To say that we are the dumbest generation, is making a bad accusation without getting all the facts first. Just because we live in a day and age that allows us access to technology, does not mean that we are dumb. In Mark Bauerlein's opinion, earlier generations retain the information and knowledge that they learn while our generation, Generation Y, just retain information long enough to recite it back for someone else. This could not be furthest from the truth.
With classrooms turning towards technology, there is more concentration on specific events that happened in history, or even just a more in depth look into something. Just because we don't know answers to questions that the Newsweek article, "The Dumbest Generation? Don’t Be Dumb." thinks we should know, does not mean that you can assume technology is to blame. For Mark Bauerlein to claim that we are easy "Jaywalking" targets is stereotyping a whole generation based off a few people. And this is where i have a very big concern. Yes, some people in Gerneration Y don't know who William Rehnquist is, but to then assume that the WHOLE generation is then dumb, is frankly, well, dumb. I am willing to bet that even though some people might not know who he is, they can jump on a computer and find then information, unlike people from other generations.
Generation Y has an advantage over all the older generations, technology. In todays worl, our generation can teach themselves what other generations had to learn in the classroom and expand further on an idea. Older generations might know an answer to a certain question, but our generation can find out so much more information thatn just a single answer. All with the help of technology. To say that IM and Facebook are helping to contribute to the title of the dumbest generation, and that it is the parents and teachers fault is ridiculous. Everyone, no matter what generation you are from, had things that they did all the time. Our generation has technology, so why not use it for something that makes us happy and keeps us from getting into trouble. I am sure that when other generations were kids, they did things that their parents didn't like, but did them anyways. So what is the harm of talking and keeping in touch with friends, which is really all the Facebook and IM is?
Generation Y is really the farthest thing from dumb. Technology has broght them away from being dumb, not the other way around. to have the ability to "go deeper" into a subject matter, or to even know how to use a computer, shows how we are not just dumb. How many people over 40 do you know that can create a wiki or create a CFH? Not that many. Mark Bauerlein made assumptions about a generation without knowing all the facts first and basing an opinion off of a handful of people. Maybe he should jump on a computer and try to accomplish the things that our generation has done, and then try to tell everyone that we are dumb. He can't do it.
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4 comments:
The direction that you took your argument against being the dumbest generation was very eye-opening and true. I especially liked the point you made about Gen-Y not knowing facts, but having the knowledge to hop on the internet and use our skills to find the answers. I think that our generation has learned transferable skills- our prowess with technology will allow us to learn whatever we need in the future. Rather than memorizing facts we are learning how to learn- and in my opinion, that makes us the smartest generation.
I totally agree that he made broad assumptions without having facts or doing any research. The reasons he gave seemed like it took him 5 minutes to come up with. There was no research behind it and I do not think he makes a valid point at all. I would like to know how he feels about Generation Y expressing their feelings about him by using technology.
i like that you said that just because we did not know the answers to that quiz, doesn't make us dumb, nor does it give them anything to blame technology for. also you said we learned things more in depth which i agree. also it was really funny when you put "whole" in caps because i can just picture you saying this, and whats your face would like look, and i'd probably be laughing. also this is crazy long. but i like the effort ha
I agree with pretty much everything you said. It is true that we are not dumb just because we use technology. I think it is wrong that the older generations accuse us of being the dumb generation when they can't even figure out how to use today's technology. Also, because we are able to use this technology to our advantage may even make us smarter.
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