Social media: the enemy of contemplation for our children or not? - Women's Agenda

Social media: the enemy of contemplation for our children or not?

Dinner time conversations with teenage children can be enlightening. The topic of YouTube recently arose and we all had to guess how many hours people spent viewing videos. No one was even remotely close. The answer was so mind boggling and the consequences so far reaching that I am still reeling.

According to YouTube’s own stats, in 2014 there were 6 billion hours of video watched per month. That’s 200 million hours of video watching every day! You also need to take into account that China – the most populous country in the world isn’t included in these figures as it continues to block access to YouTube. Not content to remain on the back foot, Facebook recently entered the video market so views per day are even greater.

As a parent you need to know that YouTube and Facebook are where most under 18’s are spending their time.

What is the opportunity cost of all this time devoted to video watching? How many books are not being read? How many conversations are not being had? Surely the loss of reflective time for budding creators, thinkers, entrepreneurs will have an impact. Are YouTube and Facebook the enemy of contemplation as former editor of the New York Times Bill Keller described Twitter?

Let’s not despair utterly. TED talks are on YouTube are fabulous interviews that inspire and educate. But having taken a small (yet I think a reflective) sample of responses from my kids’ friends, I don’t believe the majority of downloads belong in the educational or “be inspired” camp. Downloads are more likely to be the latest craze on Buzzfeed, great soccer moments, Minecraft or the latest tv boxed set illegally downloaded. With most screens in kids’ bedrooms for “homework” purposes, it’s pretty difficult to monitor how much “homework” is actually being completed. And try telling your 16 year old he is required to have screen time in a shared space in the house and he’ll look at you like you’re an idiot.

Much has been said about the impact of pervasive screens on our children. IPads became compulsory at my children’s schools a few years ago. We keep being advised about the fabulous educational opportunities offered by apps and digital learning. But we despair about how my son will be able to write his Year 12 exams given his lack of practice with a pen. You see exams are still hand written despite laptops and tablets having taken over the class room. At least now he voluntarily relinquishes his phone and computer when needing to study having finally acknowledged their addictive and distracting qualities.

The school bus is no longer another playground for its passengers. The kids have their noses in their phones or Ipads – there is little conversation to be heard. The upside is that bullying on the bus has all but disappeared as kids aren’t that interested in each other. Even when they’re in the playground at recess or lunchtime, some kids choose to bury their heads in their phones. There’s a fear of disconnection, so much so that they ignore the connection to be made in front of them. Ruth Ostrow in The Age last week described the condition as FOBO – Fear of Being Offline.

I don’t believe kids comprehend that Facebook posts, Instagram images and YouTube highlights are curated to give the very best possible and funniest impression of the lives depicted on them. Like photo shopped images in magazines, one easily forgets what’s normal and what has taken hours to finesse. Kids (and often adults) seem more focussed on ensuring they have the perfect photo to post than actually enjoying the event they are experiencing.

And yet there is a certain connectedness to be made on social media that if balanced with genuine connections allows for your voice to be heard far more widely and an impact to be made that might otherwise would not have or certainly take much longer. Conversations can ensue, opinions debated, connections made with otherwise inaccessible people. People get noticed when they otherwise might remain invisible. What’s important though is not to confuse the interaction with an actual achievement. Real change won’t happen in 140 characters or the instant gratification of someone liking your post. It’s a start, possibly a great start but doing something real is the answer. We can’t allow our children to presume that the post or image replaces the actual doing. Social media may open people’s minds to a conversation and to possibilities of engagement but that can’t be the end of it. You still have to walk and not just talk.

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