paper two ideas

September 29, 2008 bayleeheisler

                My first idea for Paper two is to explore the cult of text messaging. It has become a generational obsession which deepens with every new cell phone on the market. Teenagers have come to communicate with one another solely through sending text messages. During movies, in class, at work, and even while driving, texting is taking over society. No longer do we take the time to call a friend and have an actual conversation. Instead, we find it easier to type short questions and responses to one another. I am part of the texting generation and I feel its effects are overall negative. I hope to get across that texting is causing many of us to lose important social skills because we rely on our cell phones to meet and get to know another.

What am I writing about?  My generation’s addiction to text messaging

Why am I writing about this topic? I am directly affected, and although I feel text messaging is a great way to communicate and get to know someone briefly, it largely affects my generation’s social skills by not communicating face to face in the “real world”

What do I know about this topic and what do I still need to find out? I know that wherever I go it seems that everyone pulls out there cell phones to check text messages. This includes anywhere public such as movie theatres, restaurants, sports games, church, class, etc…

What are my personal feelings on the matter? I do not want to completely stop communicating through text messaging but I do not want to lose my social skills.

What effect do I want my writing to have on the reader (keep in mind the audience for this piece)? The older generation had much better social skills because they did not have the technology of today to communicate. Instead of a phone call or text message people would walk or drive to their friends’ houses and have in depth conversations to build relationships

What is my readers’ understanding of the issue? Older generations have visual experience on the use of cell phones. Wherever they go they see teenagers distracted by their cell phones.

What biases or objectives (mine or my readers) should I take into account? Older generation is against technology, while my generation seems to be all for technological growth and convenience of communicating through text messaging

Which Common Culture reading might be a good fit for my proposition? And how can I use it (will the cultural artifact or ritual extend the article or seek to disprove it or what?)? Our cell phones, ourselves will be a good reference for my topic. The article gives good examples on how cell phones take people out of the real world and place us in a bubble with our cell phones.

                Another idea I have is to explore the cult of Face book online.  It is a huge online network where teens post pictures, comment on other’s pages, and meet people from similar high schools or colleges. It is a useful tool to keep in contact with faraway friends and family, however it is rapidly becoming another social barrier. Instead of going out and experience the real world, society may find themselves at home on a Friday night searching through friends and having conversations on facebook. I feel that opening a facebook account is parallel to joining a cult. You don’t know what you are getting yourself into until you are addicted and check your computer ten times a day. I would hope to get across that face book and other online social tools  such as MySpace are fine in moderation but can quickly leave you disconnected from the real world and remain lost in cyber space.

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