A couple of nights ago, we had dinner we some of my dad's first cousins. They were from another, shall I say, less technologically-endowed generation. They were quite appalled at the seeming disjointness of today's youths from the real world. The advent of the internet - of Web 2.0, social networking and Facebook - is the main culprit. They rued the fact that kids nowadays hardly play outdoors anymore, choosing to live quasi-anonymous online lives instead. Kids today tend to border on the sedentary, as they neglect physical activities in favor of the computer chair or the couch.
Frankly speaking, I can relate to both sides of the spectrum. My generation is old enough to remember the pre-Internet days - when kids actually go outside the house to play games. But then again, I'm young enough that instant messaging and social network comes quite naturally.
As kids growing up in the late 80's up to the mid-90's, my dad controlled our access to the ever tempting world of television, computer games and information technology. We weren't allowed to watch the boob tube during school days. On weekends, our TV viewing time was limited from 12 nn to late evening. My dad gave my brother and I obsolete computers to discourage us from playing the most popular computer games. Moreover, he staunchly refused to provide gaming consoles like the iconic Nintendo and Play Station.
Instead, my parents made available a wondrous endowment of books, music lessons and enrolled us into every imaginable summer sports clinic.
Of course, I resented those restrictions. I couldn't appreciate the limited TV time and uber-slow 2x86 computers. I had no other choice but pore over the multitude of books. In literature, I discovered a wealth of wonders. I developed a wild imagination where I used to daydream for hours at length. I wasn't overly enthusiastic with the repetitive piano lessons, but it did succeed in instilling musical appreciation. I did not appreciate the early swimming, tennis and basketball lessons at first, but in time, I developed an intrinsic love for track & field that persists until this very moment.
As we grew older, the restrictions loosened and eventually disappeared. By the time I was in college, I was pretty much free to do everything I want, in light of my new-found maturity. I still did not watch TV during weekdays, in light of the grueling demands of academics and athletics. But I did develop an above average proficiency for literature. I could express my thoughts eloquently in writing and in speech.
In time, I became thankful for my parents' unique style of upbringing.
In this day and age of convergence, broadband internet and Facebook, I am confident that I won't get lost in the proverbial technological jungle. There's always this danger of blurring of the lines between reality and virtual reality.
Now that I'm approaching quarter-life, I can say in honesty that I'm living a well-balanced life. Just like most of my peers, I'm pretty much connected through the use of Facebook, Twitter and Wordpress. I could spend hours tinkering with the aforesaid sites. More importantly, I remain well-connected with reality, having a vibrant social life and a multitude of athletic pursuits.
I absolutely love the ease of communication brought about by Twitter and Facebook. I maintain a detailed blog, sharing it to a multitude of people from all over the globe, thanks to the World Wide Web. But I make it a point not to live a life disjointed from what's real.
Real world interactions form the foundations of my online alter-ago.
Frankly speaking, I can relate to both sides of the spectrum. My generation is old enough to remember the pre-Internet days - when kids actually go outside the house to play games. But then again, I'm young enough that instant messaging and social network comes quite naturally.
As kids growing up in the late 80's up to the mid-90's, my dad controlled our access to the ever tempting world of television, computer games and information technology. We weren't allowed to watch the boob tube during school days. On weekends, our TV viewing time was limited from 12 nn to late evening. My dad gave my brother and I obsolete computers to discourage us from playing the most popular computer games. Moreover, he staunchly refused to provide gaming consoles like the iconic Nintendo and Play Station.
Instead, my parents made available a wondrous endowment of books, music lessons and enrolled us into every imaginable summer sports clinic.
Of course, I resented those restrictions. I couldn't appreciate the limited TV time and uber-slow 2x86 computers. I had no other choice but pore over the multitude of books. In literature, I discovered a wealth of wonders. I developed a wild imagination where I used to daydream for hours at length. I wasn't overly enthusiastic with the repetitive piano lessons, but it did succeed in instilling musical appreciation. I did not appreciate the early swimming, tennis and basketball lessons at first, but in time, I developed an intrinsic love for track & field that persists until this very moment.
As we grew older, the restrictions loosened and eventually disappeared. By the time I was in college, I was pretty much free to do everything I want, in light of my new-found maturity. I still did not watch TV during weekdays, in light of the grueling demands of academics and athletics. But I did develop an above average proficiency for literature. I could express my thoughts eloquently in writing and in speech.
In time, I became thankful for my parents' unique style of upbringing.
In this day and age of convergence, broadband internet and Facebook, I am confident that I won't get lost in the proverbial technological jungle. There's always this danger of blurring of the lines between reality and virtual reality.
Now that I'm approaching quarter-life, I can say in honesty that I'm living a well-balanced life. Just like most of my peers, I'm pretty much connected through the use of Facebook, Twitter and Wordpress. I could spend hours tinkering with the aforesaid sites. More importantly, I remain well-connected with reality, having a vibrant social life and a multitude of athletic pursuits.
I absolutely love the ease of communication brought about by Twitter and Facebook. I maintain a detailed blog, sharing it to a multitude of people from all over the globe, thanks to the World Wide Web. But I make it a point not to live a life disjointed from what's real.
Real world interactions form the foundations of my online alter-ago.
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