Tuesday, April 7, 2009

online addiction

Blackboard on the iPhone?

Here's an article about how there are applications in the works for Blackboard. This could be pretty useful to students and teachers alike. By the way, I love this website, it's a blog about new apple products. Lots of stuff about the next iPhone :)

I also thought I'd share something I found to be interesting. Last class when we shared what was new in our online worlds, I didn't really have anything to say because I had given up Facebook and Twitter for a week. It made SUCH a difference! I never realized how much time I really spent on the two. I allowed myself to be so distracted from doing work, class, and even from face-to-face communication. I didn't slip up at all during the week, but even the smallest things made me want to just check my notifications. Really stupid things; like I went to a party and knew there had been pictures put up of me and I wanted to see them... so dumb. It reminded me of something that chapter 1 said about playing alone on the Internet and chapter two when it talked about online addictions. Even though I'm talking to my other friends and even famous people through Twitter, it is still time wasted where I could be doing something productive or hanging out with others. When I think of how much time I have probably spent alone in my room at my computer, it's kind of scary! I'm making connections to others, but at the price of losing connections to those who are right here in front of me! I definitely think that by giving up my social networking, even if only for a week, has helped me to see where my priorities are. There really is too much information! Facebook and Twitter help me to get to know people who I don't even really care about, yet I am addicted to that information. It is just so easy to press refresh that I can't help but look and see what new information is available. Nowadays there is even a website for those addicted to the Internet and want recovery! I am so curious as to where this Information age is going. What if there really is too much meaningless information as Postman suggests? I can only wonder about the future.

3 comments:

  1. It is good to hear you had such a great experience “unplugged” from the net. I totally agree with you. We spend so much time online that it is easy to forget that there are real people in front of us. We sometimes can forget what our priorities are. I wrote about the difference between me and my uncle when it comes to social interaction. It is similar to what you have experienced.

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  2. I totally agree with you guys too. I think a little "detox" from using the internet or more so the social networking sites every now and then could definitely benefit all of us every now and then.

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  3. interesting though how the metaphor of addiction is used so freely. perhaps all we need is a vacation from being online? or a sabbath?

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