Samantha,
With full knowledge that I don't know if or when you will read this letter - I send it to you with a heart full of love, sadness, and hope.
I don't remember much about being fifteen years old. As a sophomore in John S. Burke Catholic High School my days were taken with school work, a season of track, and the high school theater company. I remember putting on "The Night of January 16th" by Ayn Rand - my debut - and running the mile at a track meet in 5:15 (and still finishing last). Aside from those few fun memories I was clueless to the world around me. I didn't know where I fit in, I had no vision of the man I would become, and my world was very limited to the next few days.
Being fifteen today seems so different. Instant access to the world, social media, and vast knowledge at your fingertips has led - in my opinion - to an overall degradation of morality, judgement, and acceptable behaviors. The social media scene has not only revealed behaviors that used to be far removed from public knowledge to an exponential growth in those same behaviors for the world to see. While stunts like the "Milk Gallon Challenge" and the "Cinnamon Challenge" are juvenile acts; fight clubs, sexual encounters, bullying, and causal drug use have become social media subcultures that are gaining popularity.
As a parent it creates a great level of anxiety.
I realize that I am becoming more and more like my own father, recalcitrant to learning how to make the current technology work for me. I think I will be miserable in my old age trying to get my imbedded iPhone to synch with my iPaceMaker.
I miss my little girl.
Too much of your life is online. And that should scare you.
With full knowledge that I don't know if or when you will read this letter - I send it to you with a heart full of love, sadness, and hope.
I don't remember much about being fifteen years old. As a sophomore in John S. Burke Catholic High School my days were taken with school work, a season of track, and the high school theater company. I remember putting on "The Night of January 16th" by Ayn Rand - my debut - and running the mile at a track meet in 5:15 (and still finishing last). Aside from those few fun memories I was clueless to the world around me. I didn't know where I fit in, I had no vision of the man I would become, and my world was very limited to the next few days.
Being fifteen today seems so different. Instant access to the world, social media, and vast knowledge at your fingertips has led - in my opinion - to an overall degradation of morality, judgement, and acceptable behaviors. The social media scene has not only revealed behaviors that used to be far removed from public knowledge to an exponential growth in those same behaviors for the world to see. While stunts like the "Milk Gallon Challenge" and the "Cinnamon Challenge" are juvenile acts; fight clubs, sexual encounters, bullying, and causal drug use have become social media subcultures that are gaining popularity.
As a parent it creates a great level of anxiety.
I realize that I am becoming more and more like my own father, recalcitrant to learning how to make the current technology work for me. I think I will be miserable in my old age trying to get my imbedded iPhone to synch with my iPaceMaker.
Too much of your life is online. And that should scare you.
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