blaming the parents.

Posted by moneywar


How do you characterize the problem(s)?

* Serious question

JJ,

I made strong demands of my kids and taught them to question everything, even the teachers. If they didn't think it sounded right, research it and verify the information.

Facts and data and I started them out doing such from the time they began school.

They now frequently outsmart me, but I usually get the edge from old time common sense. They are learning it quickly though.

MW,


None of what you said surprises me.


BTW - just for shits and giggles I want to share my boy's spelling list. The words in italics were customized courtesy of his 'public school' teacher - fuck that shit about public schools being shit. I would forever orgasm if his 2nd -grade teacher taught him through the years.


Anyway, here's this week's list:

But
Let
Fraction
Poem
Wednesday
Grouchy
Skeleton
Cruel
League
Similarity


Last week's list had:

Derogatory
Approximately
-and-
Simile

Spend the time looking at the educational books they bring home, all way out of date, by decades.

I made my kids read some of the great authors which the schools now don't require. Sad really.

I took the time to gather books they would find interesting and would read them too, ask questions about what the meaning behind the book and pushed them to use that great imagination.

We usually did lots of discussion around the dinner table, books read, what they mean, was it good, bad, false, or true. Why they felt the reasons they did but always made sure they had movie night to keep up with the social aspects going on at school.

I taught them the greatest aspect of growing and becoming succuessful was with the mind.

A great list, make more in flash card form and create a game with the older one. You will be surprised how fast the younger will catch on and compete.

JJ,

One thing that worked to my advantage is my kids always saw me reading, looking stuff up, finding the answers to questions and questioning information if it didn't sound right.

As they got older I would make them look up things they wanted to do or have, like having earings. I made them source information for the positive and negative aspects so they could make the decision themselves.

This kept them from the school bandwagon mentality because they would weigh the information to the outcome.

All I imagine is some crotchety old man with a cane waggling it at kids muttering, "In my day we..."

Not that I disagree...I think I missed this worthless generation by a few years and good parenting. (27)

"The Internet Stupifies the Young"

And mystifies the old.

Maybe this author read a lot of Spud's writings?!

Just a thought.

Posted by member2586 at 2008-05-15 09:22 AM | Reply | Flag

That's a thought....but, impossible. RCADE's sophisticated blog profile software indicates virtually every SpudDud(tm) post is skipped over. Unlike those of us that help drive RCADE's advertising revenue, the Dud is a drain on the site.

Link?

"Unlike those of us that help drive RCADE's advertising revenue, the Dud is a drain on the site."

Now that is funny. Rideon thinking he brings more people to this site than Dethspud....one of the smartest and funniest posters ever to post on this site. On your best day Rideon you aren't up to his level of clever.

TY, ty very much. That's the nicest and most complimentary thing you've ever said to me......

....and listen, RCADE has been trying to figure a nice way to get rid of that dead potato for a long time. Dud postings down, RCADE traffic up.....happens every time.

...hehehe

JeffJ,

You've got the parenting thing nailed and your results will be spectacular. The relationship continues the whole lifetime.

And damm it's fun, the best fun life has to offer!

An old grandpa talkin.

It seems like every month, there's a new article about how kids today are lazy, stupid, whatever... The funny thing is, every generation claims this about the next. I think blaming those younger than yourself is just part of the bitterness of getting old.

I'm sure if one researched hard enough, you could find the exact same articles going back the past 100 years. Just instead of blaming the internet, you'd find discussion of the adverse effects of radio, television, telephone, comic books, serial novels, arcades, etc. on youth.

I just don't see anyone could lump all of the young adults today into a single classification. For every deadbeat 25 year old college-drop out, living at home, spending his days on his PS2, there are many intelligent, well-educated, hardworking young adults out there.

Personally, my daughter is 24 and a PhD candidate. There have always been lazy, stupid morons. One of them grew up to be president.

In my day (don't ask) it was comic books. And poppa warned me that double horror shows (Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf Man) would rot my brain. And look at me now, righties. I'm perfect. herm

The internet has its pros and cons.
It opens up entire new worlds to everyone.
But the internet also makes it easier, and encourages, younger people not to socialize and get out as much as they should by substituting their computer screen for interactive human companionship.

Kids need to go outside and play.

I'm not sure I agree with this guys arguement. The internet is just another form of media. It's main purpose is in sharing information, so I don't think you can say that today's kids are less informed. Video games may have negative consequences when you talk about game addicts, but video games are great for motor skills, which gives gamers a greater capacity to form maps in the brain. This is great for memory and sequencing skills. Sure kids are reading fewer books, and sure they enjoy destroying the English language, but what seems to be a difference in intelligence is more likely an illusion of culture, which seems to change more rapidly with each generation.

If today's kids aren't as intelligent or well informed the blame should more likely be placed on schools and the ever increasing numbers of standardized tests that these kids have to do. Teachers spend too much time preparing their kids to pass these tests, and not enough time teaching them all of the important things that won't be on the test. In today's world there is more out there that kids need to learn how to do, so I don't think that spending less time learning new things is really a great strategy.

Which brings up another point. Because kids have so much more to learn than previous generations it is possible that the things that are considered high priority for learning are a little different than they were in the past. The best example is that kids need to learn to use computers. The time spent teaching this skill has to take time away from teaching other skills that at one time may have been considered important to learn.

"Kids need to go outside and play." -Chris

Absolutely. Which is why schools shouln't be dumping their Phys Ed programs for standardized test courses.

As clearly evidenced on this blog, the young also stupify the internet.

Kids need to go outside and play.

--CC

As long as it's not tag.

--DR Left

.......funny though......its made a genius out of sniper and jonryker......

Posted by skizziks

Not to mention your sorry ass.

So why mention it?

And poppa warned me that double horror shows (Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf Man) would rot my brain. And look at me now, righties. I'm perfect. herm

Posted by herm at 2008-05-15 02:43 PM | Reply | Flag:

....actually, father knows best.

What the fuck does GTA4 (a adult game) have to do with kids learning

how about parents grow a pair and unhook the tube for the week