Social Networking or Social NOT-working?

Social Networking-is it really social and what impact will it have on youth growing up with it? Is it networking or is it notworking?

 

Social networking is a relatively new terminology. By the term new, I mean within the last decade. Facebook wasn't even available when I was in high school and when I first registered, you had to have a valid collegiate or university email address. That lasted for only about 6-9 months after I registered. Then, you had to have a valid student email address-university, college, or high school. Then, well it became totally mainstream and unregulated in those terms. Now I believe the only requirement is that you must be able to turn on a computer and have basic knowledge of the internet.

 

Here's the thing, when I was in elementary school, if you wanted to "chat" with your friends, you dialed their home phone number from your home phone. The cool kids even had cordLESS phones! Some even had more than one line or call waiting! Many nights were filled with gab sessions on the phone, homework, projects, and sometimes television. "Social networking" eliminates the need for all of this.

 

With the need for verbalizing and vocal conversation no longer mandated in the formation and continuation of relationships of a younger age, children (I believe) will be at a MUCH higher risk of developing and displaying Asperger's and Autistic-type symptoms regarding social settings and peer connections. I have noticed this in myself regarding social settings-even familiar ones. After utilizing social networking sites, texting, and emailing, I find myself quite literally at a loss for words. Without being able to type it out, edit it, and word it the way I want, I am stuttering, tripping on words, and being unsure of what and how I want to say. I, unlike the younger generation, have years of prior experience with actually talking to people and being social.

 

I can see great attributes to utilizing social media and the way that it encourages thought before expression. It causes one to carefully plan what one wants to express and the wording that goes with it. It allows for editing and revising (although some people should use it a little more.) It connects people across continents and oceans, old high school friends and even teachers and celebrities. But with these "connections" the relationships behind them are becoming far less meaningful. Take this for instance: you graduate high school and maintain contact with a few close friends and a couple teachers for years. You visit with the friends regularly-monthly or so and talk on the phone twice as often. You visit the teachers at least once every school year and see them out in public. Now look at the relationship we have today with high school friends and teachers. They are comments or 'likes' on a Facebook page. Rarely are these interactions meaningful or meaty in any way.

 

This lack of meaning, in my opinion at least, desensitizes our minds to the necessity of human interaction. No longer are kids sharing conversation and thoughts about the world verbally. Instead they are texting and IM'ing. Some of you may think, well yeah, but that's how they share. NO. No. no. Those forms of communication-even this blog-lack the most important part of human interaction. The one thing we all use everyday without even recognizing we are--- EMOTION. Short of those shouty capital letters and the occasional emoticon, there is no emotion in texting, emailing, instant messaging, commenting, liking, etc. I mean how frequently do people use "LOL" when they are in fact not actually "laughing out loud?" I am guilty of that one to the worst degree. This lack of emotional interaction desensitizes our children to the point where some of them may not even understand emotions later in life. Marriages and family cannot sustain on technology and social media. Could this be a factor in high divorce rates? Perhaps.

 

In my very very personal opinion, social networking is most definitely society NOT WORKING.

 

 

Thinking... & Brains

Brains and thinking..

 

I am seeing a Neurologist at Ohio State Medical Center in a little over a week. They called today to schedule the appointment, but I can't remember the doctor's name. They are supposed to send a packet with more information, so I am hoping that will include the doctor's name because what I wrote down after the call is clearly NOT the name the woman said. Anyways, I am glad to be seeing someone who may be able to provide me with answers as opposed to just doing more testing that comes back "normal." I am glad that my MRI showed that I have no tumors or abnormal growths, my MRI showed no aneurysms or blood problems, and my CT showed no leaks of spinal fluid. I am happy about all of that, but not having answers is frustrating. I would like to know where the pain comes from, why, and with what risks, ((Backstory- For the past approximately two years, I have had strange symptoms. Every time I strain-lifting, pushing, pulling, straining, etc. I get a sharp blinding searing pain in my forehead. In the beginning it was just with heavy strain-moving furniture, carrying heavy laundry, constipation, etc. Over time it has become much more frequent. Every time I roll over in bed, stretch in the mornings, look up and bend backwards, bend over for a few minutes then stand up, etc. According to my Holzer neurologist, I have a pretty significant bend in my spinal cord where it enters my brain, but she was unsure of the how, why, and what that entailed. So she referred me to OSU Neurology. I just want to know why and if it is dangerous, etc. I also have realized in the past few weeks that I can't remember things that I should be able to. I can't remember the events of a day past yesterday. I couldn't tell you what I did on Sunday or before. With the exception of HUGE events, I can't remember what happened that day or what we did. I know I probably went to church and had dinner with family, but I can't say for certain that I did or what I did in between. It's become really frustrating and interfering with my job and life. I'm also forgetting little daily tasks like feeding the cat, running the sweeper, etc. I even forgot to put the car in park the other day at the grocery store! Ahhhh. So that's my brain and all the craziness that is up there.

 

As far as thinking goes... Why is it that some people are capable of intricate and critical thinking while other are only able to "skim the surface." They are unable to process deeper feelings and emotions. Is this a cause from environmental triggers and causes, genetics, or emotional and nurturing causes. I believe it is less of genetic causes and more of either emotional or environmental because select children in families, large or small ones can develop deep thought process while others are more "skimmers."

 

I think there are also other things linked to the "thinking gene" such as creativity and organizational skills. People (as fas as I have observed) who are deep thinkers seem to be messy, unorganized, scattered, highly creative, abstract arts enthusiest, etc. Not to say these people can't be skimmers, but I am stereo-typing and not ashamed. I am speaking in terms of the class as a whole, not the exceptions to the class. So because of this, I blame the hierarchy of education in part. School system nowadays encourages tactile and very rigid thinking processes. Arts are reduced to minimum time slots-gym, art, music, etc. are so rare that students are lucky to partake once a week in each area. Recess is nearly non existent. Recess allows not only for an increase of energy release but it also allows an individual to remain creative and constructive. Reducing recess has caused an exponential growth in the over-diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. Children at ages under 10 especially should not be required to sit for lessons for hours on end. Teachers can only remain so creative in exercises that allow for students to move about in the room. All humans require a release of kenetic energy. By decreasing recess, arts, music, gym, etc. we are requiring children to be medicate to "learn more." I don't believe that children who are medicated, especially overly medicate will learn much of anything. They may not be disruptive, distracted, or otherwise misbehaving, but it isn't because they are being attentive or focused. It is because parts of their brains are "muted." This may appear to work great for classroom uses. It appears that they are learning, they are well behaved, and they score better on testings. BUT...what happens when they no longer WANT to take the medication, especially after high school. Many of these kids will stop taking the medication and have the attention problems all over again and consuming much of their lives. Also, how much of the education will they actually be able to express over their short attention spans and high energy levels.

 

Would it not be more responsible to educate these children on how to control their impulses? ((AGAIN, I AM SPEAKING ABOUT THE MASSES. I have personally seen and worked with the exceptions. The children who TRULY have ADHD/ADD and cannot manage these symptoms without medication. These children, sadly, are the exception to the class nowadays.)) ADHD/ADD is a medically diagnosed and "treated" disease, however there is no cure. This disease, only in its true form, causes an individual much strain and strife. It is overpowering and unmanageable. They are truly unable to concentrate on anything and focus on one single task. Children who are easily excitable and energetic should NOT be medicated to make them easier to instruct. Schools should have no part of diagnosis of or referral for treatment of ADD/ADHD. Children should be tested and treated by TRAINED medical professionals.

 

On the other side, children should not be "expected to perform." They are not monkeys in a circus or some trained dog. They are our CHILDREN for goodness sakes. They should be taught to excel, not score highly on a test. If a child learns best while taking many small breaks, then TAKE SMALL BREAKS! I believe that recess in 15 or 30 minute incriments should be mandatory. There should be a 15 minute break every 60 minutes at a MINIMUM. This would NOT include changing classes, lunch, restroom breaks, or arts, etc. This break would be strictly for the purpose of expelling energy through play and creativity. With these breaks children would be more focused and calm to attain high levels of learning.

 

I also on a side not am very against statewide stardardized testing. I think testing is necessary to gain insight into teaching and school districts. However, these tests should be INDIVIDUALIZED. Students should be tested on the first day of schooling, with no prior knowledge or prepping. Then they should be measured yearly based on previous testing to show an increase of knowledge base and critical thinking process. Schools will be graded based up the gaining of knowledge percentages. Individualized testing, not standardized testing. Our children are not standard. They are unique and different. Plain and simple.

 

I have gotten very off topic, but that's how this brain works. Right wrong or indifferent, that's how it goes.

A Mind Full of Nothing

The alpha of my blogs. The first, the beginning, the numero uno. With extra time on my hands at the moment, I find it may be beneficial to blog a little... more for my own expression than your enjoyment. If you find yourself disliking the content, expressions, tone, subject, etc. please feel free to leave. As in, leave this site. I am uninterested in negative feedback. While I welcome constructive criticism, I do not welcome unsupported information and spammy feedback with no real validated points. If you would like to discuss those things, please create your own blog... MOVING ON...

Socioeconomical class in relation to education, physical/mental health, and familial relationships---
I find it very interesting that individuals who were born into and raised into poverty and low income are at such a risk of developing mental health problems, physical health problems, and limited healthy relationships. I will not say that individuals cannot get out of this cycle, but they are the exception, not the rule. I understand that many people succeed out of poverty and make great strides in their lives. However, for each person who breaks free from the bonds of poverty, 10 more remain within the cycles of low-income and poverty stricken families. Many of them will work low paying jobs and create their own families. Some of these individuals were raised with the practice of abusing the system and utilizing all government-state and federal, aide in order to survive and even sometimes thrive. My questions is posed as the chicken and egg dilemna: which came first? Are individual's impoverished BECAUSE of mental/physical health and little education? Or do they suffer mental/physical health problems FROM being impoverished?

In a hierarchy of classes such as this, there always will have to be an upper class, middle class, and lower class. The idea of increasing minimum wage to X dollars will not eliminate the lower class. I believe in fact that it will ENLARGE the lower class. Individuals working for $10.00 an hour are currently either upper lower class or lower middle class. They are currently making almost $3.00 an hour more. These individuals will likely NOT receive a pay raise in accordance to the raised minimum wage levels. Cost of product will increase as it will cost more to manufacture, distribute, and utilize goods and services. This cost will not be consumed by the company, but rather YOU the consumer.

What is the answer to the economy crisis then? In solving the current economy crisis, we could eliminate many of the individuals who are utilizing governmental supports. By eliminate, I mean send back to work. I think the solution to the economy crisis is two (or more) fold. First, the states and federal government must pay attention to what is coming and going through our borders. In order to establish more jobs, there must be more demand. Without demand, there is no need for jobs. We currently have too many consumers and not enough producers. In todays market, a significant amount of consumable goods are imported from places where they can be produced at significantly lower costs. This is exporting jobs in one swift step. By enforcing stronger trade and manufacturing laws would possibly cause tense situations with foreign countries. I also do not feel as though the country in which the goods are transported are at fault. They are simply making an item for a price reasonable for their markets. As a country, we take advantage of that fact. In order to return jobs stateside, I believe that there should be a tax. (Ahhhhh, that word that we all fear, yet never really understand!) The tax, however, would not be on the consumer (at least not directly.) I am NOT a mathematician, so I don't do numbers... BUT.. The tax would be placed on companies with sales greater than $X/year. The tax would be X% of profits, OR a flat rate of $X for each employed individual outside the U.S. This would also apply to companies where over 50% of the goods are manufactured in another country, whether assembled stateside or not. Companies can WAIVE the tax by utilizing legal residents in the manufacture, assembly, and distribution of products. Example: Chain Store imports all items from China. They are sold by Chain Store employees in-store or on-line. This company would be taxed based on the fact all items are imported. Example 2: Super Store manufactures 90% of their textiles, food, and other goods stateside. This company would NOT have to pay the tax. Example 3: Auto Line: All parts are manufactured outside the states and are only assembled in the states. This company would be inspected for how much work actually occurs outside the states. Based on figures, this company would probably be taxed. The tax would the be utilized to fund the unemployment and SSI/disability ONLY.

This program would increase funds for those programs while decreasing the NEED for those funds. Tune in next time for more of my mind running full speed! :D