The Ease of Information

     Twenty or thirty years ago, if a person wanted to know a thing, there were quite a few options available for them to do that, but all took some time and usually, at least with the difficult stuff, a little work. Today we have access to basically the entire store of human knowledge, instantaneously, through our pockets.  Those of us who remember that long ago rarely think about this marvel, but I wondered if the kids today ever did, so I asked them.  They have to do writing assignments occasionally for common core anyway, so this seemed like a good one.

      One of my students, a female third year honors English student who somehow ended up in Auto, did a good job.  She feels that everyone has become accustomed to having everything at their fingertips, without having to work for it.  Homework answers are a mere google away.  Staying in touch with friends and family is possible though social media instead of actual interaction.  Even ordering takeout has moved to the internet from having to make an actual phone call.  The world, at least the first world, has turned lazy. So much can be had so easily that no one works hard anymore.  Sharing answers and cheating by text message is rampant.  She says that this generation has lowered their expectations of themselves and it will only get worse.
 
  Another student who did fairly well on the assignment agrees with the first nearly point for point in the beginning, but adds that any mistakes that these kids make is forever.  Their lives are so intertwined with internet access, picture sharing, moment by moment commentary through twitter and the like, that it is all recorded for better or worse.  It's hard, if not impossible, to leave a negative past behind for a brighter future.

 I do have to agree with them.  Kids don't seem to try very hard most of the time, but then did they ever?  I was surprised by the negativity of their answers.  I think that overall, our access to information is a wonder!  I constantly feel that there is almost nothing that I can't learn on a whim.  Has this affected my retention of facts?  Probably, but then hey, I can just look it up again later.