Mark Bauerlein, the author of the controversial book, "The Digital Divide," spoke with host Allen Cardoza on L.A. Talk Radio about how the latest breakthroughs in technology are not making young people smarter.
The advancements in digital technology that was supposed to make young adults more astute, diversify their tastes, and improve their minds appears to have created just the opposite effect.
According to recent reports from government agencies, foundations, survey firms, and scholarly institutions, most young people in the United States do not read literature, work reliably, visit cultural institutions, or vote.
Many young don't understand basic scientific concepts, don't know much about American history, and cannot name any local politicians. Apparently, the only thing they excel at is relating to each other.
Young people spend unbelievable amounts of time electronically passing stories, pictures, tunes, and texts back and forth, savoring the thrill of peer attention and dwelling in a world of puerile banter and coarse images.
A professor of English at Emory University, Bauerlein has taught there since 1989. In 2003-05 he took a two-and-a-half year break to serve as the Director, Office of Research and Analysis, at the National Endowment for the Arts. During that period, he oversaw studies about American life and culture. Today, he lives in Atlanta with his family.
The professor earned his doctorate in English at UCLA in 1988. Apart from scholarly publications, he has also published his idea in popular periodicals. His articles have been published in magazines like The Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, The Washington Post, TLS, and Chronicle of Higher Education.
In May, 2008, he made a name for himself as a popular author after he published his book, "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future; or, Don't Trust Anyone Under 30."
The advancements in digital technology that was supposed to make young adults more astute, diversify their tastes, and improve their minds appears to have created just the opposite effect.
According to recent reports from government agencies, foundations, survey firms, and scholarly institutions, most young people in the United States do not read literature, work reliably, visit cultural institutions, or vote.
Many young don't understand basic scientific concepts, don't know much about American history, and cannot name any local politicians. Apparently, the only thing they excel at is relating to each other.
Young people spend unbelievable amounts of time electronically passing stories, pictures, tunes, and texts back and forth, savoring the thrill of peer attention and dwelling in a world of puerile banter and coarse images.
A professor of English at Emory University, Bauerlein has taught there since 1989. In 2003-05 he took a two-and-a-half year break to serve as the Director, Office of Research and Analysis, at the National Endowment for the Arts. During that period, he oversaw studies about American life and culture. Today, he lives in Atlanta with his family.
The professor earned his doctorate in English at UCLA in 1988. Apart from scholarly publications, he has also published his idea in popular periodicals. His articles have been published in magazines like The Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, The Washington Post, TLS, and Chronicle of Higher Education.
In May, 2008, he made a name for himself as a popular author after he published his book, "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future; or, Don't Trust Anyone Under 30."
About the Author:
Looking to find out more about Mark Bauerlein, then visit www.answers4thefamilyblog.com to listen in on the interview about "The Digital Divide."