{"id":23833,"date":"2011-02-12T03:15:02","date_gmt":"2011-02-12T03:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=23833"},"modified":"2011-02-12T03:16:37","modified_gmt":"2011-02-12T03:16:37","slug":"digital-bytes-%e2%80%93-the-challenge-of-balancing-real-virtual-worlds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/digital-bytes-%e2%80%93-the-challenge-of-balancing-real-virtual-worlds\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Bytes \u2013 The Challenge of Balancing Real, Virtual Worlds"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ <![CDATA[\n                             google_ad_client = \"pub-7021221536180758\"; \/* 468x60, created 11\/11\/09 *\/ google_ad_slot = \"1949837292\"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60;\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><\/p>\n<p><script src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">The following is by G. A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm', 'Marken Communications']);\" ><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">Marken Communications<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking article. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the opinions expressed are solely those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and the <strong>opinions of the rest of the ABT staff.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> \u2013Mark Poppin,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">ABT Senior Editor<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-11.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23834\" title=\"Untitled-1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-11.jpg?resize=284%2C304\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-11.jpg 284w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-11-280x300.jpg 280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/strong><em>\u201c<\/em><em>The show has been prerecorded to give the cast a chance to get away.\u201d<\/em> <strong>&#8212; The Announcer, Rowan &amp; Martin\u2019s Laugh-In, NBC (1967)<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Maybe that \u201cscientific\u201d scare that cellphones (and associated technology) would affect our brains is true.<\/p>\n<p>Our daughter gets up in the morning and immediately checks Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>The son rolls out and checks messages on his smartphone.<\/p>\n<p>We don\u2019t touch our phone until after our workout at the club and are in the office or home.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, we text the kids at school.<\/p>\n<p>They text each other, even when they\u2019re sitting across from each other.<\/p>\n<p>Their mother uses old-fashioned messaging \u2026 she <strong><em>tells<\/em><\/strong> us what to do!<\/p>\n<p>Recent reports have explored how growing up in the wired, connected world is apparently spiking kids\u2019 attention by short-circuiting their brains.<\/p>\n<p>To show our son the difference between yesterday and today, we went online to YouTube together and watched a number of <strong><em>Rowan &amp; Martin\u2019s Laugh-In<\/em><\/strong> skits.<\/p>\n<p>You know, nothing more than a couple of minute bits strung together.<\/p>\n<p>Our son mockingly repeated the German soldier,<em> \u201c<\/em><em>Very interesting, not very funny, but very interesting.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>He couldn\u2019t\/wouldn\u2019t spend a lot of time looking at ancient history stuff because there is just too much going on in the online world.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost Connections<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>He feels (and I have to agree) that if you\u2019re disconnected for a few hours you\u2019ll miss something \u2026 the world will pass you by.<\/p>\n<p>Social media like Facebook is the fave of our daughter and millions of her peers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Services Used to Share Online Content<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-21.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23835\" title=\"Untitled-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-21.jpg?resize=328%2C298\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-21.jpg 328w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-21-300x272.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 328px) 100vw, 328px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Figure 2 \u2013 Pick Your Favorite \u2013 <\/strong>While the iGeners may set the pace for most online services, the rest of us aren\u2019t lagging behind.\u00a0 Around the world, people of all ages constantly exchange, share information, ideas and content with their communities and folks who count clicks, visits.\u00a0 <strong>Source \u2013 AddtoAny, Mashable<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Social media gained popularity as a quick, easy means for folks to get in touch and stay in touch, regardless of where they were in the world.<\/p>\n<p>The term \u201cfriends\u201d today is almost meaningless.<\/p>\n<p>Now it includes people around the globe with whom you sorta\u2019 share interests and ideas or simply want to keep up with your crowd.<\/p>\n<p>It has evolved into the means for folks to stay in touch with friends, make new friends; plan stuff with friends; share information, ideas, causes; promote themselves, their work.<\/p>\n<p>With well over 600 million potential \u201cfriends\u201d on Facebook the site \u00a0has also attracted businesses bent on promote their ideas, products, services, to make\u2026friends (actually, they just want you to <em>like<\/em> them).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Well Hello There<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>All of that<em> free<\/em> social media you tap into, post on, use, know a lot about you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Facebook Ad Platform<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-31.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23836\" title=\"Untitled-3\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-31.jpg?resize=550%2C420\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-31.jpg 550w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-31-300x229.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Figure 3 \u2013 Details, Details \u2013 <\/strong>While the above may be user details about Facebook people, any site\/service on the Web can offer up the same \u2013 maybe even better \u2013 detailed information about individuals who use their free services.\u00a0 Their monitoring\/management software can pinpoint just the information advertisers want\/need to tailor their marketing messages\u2026cool!!!!\u00a0 <strong>Source &#8211; iStrategyLabs<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The sites share bits, pieces of your information (actually, they rent it) with companies who encourage you to \u00a0learn about them, share more of your information with them, share their information with others.<\/p>\n<p>Dan Rowan was fond of saying, <em>\u201cLook THAT up in your Funk and Wagnall&#8217;s,\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In today\u2019s world, you look it up at Wikipedia.<\/p>\n<p>Smartphones and other mobile devices have \u201chelped\u201d us ensure we always have our social media connections close.<\/p>\n<p>As Ernestine said, <em>\u201cOne ringy-dingy. Two ringy-dingies.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-41.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23837\" title=\"Untitled-4\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-41.jpg?resize=450%2C340\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-41.jpg 450w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-41-300x226.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Figure 4 \u2013 Peak Users \u2013 <\/strong>The Web and social media networks are open to everyone (at least in most of the free world).\u00a0\u00a0 But it is the GenX, GenY men\/women who find the sites and the services to be most rewarding, most fulfilling.\u00a0 Mobile networking almost helps you forget the smartphone can also be used to make a call.\u00a0 <strong>Source &#8211; Nielsen<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The on-the-go phone has become our indispensible communications tool (you know, the kind you turn around, go back home for when you forget it).<\/p>\n<p>When the smartphone is used at dinner or in a conference\/classroom or theater; it only reinforces our inability to be civil, courteous in the real world.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-51.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23838\" title=\"Untitled-5\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-51.jpg?resize=400%2C212\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-51.jpg 400w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-51-300x159.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Figure 5 \u2013 Communications Diet \u2013 <\/strong>While you might think that over usage of your mobile device might be good for your diet, somehow it just doesn\u2019t seem to work out that way as you look around the restaurant.\u00a0 Is the communication that important, the dinner partner that dull?\u00a0\u00a0 Well, at least neither is wearing a baseball cap while eating!\u00a0\u00a0 <strong>Source &#8211; NYTimes<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>GenXers (and beyond) love to complain about how technology has reduced kids\u2019 ability to deal with the real world.<\/p>\n<p>Think your folks said the same thing about you!<\/p>\n<p>No self-respecting professional attends a meeting without a notebook, tablet, smartphone or all three (the more tools, the more status).\u00a0 But monitoring and working with them during a meeting is a little discourteous.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is, we have so much communications today we seem to be becoming more removed, rather than closer.<\/p>\n<p>The barrage of communications adds distance and anonymity, even when you are in the same room.<\/p>\n<p><strong>No Time<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The always-on communications creates added stress, realistically or artificially reduces our available time, seems to encourage a lack of restraint, produces a feeling of individual insecurity.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201caddiction \u201cand its effects on individuals have been studied by researchers around the globe.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, the <em>New York Times<\/em> solicited volunteers to give up their online communications for a week (sounded simple to us, we can give up any time we want\u2026we just don\u2019t want to.).<\/p>\n<p>As we recall, no one completed the disconnected week.<\/p>\n<p>It didn\u2019t take long for them to feel completely disenfranchised from friends, business associates.<\/p>\n<p>We agree that our kids\u2019 minds are more wired than ours.<\/p>\n<p>We \u2013 like many others &#8212; still get our information from a variety of inputs, sources.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>U.S. Information Resource Percentages by Education<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-61.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23839\" title=\"Untitled-6\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-61.jpg?resize=334%2C532\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-61.jpg 334w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-61-188x300.jpg 188w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 334px) 100vw, 334px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Figure 6 \u2013 Multi-Sourcing \u2013 <\/strong>While it may seem a little redundant, many people like us use a wide range of media sources for our news, information, continuing education, entertainment.\u00a0 Printed paper just \u201cfeels\u201d authoritative.\u00a0 <strong>Source \u2013 Pew Research Center<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>We use print, radio, TV, online media to get our news, commentaries, in-depth reporting, research, reviews, research.<\/p>\n<p>Our son thinks the \u201cother sources,\u201d are a waste and loves to point out that all of that \u2013 and more \u2013 is online.<\/p>\n<p>We answer him as Ernestine did, <em>\u201cYou are not dealing with just anyone&#8217;s fool. I am a high-school graduate.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>No, it doesn\u2019t evoke a laugh, but it does remind him we\u2019re older than he is!<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re not real happy with his \u2013 or his peers\u2019 <strong>\u2013<\/strong> digital diet, but we recognize that no one is going back to the <em>Laugh-In<\/em> era.<\/p>\n<p>The best anyone can do is learn how to live comfortably in the virtual and real world \u2026 and know the difference between the two.<\/p>\n<p>As Dickie said, <em>\u201cDifferent strokes for different folks.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Multitasking<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kids will increasingly multitask because they can.<\/p>\n<p>The challenge we have as an adult is to encourage them to give their minds a rest by disconnecting and enjoying the people and things around them.<\/p>\n<p>That means actually talking with people, sharing experiences with others, challenging themselves physically\/mentally with real world happenings and opportunities.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019d like them to be able to store up memories that are beyond the virtual world.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019d like to think that when they get older they\u2019ll\u00a0 be able to walk by people on the street or in the office and say \u2018hello,\u201d rather than texting someone in another country.<\/p>\n<p>Or, maybe even do something really dumb like offering their seat in the subway to someone older than themselves, rather than chasing aliens across some barren landscape on their phone.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe saving humanity in our virtual world is more important, but you can hope.<\/p>\n<p>The key is giving them the tools they can use to recognize and respect others and treat them as equals.<\/p>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t seem to be that difficult, but you sometimes wonder when you read about cyberbullying and some of the profane, vulgar, hammering feedback you read on blog reader response pages.<\/p>\n<p>As they get older, you sorta\u2019 hope they\u2019ll agree with Barbara Feldon, <em>\u201cWe really learned the 3 Rs \u2018Reading, Writing, and Rhythm\u2019.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>We know today\u2019s technology isn\u2019t simply a distraction or time-waster for kids.\u00a0 But\u2026we\u2019d like to ensure they have a healthy balance.<\/p>\n<p>Watching our daughter head off to school with her backpack loaded we do know she\u2019ll never be on the same park bench with Gladys\u2026<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-73.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23840\" title=\"Untitled-7\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-73.jpg?resize=347%2C324\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-73.jpg 347w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-73-300x280.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 347px) 100vw, 347px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>\u201cI tried to join the Sexual Revolution, but I flunked the physical.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Guess when the time comes that will be a good thing!<\/p>\n<p># # #<\/p>\n<p><strong>by:   G.A. &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> President<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> Marken Communications Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <a href=\"mailto:Andy@markencom.com\">Andy@markencom.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Please join us in our <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/abt\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Forums<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Become a Fan on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142', 'Facebook']);\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow us on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech', 'Twitter']);\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For the latest updates from ABT, please <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?feed=rss2\" target=\"_blank\">join our RSS News Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Join our Distributed Computing teams<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Folding@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 164304<\/li>\n<li>SETI@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 138705<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1', 'World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech']);\" target=\"_blank\">World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The following is by G. A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of Marken Communications Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking article. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":396,"featured_media":23840,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2533,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abt-news","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23833"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23833\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}