My name is Jeff Baughman, and I’m responding to some questions about a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-uOO6O9uus) from the perspective of a parent.
The main idea of this video is that the very best in technology and other emerging industries can only be envisioned by young people. Their untrammeled creativity and optimism are precisely the origin of new ideas. Young people need to be exposed to and encouraged to use technology to experiment with how it can improve our lives in the future. The world will be theirs eventually, and we adults sometimes just need to listen to their dreams and help guide them. It’s a real team effort.
As an advertisement, this message is intended for adults because they would be the ones to purchase the phone. However, because the video has a very old style to it (early 20th century), some adults may make connections to their own young lives and recollect experiences where they had great, game-changing ideas, but instead did not act on them. Beyond my own childhood, this video also conjures up thoughts of my own children. Perhaps I should listen more closely to them when they share their thoughts with me. Admittedly, the technology advances on which the little girl in the video speaks are several generations away from her, she still possesses the foresight to see the possibilities. Perhaps my own children could benefit from a closer ear.
The video was effective for me as a parent. The message about children being the future really struck home, especially when I think of my own children. It helped me see their young, naïve ideas as something to mind closer. The video’s ability to make me buy the phone for the child is much weaker, but I do see the benefits of exposing my child to technology to at least help them acclimate to it. After some exposure, maybe they have some ideas on how to make it better.
The second video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEnRLudDI0Q) I respond to will also be from the perspective of a parent.
The main idea or point of this video is clearly the negative effects of addiction, specifically addition to technology. It is a tragic illness that effects people when they probably have no idea. Most parents probably are not thinking about an addiction to technology as a problem, but it is a real thing and, as shown in the video, can have extremely negative consequences.
This video seems to be targeting parents, mothers specifically. Although the victim of addiction is the video is a woman, I do not believe that this is a gender-specific problem. When it comes to technology, the benefits are social connectivity. It becomes possible to share thoughts, feelings, experiences, tragedies and successes with a global community, helping to support the idea that we are not alone in this world. However, some people can become overwhelmed by the opportunity to richly connect with people far away that they ignore and neglect people around them (the mother’s children and her husband in the video). Hopefully, people see this video and examine their own lives and their dependence on technology. Is it hurting or helping the people you love?
The methods employed by this video make it mostly effective. They present a clear example of technology addiction as well as the negative impacts on the family. It makes me think about my own family and how much time each of us spends in front of a screen, even when we are in the same room with our each other. Can I say for certain that I am 100% present when my child or spouse is speaking? Conversely, is my child addicted to technology? When given free time, what does he choose to do? Go outside and play, or hop on an interactive video game? Furthermore, when my child is struggling with a problem, do they come talk to me, or do they instead turn to technology to solve their problems? This is terrifying to me because the internet is full of misinformation and people who prey on weak individuals. I would not want my child to fall victim to people like this.
Mr. Baughman’s Musings 