Today's Youth - Essay Example

This includes the following: connectivity, interactivity and access (Sipe & Pantaleo, 2008). Interactivity pertains “to the dynamic, user-controlled, nonlinear, non-sequential, complex information behavior and representation in or” associated to print materials and other media (Sipe & Pantaleo, 2008, p.41). Connectivity on the other hand “refers to the sense of community or construction of social worlds” which develops from changing ideas (Sipe & Pantaleo, 2008, p.41). Access refers to the disintegrating of long-standing information barriers which creates an entrance “to a wide diversity of formerly inaccessible” opportunity and opinion (Sipe & Pantaleo, 2008, p.41). In this context, when the theory is applied to explain the behavior of the digital age youth, the following changes could be made clear: (1) changes in their perceptions (2) changes in how they analyze and learn (3) changes in the information and ideas to which they have access.

Two Text Based Today’s youths are described to be fearless. They are not afraid in voicing out their ideas and concerns; they speak their mind (Anon., 2001). They are never tired asking questions (Anon., 2001). Stated otherwise, the youths of today are very courageous and idealistic. They are not afraid of public scrutiny. It seems that what is important for them is that they are able to express their idea and be heard by everyone. It is contended that the digital age has triggered this kind of attitude.

The youths have mastered the use of many types of digital equipment which could show and relay their beliefs and ideas. Nonetheless, their being too vocal has a known disadvantage. Some would perceive their boldness as being disrespectful (Anon., 2001). The adults believe that there are topics which are ought to be discussed privately and not publicly. Nevertheless, they have not admonished the youths regarding this matter. According to Momma Hawks, the adults are afraid of the effects of such action (Anon., 2001). They are specifically afraid of the sanctions that the government would impose against them (Anon., 2001). To note, when the parents admonish their son or daughter, there is a possibility that their child will report such action in a negative way to a government agency.

According to Connor and Crane (2008, p.155), the younger generation of today has been raised to adhere to the idea on individualism. They have been thought to think of themselves first before anything else. In this sense, they learn to disregard even the advices of the people surrounding them. Sometimes, they even defy the authority. This attitude has led some of them to be an activist. One Web-based Nigel Davies has expressed his amazement on how the youths of today adopt to new technologies.

He observed that the youths use the technologies with speed and ease (Davies, 2010). Some of the youths could even “type their names long before they could write” (Davies, 2010). It seems that they find it easy to learn the basic functions of these technologies especially computers. This is due to the fact that these new technologies are usually user-friendly. Being user-friendly means that a technology could easily be used by anyone. This presupposes that the use of such technology is founded on simple and understandable instructions.

Relevance to Gramsci’s Notion on Hegemony Gramsci actually believes that hegemony is an organising principle, one that is permeated by socialisation process into every aspect of daily life