Switched

what's the most ridiculous is your lack of ability to spell ridiculous...

I don't know how absurd this is... I mean, I don't think the very next generation is going to be brain dead and I think the internet can be and is used for a lot of good.

The problem starts when parents let their kids go on the internet unchecked, and all they do is go online and watch TV. I think limiting the amount of time they're on is a way to keep that degradation in check. Once again, people blaming all these outside sources when it's their own fault.

Erin

Oh, my, Alanna. I'm so sorry-I didn't realize I was posting in a "spelling police" area. No comment on the story whatsoever, just pointing out someone else's errors. Hope it made you feel good about yourself. Maybe *you've* been spending too much time on Facebook, and the typos and spelling errors have become your main source of self esteem, rather than actually communicating with people and sharing thoughts and ideas. Gee, maybe the story *is* right... (note the sarcasm with which the last sentence was said)

Gee whiz, your only comment was one misspelled word, and common one, too. No justification, no reasons presented for your view. You did add credence to the story.

Who Cares. If you don't like the modern world go set up camp on a deserted island or go live in the forest. We will always invent & create. It's the human way.

Then go live in a cave if the "modern lifestyle" is too much for you. This isn't Little House on the Prairie, it's 2009. Deal.

I support your view, mom. You see, one of the negative effects of modern lifestyle is that any son of "not you" can respond as rude as this guy, with no sense of respect for social conversation, and think that they made a point -this is modern lifestyle communication! This is proof that just as the article says, we're losing our social skills for the unreal (virtual) world. The worst part is that they don't notice that modern lifestyle isn't too much for you, but for them, because of their obvious lack of knowledge on how to approach it. "Let's be harsh with others because I'll never have to see their faces". Given these conditions, everyone is brave to be rude.

And people have progessively gotten dumber over the years. I do think the generation after us is gonna be retarded. Yes, clinically retarded not, simply dumb. And I'm in my 20s.

Hallelulah! Some people actually think for themselves and find this all to be a load of blarney! Autism is no more an epidemic than ADHD. Yes these things are real, but not as prevalent as the media makes them out to be. They just make some wild claim to get our attention to a web page where a lot of fancy adverts are. They aren't giving us information or news, they're playing us like a harp from hell.

At the same token, I'm twenty years old and go to college. And as little as I do talk to my parents I would NEVER tell tehm that if they wish to see a picture of me "get online". What the hell happened to my generation? I look at my parents and feel envious of them, and of my grandparents. My parents had the eighties/nineties: generation X. My grandparents had VietNam and the free love era/hippies. What dos my generation have? Cheap entertainment (not even thrilling) with nothing to identify ourselves by, no espirit de corps, no pride, nothing. We have technology.

Just waned to put that out there. Makes me said that all of you older folks who've done so much for us.

From personal experience, I can't agree with you about the kids staying inside because of cell phones, computers, and TV. My overprotective parents didn't like me going outside alone, even though I lived in a very safe neighborhood. No one else was outside, though, so of course that meant I wasn't allowed outside. I suppose other parents were the same way mine were. The only other fun I could have was on the computer or watching the TV, and THAT'S why I, at least, would use them. I don't think the blame should be placed entirely on modern technology for keeping kids inside.

I agree with many of you...first we can't blame computers, cell phones, and video games for our childrens lack of socialization it is up to the parents to set some limitations because children will be children and take a mile if you give them an inch and over indulge at least my son does and he is 15 and thinks life is all about video games. He is not allowed on the computer because we caught him looking up things he should not have been....again watching what your children our doing. As far as outside, well you truly don't see kids out like when I was growning up shot we used to make club houses, race in the streets and just have a good old time but now kids just don't find it fun to be outside and I don't blame them. I for one watch my daughter like a hawk because of all the craziness in this world with the murderers and sexual idiots we have running around. I for one never leave my child alone and I do give my time and play with her whether it's inside or outside.
Only thing I can say is limit the computer/video time and watch what they are doing while on because those who want to do harm
look for kids online and will get all the information they want to find a way to do harm to them.
I love this modern world we live in because I can stay connected to old classmates and family and see tons of pictures and find all the information I need. It's up to us as parents to teach our children how not to be rude and be able to socialize with others and have limitations because to be honest there is nothing like face to face interaction.