The New World and its Primary Influence

I recently read an article called "A New Era in Play" by Reed Karaim. The article discusses the relationship of video games, virtual realities, online communities and other technologies and their effects on the world of today's children, both the positive and negative influences. The article goes on to ask the main question "... is the new world really a healthy one for children? How are video games, electronic toys and the rest of the chip-driven gizmos that fill modern life changing childhood?" Technology has created a new world and in this new world a new breed of children has risen.
The Entertainment Software Association revealed that "... nearly a third of Americans who play computer and/or video games are under eighteen." This can only mean that such sources of entertainment and technologies are being introduced at younger ages, right? After reading this statistic I could only stop and think about just how much time I really do spend in front of a screen. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, American kids ages eight to eighteen every week spend about forty-five hours in front of a screen on average. You know it is a concern when I child plays a video game or watches television nearly as much as he or she sleeps in a week, right?
Another commonly asked question is whether or not a child’s mental development is affected by the various electronic media, and if so, how much is the child affected, and in what ways? Jane Healy, an educational psychologist, believes that technology is “… wiring kids’ brains differently then in past generations.” Healy believes this because many video games today lack ways of practicing reasoning and focus more on basic tasks. She goes on to say that in many cases, children “ look like they’re solving problems on a video game, but they’re really just responding on a sensory level…” This quote caused be to think of an example: when you are shooting and killing the enemy soldiers on the game are you really thinking about what you are doing? My guess is no, you are simply reacting upon the current state in the game, you are simply focused on living to the next checkpoint; what problem could you possibly be trying to solve? Healy stated that the proper time to introduce a child to a computer screen is about the age of seven so the child’s brain has had sufficient enough time to properly develop.
Everything in this world has its pro and cons, right? Video games, television, and all technology serve just as much benefit as they do consequence. While some say that a child’s language development is hindered by such technologies, others would disagree. Some say that the best video games and electronic toys can spur a child’s imagination, and that even cell phones have the benefits of improving a child’s literacy. Do I agree with all of these things, yes and no? I agree with Karaim in that “…Digital Media should be only one part of a balanced life that includes exercise and reading.