Ito believes that mobile phones triggered an intergenerational power shift in Japan because they freed youth from 'the tyranny of the land line shared by inquisitive family members, creating a space for private communication and an agency that alters possibilities for social interaction'.
I found truth in this because I remember always feeling nervous when talking to people on our land line (especially boys) for fear I would hear the infamous "click" signaling that an adult had picked up another line in the house. This "click" would be followed by my silence and then me asking, "Mom? Ma? Hello?" Of course then I would have to carry on with some sort of irrelevant conversation until I felt that the line was secure. This may be the root of my current paranoia issues, but they have been somewhat suppressed by the comfort of my own private cell phone ("private" being a debatable word choice).
Nevertheless, Rheingold's point here is true; the techno age of cell phones, instant messaging, and texting make it easier for teenagers to be increasingly social. It may seem like sitting at a computer for hours on end or texting with your head down while you walk are be traits of the introvert, but they are actually an attempt to reach out to those who may otherwise be unreachable or unapproachable. Cell phones and the Internet helped me to come out of my shell. Technology was a safe way for me to express myself, and as time went on I began to build confidence; people really did like who I was and what I had to say and it and that carried over into my everyday interactions.
No comments:
Post a Comment