I can sleep, listen to music, study, and e-mail all at once. Can YOU??

I was reminded in class today about a subject that turned into a rather heated discussion with some acquaintances of mine a while ago. It was concerning the message of this video, directed by an instructor at Kansas State University, who had become internet famous with his viral 'web 2.0' introduction video. After seeing the 4.5 millions hits it now has, I'm even more amazed at how this sort of information, presented in a fashionable and casual way, can captivate people to the extent that it does. The video mainly deals with modern student's perspectives on education, and how negatively influential new technologies have been on the lifestyle and habits of a typical college graduate.

Besides the incredible number of logical and reasoning fallacies (thank you PHIL150!) that are rampant throughout the video, I would like to first address the specific information presented in the video. The facts presented in the video are, as unfortunate as it is to believe, complete bull. Taken from a self-written collaborative survey form, using a sample size of one class of the same students that wrote the survey, and consisting entirely of arts liberal majors like Media Studies and Anthropology, the data is so incredibly bias and confounded that it should be taken with an entire bag of salt grains. Anyone understanding even the simplest of research and data collection procedures will know that the only useful thing that can some of information collected in this manner is finding out what percentage of the population will believe anything they see in a YouTube video.

Okay, enough ranting... Anyways, as you can see, besides repeatedly pressing my pseudo-scientific annoyance button, the video clearly speaks to a larger and more significant problem that this professor's class believes is present, and that nearly 4 million others might as well. So, has technology made the average student's lives as hectic, disconnected, overwhelming, and excruciating as the video describes? No.

Oh, I have to explain myself? Well, fine...

Ask any student, even the ones in this Kansas State classroom, whether they would be willing to remove the 'distracting' technologies they use - cellphone, laptop, Facebook, email, television, music - to make their life more enjoyable and less hectic. How many would voluntarily do this? Well, using my detailed 'scientific study' of asking myself and the person sitting next to me, the results are exactly 0%!

This is what the debate usually boils down to, and how it is very similar to other debates that people have over the dilution of experience by virtue of modern technologies. Watching movies at home has taken away from the 'authentic' theatre experience, most communication - done through digital means such as IM or e-mail - has lost meaning and significance which creates socially inept adults, families spend less time together because the individuals are busy being slaves to technological appliances. And the list goes on, and on. Again, we will pose a question to these individuals. Will you give up all of these annoying and personally destructive habits, and go back to your live Shakespearean dramas for entertainment, your carrier pigeons for communication, and your wonderfully blissful and pristine family dinners.

The reality is that these things have never commonly existed, and that American life before this 'technological apocalypse' was just as stressful, just as individualistic, and generally much more difficult than it is now. Schools, particularly Universities, were actually difficult then too, and in many cases required a much more dedicated and focused student than is expected now. A newer video made by the same class and teacher, with thankfully much less exposure, basically sums up exactly what they believe is happening to modern students. Anyone with critical thinking skills will see how truly ridiculous some of these comments/complaints are. My comment on the video when I first saw it accurately describes my beliefs on the matter:

"This dramatic look at an average college student's life is just that, drama. I am a second year university student and my experience isn't this hectic, miserable, and over-stressful one. The times and technology are changing, yes, but this has only provided the means for students to express feelings that have been there for generations. University is supposed to be challenging, but complaining about it and dramatizing it like this is silly.

Just the opinion of a CS major though, what do I know? ; )"