Singapore
I was fortunate enough to meet Urs Gasser on his swing through Singapore today. Urs is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of St. Gallen, where he serves as the faculty director of the Research Center for Information Law. He is a faculty fellow of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School.
Urs has recently co-authored a book titled Born Digital. Myself being a Digital Immigrant (born before 1980), I sometimes feel like a Digital Foreigner. I often ask “What will the effects of being a Digital Native (born after 1980) be when it comes to communication and day to day life?” Many of the Digital Natives are constantly glued to mobile phones, PlayStations, iPods, LAN gaming networks and of course the internet. I am one of those stuck in the middle with the belief that face to face interactions and an actual human voice are crucial for survival in any society today, yesterday and tomorrow. If I were to advise the Digital Natives (from my lifelong experiences), social interactions, the ability to communicate and link face to face (and phone), are the most important factors for social and business survival. What happens when this breaks down? Some may differ….
My question to Urs about Asian society and Born Digital was “Face to face and telephone communication is already at a minimum in places like Singapore, and I believe, much of the Asian culture…how is the digital age changing Asian society?” I believe it already has an adverse effect. Urs stated that it will have an effect. Certainly we will adapt and change, so time will tell.
So, how does being Born Digital affect creativity? I suppose I need to read the book…
The webs
ite: http://borndigitalbook.com/index.php
Born Digital
The first generation of “Digital Natives” – children who were born into and raised in the digital world – are coming of age, and soon our world will be reshaped in their image. Our economy, our politics, our culture and even the shape of our family life will be forever transformed.
But who are these Digital Natives? How are they different from older generations – or “Digital Immigrants” – and what is the world they’re creating going to look like? In Born Digital, leading Internet and technology experts John Palfrey and Urs Gasser offer a sociological portrait of these young people who can seem, even to those merely a generation older, both extraordinarily sophisticated and strangely narrow.
Based on extensive original research, including interviews with Digital Natives around the world, Born Digital explores a broad range of issues, from the highly philosophical to the purely practical: What does identity mean for young people who have dozens of online profiles and avatars? Should we worry about privacy issues – or is privacy even a relevant concern for Digital Natives? How does the concept of safety translate into an increasingly virtual world? Are online games addictive, and how do we need to worry about violent video games? What is the Internet’s impact on creativity and learning? What lies ahead – socially, professionally, and psychologically – for this generation?
A smart, practical guide to a brave new world and its complex inhabitants, Born Digital will be essential reading for parents, teachers, and the myriad of confused adults who want to understand the digital present – and shape the digital future.
