Mental Diabetes Type 2

[Erin]

Kimberly's theater question reminded me of this article I read. I think this is pretty reflective of why kid's beviors today seem so foreign.

Yet such always-on connectivity pose potential downsides. Nishar, who oversees Google’s wireless efforts, said, “Our synapses are becoming hard-wired. We had Generation X and Generation Y. Now we have Generation ADD”—an allusion to the multiplicity of media and communication data streams vying for our attention. If multitasking is an essential trait of the Mobile Generation, what do we lose in the bargain? To be sure, that behavior is not restricted to young people. William
T. Coleman III, founder, chairman, and CEO of Cassatt Corp., said he returns phone calls, listens to CNBC, tracks his stock portfolio, and reads his e-mail while driving to work. He often sees his fellow gym members flit between three TV channels simultaneously while walking a treadmill. “People are learning to multiprocess better. Gamers may have a different set of talents and need to learn how to develop their skills to focus on a single problem.”

Esther Dyson of CNET spoke about the expansive opportunities for mobile applications that “foster interaction among people. These devices are present almost all the time. They become almost part of you. Some large percentage of people with a cell phone sleep within eight feet of it.” She also picked up on the theme of the culture of distraction— the constant pressure to stay engaged and to focus on the now, crowding out reflection and perhaps the ability of younger people to think long-term or broadly. She expressed concern about the long-term societal implications of this trend, citing psychology professor Barry Schwartz’s book The Paradox of Choice: “You don’t have to commit, since you can always change your plans, and you don’t want to commit, because you can always find out about another, newer possibility.”

"I’m concerned about whether kids will learn how to think analytically and structurally if they haven’t been challenged to,” Dyson said. “I worry about something I call Mental Diabetes Type 2—a lack of ability to think deeply and in a concentrated fashion over a period of time. We have too many choices too much of the time. What should I be paying attention to? Will kids develop passion on their own if their attention is distributed too widely? We’re getting a diet of empty information calories that’s overprocessed, oversugared, and too bite-sized. While appealing, it leads to a lack of commitment and satisfaction and ultimately makes you less happy.”

 

[Skippy123]

Hmmmm, interesting. I always wonder what will happen over the long haul in general to our society when it comes to this problem. I notice teens eating with friends and texting and reading magazines; it really makes me nervous to watch. It makes me wonder if there will come a time that people do not sit down together and just talk or no longer consider it rude to check messages while out with friends. I wonder how people can have a conversation w/so many distractions and I do wonder what it will do to kids in the long run. I also have been out shopping and people have a hard time functioning properly because they are on the phone. Maybe I am just old fashion. I wonder what other people think too?

I wonder what our teachers think about it too?

 

[lyra]

I take issue with the term "Mental Type 2 Diabetes". I know it's not your term, but it is offensive to diabetics, believe me.

I do agree with what the author has to say about kids not having enough mental challenges in their daily lives. I read for fun! Woohoo! I don't know any kids that do this anymore. I am most relaxed without the tv on. I don't play video games or require music just to distract me. But that's just my age perhaps. I also enjoy getting out of the house often. I hate sitting indoors. We grew up being required to be outside all day/night when not in school or weather permitting. Sheesh.

It's rare to find teens who read these days. It's now an acquired skill. Most kids only ever read what is required for school. My youngest daughter is this way, so obviously it's either something that's ingrained, or I failed her and not her sister. My oldest actually does read books, but mainly to pass time. She also enjoys sudoku and brainage (game for DS). However my youngest daughter is completely adept at all things computerized and graphics-wise so maybe it's just a difference of taste. I don't know. I always thought both kids would grow up to be like me considering they rarely ever see me without a book, and we read to them a lot when they were little.

ETA: I also agree about the ADD comment, and how "gamers" might be wired differently and have differing abilities to focus. My youngest has astonishing focus when working on her graphics projects one pixel at a time. I could never do that. I really would go nuts. She can also pick up video games extremely quick, and even wins competitions with boys her age. So maybe it is partly just a different mindset that is going to become an evolutionary issue. Maybe this generation is developing a higher degree of spatial ability than has been seen in the general population before. Multi-tasking in 3D? Interesting.