"Games" by Steven Johnson

Johnson, S. (2011). Games. In S. Cohen (Ed.) , 50 Essays (pp. 196-201). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

In “Games,” Steven Johnson points out the difference between the benefits of reading and games. From his idea, we are shown that to being an avid reader is good for your education and the job market skills which are important for life in the future. By comparison, games help you exercise your brain and some parts of your body: through hand-eye coordination and visual intelligence but not much in the way of education. The most interesting part of his argument is that a book makes you use your imagination and it makes you understand a complicated message better than television or a video game. This essay reveals how modern media has a limitation of benefit in learning.

The Printed Newspaper is not Facing Extinction (Yet)

(2008, November 3). The printed newspaper is not facing extinction (yet). Advertising Age. p. 14. Retrieved from EBSCOhost..

Today we can see the printed newspaper around us in many places, but not as many as in the past. In today’s media and technology evolution, the newspaper business has two separate print and web editorial staff in the newsroom to deal with news reporting situations. According to Advertising Age (2008), “The Christian Science Monitor announced it would be lying to rest the print version of its daily paper, switching to a weekly print model and housing everything else on the web.” Most people who read print newspapers are older and are used to the old-fashioned, printed newspapers. You hardly see a teenager pick up and read a newspaper. Most people use computers and the Internet; they do not want to read the news in print. Instead they prefer to pay for the Internet to get the same news. These are the reasons that are causing the printed newspaper to become extinct.

"Where I Lived, and What I Lived For" By Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau, H. (2011). Where I Lived and What I Lived For. In S. Cohen, 50 Essays (pp. 403-409). Boston: Bedford St. Martins.

           

This writing reminds me of a self sufficient life style. The way that Thoreau pointed out his idea of a life style that he wanted to live in the woods was peaceful concept. His idea was to run away from convenient appliances and modern services, which he thought made life is go too fast. He thought that is why we make our lives more complicated in a world that was created by humans. Technology and modern conveniences make the way we live pass paced, instead of just getting along with nature. Thoreau (2011) suggests “Simplify, simplify. Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five; and reduce other things in proportion…. For my part, I could easily do without the post office. I think that there are very few important communications made through it…. What news! How much more important to know what that is which was never old!” (P. 403-409). A lot of people would agree with him including me, but in reality we have to accept that human needs are eternal.  Everyday we are creating new appliances, especially electronic media and technology that makes life go faster than Thoreau would have ever imagined. If he were here today, in the high social media world, I would like to know what he would write in his journal.

Kids' Digital Day: Almost 8 hours

Greg, T. (n.d). Kids' digital day: Almost 8 hours. USA Today. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

This article shows us how electronic media threatens our normal way of living. The author reveals a study of kids time spent with electronic media, such as: cellphones, iPods, video games and computers and found that it was more than 53 hours a week. We can see that in one week which has a168 hours, the kids gave 53 hours for electronic media, and 56 hours to sleep and 40 hours for school. They only have 19 hours left to do things likes homework, study, eat, exercise, etc. The author also informs that this revolution of technology will never stop increasing by pointing out the percentage of cellphone and iPod ownership is increasing every day. From this article, all parents should start to realize to teach and control their children on using and spending time with the electronics.

An Authority of the Internet and Technology

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxJ2x8Di-xI&feature=related

           An adult may think that the Internet has changed their lifestyles, but a teenager who grows up with this technology and the Internet world, all the see and learn only from these modern electronics. They would not see how things and people in this world have changed their lifestyle; they follow technology that quickly grows up in each day. Most people are racing to get the most recent, high technology elements to stay up to date. Instead, people have to work hard to earn money to buy food and medicine to live but almost all the money that they earn goes to the Internet and technology.

Social Media Today

BLANKENSHIP, M. (2011). How Social Media Can and Should Impact Higher Education. Education Digest, 76(7), 39-42. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

           Blankenship presents social media, such as Skype, Twitter, and Facebook as online tools in higher education. He also points out that social media impacts creativity and teaching styles in the classroom.  He discusses the fact that talking via Skype on webcam does not make him feel palpable. Instead, it was frustrating for him because he thinks that the best idea come from actual communication with someone. Social media is changing the way people get an education in school. In the past, we had to go to school with a pack of note books and pencils to listen and be lectured face to face with a professor in class. With social media revolution in this modern day, students can study any where. They only need a computer and an Internet connection. Although social media cannot replace person-to-person interaction, it does give us an additional opportunity to educate ourselves.