I just read “The Dumbest Generation.” Cover to cover, author Mark Bauerlein posits that we digital kids are dumb because we no longer read books. At first, it was a very difficult read — but once I realized there is no scroll bar in real books, I was just fine.
I’d have to disagree that we’re dumb — I know some kids who do real good at math and science and English and stuff. I would say, however, that we’re the Distractedest Generation (and, for that matter, the Likeliest Generation to Add Words to the Dictionary — doh!)
The problem is plain and simple — we’re spoiled with a never-ending array of sensational distractions online, and we’re prone to succumb to them, even when we shouldn’t. Think about it. You’re reading an e-mail from your mom telling you that Great Aunt GiGi has finally passed away. And you possess the deepest sympathy — you really do — but it isn’t your fault if G-mail scans your conversation and formulates an ad for you: “OMG, GG! Download entire Gossip Girl season here!” And so what if you click on it, right? Poor Aunt GiGi was so old. And Nate Archibald is so young. So young and so vulnerable.
It wouldn’t be such a huge problem if the constant interruption didn’t also intrude into real life. But it does, and in our digital world, I’d argue that it does so now more than ever. We are so used to turning our back on a trusty Collab page for the sake of a flashy pop-up or to thumbs-up a song on Pandora. That same distraction mentality also carries over into our everyday interactions.
Suppose, for example, that I am talking to you. I have your full attention for the time being — and then, out of nowhere, someone else speaking at a higher, more distracting frequency just interrupts. You can’t help but put me on pause while you wait and hear what the more distracting thing has to say this time. But I am not your iPod. I cannot handle being paused very well and just like your iPod, after being paused for 10 straight seconds, I automatically shut off (a.k.a. I go to my room and cry).
We’re easily distracted because we have shorter attention spans than ever. Instead of bright, shining faces, professors are greeted each morning with the dull backs of laptops. And professors, we aren’t using our laptops to google the major cultural effects of the Cold War — unless, of course, we’re in the middle of an open-book exam on the subject. We zone out when something is boring and spend our time trying to find something more interesting.
The problem is, zoning out on your friends is just kind of rude. I don’t know how many times this year I’ve tried to tell someone exciting news (“So today, I went to the vending machine and only bought one coke, but it gave me two!”) only to be greeted by a misleadingly surprised look (“Victoria’s Secret is having a thong sale this weekend! Sorry, did you say something?”). I always want to respond, “No. Nothing. Forget it. No call-backs.” But this isn’t second grade, and we unfortunately don’t play telephone anymore.
I always die a little inside in groups of people when someone is obviously trying to put in their two cents, and no one is letting them. I’ve watched in pure agony as another person says the first word of his or her funny story five different times, after increasing intervals of waiting it out, only to find he or she can’t get a word in edgewise. It’s painful to watch but also rather humorous. Until the story re-starter is you.
What I’m trying to say is that maybe we should all try to be a little more patient and courteous. Just smile and nod at each other’s boring stories — it will be over before you know it. Attempt to focus a little bit more; the undiagnosed A.D.D. Epidemic is giving people our age a bad rap.
In the end, I’d say we aren’t The Dumbest Generation or Generation X at all. In my opinion, we should dub ourselves Generation — ohhh! Check out how shiny that flagpole is!
Marissa is a guest columnist this week. She can be reached a m.dorazio@cavalierdaily.com.
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