Crazy People

[sarah_ab]

Ok.. benefit of the doubt.. maybe they were texting each other? lol..

[spoonchicken]

People are stupid AND THEY SUCK

[FretaBWet]

Families come in all shapes and sizes. To someone from a similar family these people would seem normal They also are engaging in behavior that's looked down on by many even though it doesn't hurt anyone. That should feel somewhat familiar by many on this site. I wouldn't practice this behavior myself, but I will defend their right to engage in it.

[Guest]

Where was this technology when I was a kid?

[square_duck]

Families come in all shapes and sizes. To someone from a similar family these people would seem normal They also are engaging in behavior that's looked down on by many even though *it doesn't hurt anyone*. That should feel somewhat familiar by many on this site. I wouldn't practice this behavior myself, but I will defend their right to engage in it.

Hugs,

Freta

* it doesn't hurt anyone* it actually does, it hurts the individual child as they are not bonding with their parents and family. Family is family, and coming from a broken and dysfunctional household myself, I understand this first hand. Your siblings are the people you (they) should be treasuring the most, as they will be the only ones they have when the parents are gone. My parents are gone, my dad didn't want kids, and now I don't even have an older brother because I'm not good enough for him and he looks down on me...all I have left is my younger brother, who I try to take care of.

It hurts the kids and their social skills and being able to cope in modern society. Burying ones self in electronic devices for 'entertainment' and to distract you from 'reality' is hurtful. There is a time and a place for everything, and as mentioned, the parents need to set those boundaries, and one of them needs to be "no electronic gizmos at the table during "family time" this helps insure a connection to everyone....with out that, there isn't anything and these kids will be growing up in a household as strangers to each other.

I spent 4 days with a friend and his family, and his 2 kids get along great. They play games together and make up stuff together and are there for each other...it was amazing to see. They have cameras to take pics and were able to discuss things (both are young grade school age) and have that 'bond'. families with out that will continue to have problems and really just be strangers to each other and essentially be 'social cripples' in not being able to socialize with others around them or in the school and work environment.

All this is VERY destructive behavior, and isolating people into their own little 'BOX' with in themselves.

Technology is fine I guess but there has to be a discipline (personal) to go with it.

yes I have a cell phone I carry all the time but I only use if I have to. It doesn't take pictures nor can it surf the web, it's a phone, for phone calls

I don't have an Ipad, Ipod, Iphone or laptop, I just don't need all the 'junk' I have my mind and I can think and I socialize with others and enjoy my day. I see people shopping with tier ear buds in oblivious to the world, mindlessly shopping and wandering around. Even people on the street, walking along with their music (or what ever) in their earphones...not looking at traffic, or paying attention...in their own private world,oblivious to everything...until they almost get hit by a car while not watching traffic or the cross signals at an intersection....obvivious and distracted....thast todays society...and it will continue to get worse

These are also tomorrows Voters, employees...corporate CEO's fortunatly, there are families and individuals that haven't fallen into this trap, and are paying attention, and learning and are 'aware' so they can become the leaders and successful people of tomorrow, while all the rest of the brain dead ones sit in amazement and whine and complain about others success and why 'THEY' don't have that etc..sadly this pool of people is growing smaller and smaller> the voice of the educated is growing smaller and less of a threat to the powers that be everyday, and we do it to our selves..

[ForbiddenFruit]

It's absurd. I grew out of that in my early teens, if not before. 'Bringing in the gameboy' gave way to 'bringing in the book' and then nothing afterwards. Now I'll just read or write if I'm alone.

[Diapered Jason]

It drives me qwazy at work when a coworker is done with what ever task they have, whips out their phone and starts scrolling through facebook or what ever, while 'waiting' to be told to do something else. if I was a manager those damn things would be confiscated or the employee would be asked to turn the damn thing off and leave it in their car or locker.....

Todays 'kids' are tomorrows employees....and I see American productivity dropping like flies with this crap.

What ever happened to good old fashioned "FAMILY VALUES" and "FAMILY TIME"

Mom giving her daughter another battery??!!! Talk about enabling a dysfunctional situation...GAH!!

[timmyc]

playing devils advocate here, maybe the kids do only get an hour a day, and the rest of the day is spent on homework, outdoor activity.

[sarah_ab]

actually studies as far back as 10 years ago have shown children who text have better social skills, are better communicators, both written and oral, and have stronger bonds with others..

[rusty pins]

I concede that at times texting might be better than speaking on a phone.

[ForbiddenFruit]

I think that woman's problem was that she was fucking stupid, not that she was texting instead of talking.

[Santiago]

It never fails to impress how judgmental people are about others when all they have is but a brief snapshot of other people's lives.

[Nat]

It never fails to impress how judgmental people are about others when all they have is but a brief snapshot of other people's lives.

[oliver d]

I know how its to have kids like that ,my two do 24/7 connected to there computers Ipads and phones I tried to install family values and social values into them but the environment and friend make it a losing battle so now my wife and myself just accept it for what the youth of today is.

[DailyDi]

I know how its to have kids like that ,my two do 24/7 connected to there computers Ipads and phones I tried to install family values and social values into them but the environment and friend make it a losing battle so now my wife and myself just accept it for what the youth of today is.

[feralfreak]

I know how its to have kids like that ,my two do 24/7 connected to there computers Ipads and phones I tried to install family values and social values into them but the environment and friend make it a losing battle so now my wife and myself just accept it for what the youth of today is.

I agree with dailydi, you, YOU are the parent, so parent them, take them away, make them have a tech free day, my niece and nephew have them, for a day they go without playing games or checking their phones or messing with their ipods, you say you tried to give them family values, if they aren't taking them, they need an incentive, getting their gizmos back would be a good one, and when they get them back give them limits and if they break those limits, they lose them longer next time.

[DavidMW]

Umm, take the gadgets away if they won't use them responsibly and in moderation.

[feralfreak]

I never had kids myself so I'm not in a position to offer parenting advice.

[Sky guy]

People are gonna forget how to interact with other people.

[lilme`]

People are gonna forget how to interact with other people.

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

I would recommend two things:

The two-part STAR TREK:The Original Series Episode: THE CAGE

Isaac Asmov's THE NAKED SUN

[DiaperPony]

As I grew up, I learned to chat via computers. First there were online services like Prodigy, where it was pretty much just email. Then there were newsgroups (usenet).

Then I discovered IRC, around 1993 or so. Now this was cool, because I could chat with people in real time. But, they didn't see me typing and I could correct mistakes. I was glued to that for years, and I still frequent one room.

Anyhow, texting is like IRC to me, and I like it better. When I am on the phone, I feel like it sometimes demands more than I can keep up with. I don't have time to think about how I want to say something, and if I say something poorly, it is too late. But with a text I have the opportunity to take my time and word it the way I want (doesn't always happen, of course), and I don't have to reply instantly.

[spoonchicken]

_{People are gonna forget how to interact with other people.}