Digital Nation

For another class I am taking we had to watch a documentary called Digital Nation. This documentary looks at how the Web and digital media have shaped our culture to what is it today and what it will be like in the future. I found this really interesting and relevant to this class since we are the ones creating the digital media and we are also living through this transformation. The film debuted in 2010 but everything that is mentioned in it, from the problems with multitasking during lectures to the crazy video game culture, is relevant to our everyday lives (especially the multitasking during lectures).

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I thought it was funny to see and listen to the different points-of-view of students, professors, and experts about the effects of multitasking. Students say that they can do it easily and have no problems with it. I must admit that I was definitely multitasking while watching this film, and I was still able to understand its premise. Some professors talked about how they have to think of new ways to make their classes more interesting so that students don’t feel the need to constantly be on their laptops or phones. When the experts (psychologists/doctors) spoke, they said that multitasking has negative effects, and that it is detrimental to students’ learning. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been multitasking for a while now, and yeah, maybe it’s not helping me learn as much, but I think I’m getting by just alright.

If you like video games at all, I think you’ll find the second part of this film very interesting. It features Korea and how children there spend hours upon hours playing video games. We meet one teen in particular who had to go to a “rescue” camp to help cure his internet and video game addiction. Imagine having these camps here? Maybe they actually do exist and we are unaware of them.

I recommend watching this film if you have some extra free time, or don’t. It’s not a big deal.