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NOTICE
OUR ELECTRONIC ADDICTION
There are text-messaging rehab facilities in the U.K., The pope has released an official warning about the dangers of facebook abuse and burger king challenges you to de-friend on facebook to get a free whopper. When did digital communication get so controversial and why do we seem so addicted to it?
// VALERIE SKUBAL
It's hard to go into any classroom and not hear a buzzing noise from someone's pocket. His or her cell phone is getting contact from the outside world that's just too hard to ignore during those 50 minutes. But now it's not just text messages or phone calls — it could be an e-mail, a Twitter feed or a Facebook notification.
Emily Meyer, Shawnee senior, noticed her addiction to "being connected" while studying abroad in Spain when she realized she missed her BlackBerry. The sound of someone else's BlackBerry would send her to her bag searching for hers when it wasn't there. "Now that I'm back I constantly have it with me," Meyer says. She says she is always on her phone checking Facebook or CNN.
"I don't know how many times I've said, 'Can you please put your phone away?'" says Andrew Demo, Shawnee senior and Meyer's boyfriend.
During her difficult classes she must stow it away, but during her dullest lectures she chooses to surf the web on her phone. "I figure it's better than sleeping," she says.
Some students are now using their phones to be more productive. Meghan Puhr, Olathe senior, uses her iPhone to correspond with businesses about Rock Chalk Revue, an annual campus-wide variety show, which she is helping organize this year. "It's more efficient and easy to get in contact with people with e-mail on your phone instead of going to a computer," she says. Communicating professionally is one of the reasons she has an iPhone, along with the fun personal aspects. Puhr thinks that at the end of college people must start acting like adults and her iPhone helps her in that process.
Nancy Robinson, consumer strategist with a consumer research company, observes trends
within the millennial generation. She says the college-aged individual has been using computers with things like instant messenger and e-mail at a very young age. Instant access is something that the current generation has gotten used to:
Robinson says that the anytime, anywhere ability to access media, information and personal contact has become the norm. And with smart phones, it's even easier to stay connected. But Robinson says that it's possible to have a good balance of personal time and work time.
"You can check social networks and e-mail while you're at school and work and you're not necessarily abandoning it. It's just a blend of both," she says.
Another expert thinks our addiction has to do with status and sexuality. Frank McAndrew, professor of psychology at Knox College, believes that Facebook addiction is based on evolution.
"In our distant prehistoric past, people who were in tune with the status of other people like who was friends with whom, who is sleeping with whom and which falling outs were pending simply were more socially successful than people who were not good at this," he says.
Andrew says these things are a result of the heightened drive to find a mate that young adults have and having access to all of the information on Facebook aids the process. "The problem with the electronic communication is that it offers 24/7 access to this kind of information, while it's indeed highly addictive. If you are not spending time on this and your competitors are, who knows what might happen," he says.
So for whatever reason someone can be addicted to technology, a balance is necessary because it's here to stay.
Photo illustration by Amanda Kitsner
Photo illustration by Amanda Kitsner
'Has anyone updated yet? How about now? Now?' The college-aged generation has grown up with the Internet and now has become accustomed to constant connection with the world through social media and smart phones. But are we all suffering from an addiction to being virtually connected, forgetting to connect in the real world? ('Still no Tweets!')
PICK YOUR POISON
TWITTER
It asks, "What are you doing?" In 140 characters or less you tell the world what you're up to. Celebrities have started using this to be more accessible to fans and fans sign up to follow their favorites. You can also follow numerous University organizations such as Student Union Activities (and @JayplayMagazine!) to find out the latest news.
THE GADGETS AND SOCIAL MEDIA THAT GET YOU CONNECTED AND ADDICTED.
FACEBOOK
Many of us have used Facebook from the day we got our first college e-mail addresses, but now anyone can be a member, making it easier to connect with friends, relatives and even strangers.
The smart phone allows you to get e-mail alerts on your phone and reply without ever
going to a computer. It is customizable to the individual needs of the user and helps with organization. It also has entertaining and useful downloadable applications. APPLE IPHONE
This touch-screen smart phone can do more than just make calls and text message. It can act as your iPod and your laptop, enabling you to store songs and get online. It also has
various applications to download to simplify your life, or at least entertain you between classes.
APPLE IPOD
Whether you put those white ear buds in to give your walk on campus a soundtrack or to ignore that person on the bus next to you, this device stores thousands of songs and now with the iPod Touch you can access the Internet and check your Facebook in class.
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