6th April, 2006
I have to express wonder at the number of blogs that exist. I come from a generation which definitely knows how to use a computer, can write with a pen as well as type on a keyboard. May or may not be too gadget friendly. And blogging is perhaps not an uncommon activty, but not highly prevalent either.
Today's high school kids, as I view the spectrum in the US of A is vastly different. Kids here use laptops at school. Apple i-books at that. (and to think Apple is still to enter the Indian market in a big way!) It seems that one of the biggest difficulties parents face here is monitoring what the kids see and write on. Porn is easily available on the net. So are entire websites on how to be anorexic or bulimic or how to concoct the newest intoxicant or mindless games where all you do is kill figures hiding behind bushes. So are newspapers and literature and classical music. But those things usually do not excite the average kid. Parents am sure are worried! And how kids blog! Some blogs even have a count of number of times the blogger used the restroom et al. Gross.
My point is that the joy of reading or wandering around in a park, social skills and family time are the victims. Without these, I wonder how the adults would turn out to be. A world of computer savvy, somewhat unsocial, non book-loving adults? Sounds like a scenario that I don't care about. What can be done? can't ask the porn vendors to put an age restriction, can we?! Or restrict the sites a kid visits. Kids are too smart for that. So maybe actively involve kids in other activities. Maybe. I wonder.
On the subject of blogging, I kinda enjoyed http://www.meghalomania.com/ May want to read it too!
May the Force be With You!