I thought it worth discussing the generational effects of communication multitasking and how it may be affecting other aspects of daily life. In a recent article by Camille Paglia, she discusses how Lady Gaga’s fans don’t need someone who is real and expressional. Her fans, or her “little monsters” are used to a flat affect. They are so interwoven into a life of texting, emailing, and chatting that perhaps they’ve forgotten (or maybe have never even known) what face to face communication can look like.
As she states “Gaga’s flat affect doesn’t bother them because they’re not attuned to facial expressions. Gaga's fans are marooned in a global technocracy of fancy gadgets but emotional poverty. Borderlines have been blurred between public and private: reality TV shows multiply, cell phone conversations blare everywhere; secrets are heedlessly blabbed on Facebook and Twitter. Hence, Gaga gratuitously natters on about her vagina…” [1]
So is this the case for tweens and teens… Are they so wound up in their digital communication devices that they are so far removed from face to face communication that a fake, plastic performer is just as good? Is this a generation of people who’s emotions are visible only through emoticons and “LOL’s”? And what has led to this?
Paglia points out that the population of Gaga monsters are “marooned” in technology leaving a desperate void of emotions. The information overload points to an inability to process the important. Emotions, sex, and intimate feelings are blasted through every medium possible toning down the importance of such things. Multitasking appears to be assisting in desensitizing humanness.
Much research has been done on the effects of viewing violence through media and how it can desensitize people towards violent acts [2].
However, what about media as a whole? Is our obsession with consuming media 24 hours a day through an array of multifaceted channels causing us to become desensitized?
In a Psychology Today article, the author points out that she puts her kids on a “media diet” each school year which includes no TV during the week. Imagine if a typical American 16 year old was weaned off TV for a week – it could crash a social life! [3]
The Zur Institute points out ‘Spending countless hours a day, everyday, on the Internet or in online gaming can interfere with young people's emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual development.”[4] Digital age Natives (as the media addicted generation is called) are potentially hampering their ability to engage in face to face discussion, express themselves emotionally (other than on a handheld device of sorts), or interact with friends on a deeper level.
How many times have we witnessed someone texting someone who is within vocal range. I myself am guilty – 2 years ago I had a neighbor who was a good friend of mine – she lived right next door, but sometimes it was just easier; more convenient to text her. Are we losing our ability to communicate in full phrases? Have shorthand text messaging and emails become the norm?
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