social media's anti-socialization myth

From the blog

Middle Class Tech

Social Media’s

anti-Socialization

Myth

During a kitchen table conversation

regarding the effect of internet-connected mobile devices and social

media on the six grandchildren

in her house

…my mother-in-law asserted that

these elements were detrimental

to the face-to-face socialization

opportunities and practices of the ten to fourteen-

year-olds scurrying around her

She was concerned about the amount of

time they were spending using their

iPod Touches and iPads to engage in social media using services like Snapchat,

Instagram, Kik, and Vine

I've heard this perspective

shared by others—often older folks or

those who engage with

technology less than the

average person

Many simply don't share the

wanderlust of modern

millennials toward their back pocket devices and

wi-fi-connected touchscreens

It's an attitude and fear that is

increasingly pervasive among

paranoid helicopter

parents and those who spent the bulk of their

lives without this technology

Unfortunately, ignorance

breeds fear

Myriad online virtual communities

are not corrupting the social skills

and manners of our children;

I contend that they are

enhancing these skills

Before you call BS, let me

explain

Via school, marching band,

volunteer activities, neighborhood

friends, shopping, the library, etc,

the average middle-class child

gets plenty of face-to-face socialization

Instead of replacing in-person

interactions, mobile

device-based social media

are

actually supplementing

them

We're augmenting what we've

always done as humans

We're still sitting around

camp fires telling scary

stories

But we're now also telling

those stories on Tumblr, Facebook,

WordPress, and Twitter

My 13-year-old daughter can

slam out text on her iPod Touch faster than any

human I've witnessed

But this mastery doesn't

come cheap

This girl has spent

much time locked into her mobile

device

Sucking down virtual

companionship and cultural enrichment

Considering the huge investment

of time and effort she's

made in these app-based

networking services

Are my daughter‘s social skills

lacking?

Hardly—

she's probably the most

social member

of my family

She has twice the social skills of some Amish

kid cruelly deprived of technology

and modern social media

All without negatively

affecting her grades or volunteer activities

Not only does social media

not put a ding in the real-world

social skills of these kids

Social media often directly enhances the

social skills of children

The virtual social media world feeds

our "face-to-face" reality

And vice

versa

Ignoring such a detailed

dynamic gets a Luddite

button pinned to

your chest

Some kids are really

social

It will show in both

their physical

and virtual social worlds

Which will surely

interact

Other kids are shy or

introverted

A virtual or social media-based

existence allows those who

may lack self-confidence

to engage with likeminded

others

Interactions possibly too intimidating if performed face-to-face

Working with social media

"training wheels" may actually help

young people engage in

real life

Proving to them that they can

successfully conduct and gain

enrichment from interactions

with others

Having options is

good

Today, our kids have more varied

and dynamic social

opportunities than at any time in the

history of humans

Our children's socialization

skills are surely critical as they

mature

Is negatively criticizing young

people for harnessing

social media to interact

and share ideas

Across borders, cultures,

and stigmas

Really the approach we want to take?

The author kindly requests

that you check out

Home Theater

for the Internet Age

Other Books by Curt Robbins

Understanding Personal Data Security

Understanding Digital Music

Understanding Cutting the Cord

Understanding Home Theater

About Curt Robbins

Blog: Middle Class Tech

Flipboard magazine: Middle Class Tech

Twitter: @CurtRobbins