When the suicide of Rutgers’ student Tyler Clementi hit the headlines last week, people were shocked on many levels. Of course, there are huge issues around cyber-bullying and sexual orientation/identity. But what really struck me was the age of the people involved and what seemed to be the utter lack of understanding that some things were private. I was shocked to think that freshmen college students would think it was OK to video someone without their knowledge or consent, and broadcast that recording live across the web. Forget the fact that it was a sexual encounter of any kind; recording any activity of anyone without their knowledge and consent is not only an invasion of privacy, it raises ethical concerns, as well.
Technology has the ability to affect the way generations see the world, and every generation has had their “new” technology. When I was talking to my mom the other day about technology, she told me how it was a big deal when she got an electric washing machine to replace her ringer washer. But mom’s new washer was a convenience; she couldn’t hurt other people with it. Technology now is still about convenience, but it’s also about access to information. And, because of our celebrity culture, the access to information has turned into social networking and people broadcasting their own and other’s information, sometimes in quite inappropriate ways. The line between what is public and what should be private has been very blurred.
I’ll admit, I’m a Gen X’er, so my perspective is different from the Millenials or the Net Gen. I am on Facebook, and I recently joined Twitter. It’s been fun reconnecting with friends and family that I lost track of through the years. But sometimes the social networks are information overload for me. People post every thought they have, often not realizing that the information is now public, and that what they have posted may have repercussions down the road. And, as if it’s not bad enough that everyone has to know you ate a piece of pepperoni pizza for lunch, you can now share your location so everyone will know exactly what location of what pizza chain you bought it from. These announcements may be good for companies and name recognition and branding, but as a casual user, I’m left thinking, “Really?”
How do you think modern technology has influenced you and your generation? Where is the line between public and private? When do you think information shared has crossed the line into too much information? I’d love to hear what you think.
Thanks for this Susan. I think the big divider is between X and Millenials. As I was born in 1980, I sort of straddle both generational cultures, though I tend to identify more with Gen X. I think late Gen X and millenials were the first ones to be fully immersed in an electronic world from a very early age. Some of my best memories are of popping quarters into “Street Fighter II” at the local arcade, and taking on other local kids. That morphed into Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, then eventually Playstation and Xbox. This generatin was the first to really imagine themselves as something else (something better?) inside a virtual universe, which, as the MUD and IRC chatrooms eventually turned into social media, became more and more detailed and “real”.
This generation literally has a virtual “personae”, painstakingly developed and maintained in tandem with their “real” relationships and personality. For this generation, being part of a virtual world is like breathing. It’s not that I really care what my friends ate for lunch, but it’s like the old “tree falling in a forest” riddle; if you don’t post it on Facebook or Twitter, did it really happen? For this generation, in some ways, the answer is no. In my opinion, the recent suicides we’ve seen as a result of gaybashing and/or cyberbullying have as much to do with kids online personae being compromised, as they do bullying and homophobia.
I love the game stuff…the other stuff..not so much…Maybe it’s because I’m 61. I think the new generation has too much information going on and they can hardly process all of it. It’s why everyone thinks time goes too fast. An old person’s perspective.
Oh, and your stuff was wonderful!!
Thank you very much for the comments Christine!
There was an article on this in the most recent People magazine, as well. I think the repercussions of privacy, technology and generations are just coming into focus. The consequences of actions are at once immediate, and also removed from interpersonal relations. Thanks for your post Susan, well written and thought provoking.