IM and always on technology
LA Times has a great article on teens and the always-on technology such as mobile phones, computers and more. It goes into a bit of an analysis of the impact of this presence on social interaction and development, as well as the pure necessity of these technologies to today’s youth interactions. But it also speaks highly of IM as integral to this.
There is a nice quote within the article that sums it all up:
The most popular instant messaging program, AIM, is distributed by America Online. “If you don’t have AIM, you don’t have friends,” Will Wu said.
Being a scholar in communication studies, I really enjoyed the whole article, and highly suggest you give it a read. I particularly like the discussion about socialization. Everything we know and do are learned behaviours. If we grow up with more technology, we can use it and flip between them in a non-linear thought pattern. It’s definitely a part of our “wiring.” There is a whole lot of work done that connects behaviour and culture to the brain itself, and it’s quite interesting.
“They don’t make the same distinctions between online and offline; they pick the best medium for them,” said Abbe Don, a consumer researcher at computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co.
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