"All things in moderation" makes the world go 'round

In looking at the materials presented discussing pros and cons about social media, one thing became clear: lumping people doesn't lead to solid conclusions about the impact of digital media in the modern era.

Some people become addicted, yes. How many of those people would have had an addiction to something besides the internet, anyway? There are addictive personalities so can we really blame digital media?

I have an addiction to my phone. I want to check it often. Is that because digital media has robbed me of my ability to live in the world? No, but... admittedly, it's close. Access to digital media has given me the option to "check out" when I am bored or uncomfortable.

Standing in line at the grocery store, I check my phone. Waiting at a doctor's office, I check my phone. Yes, even at a stoplight, I check my phone. Is this bad? Well, what *should* I be doing instead? Staring into space? Smoking a cigarette? Making eyes at the guys in the car next to me? Perhaps, but I hardly see that one is more valuable than checking my phone.

So where is this digital media and society thing heading? I don't really see it changing us much internally. It may be a new coat of paint on an old room. We already have plenty of ways to check out of the moment. Now we just have a shiner, more portable option.

They say families don't talk as much now that kids text at the table. Did teens talk that much before? No, they just have a way out of the discomfort of staring at the plate while parents ask annoying questions.

They say individuals are less social. Are the people they refer to simply introverts? If so, they probably would have stayed away from socializing anyway. Now they just have a safer, more comfortable way to connect online. Extroverts are going to get out there no matter how enticing You Tube might be.

They say education is being usurped by internet "sound bite" writing and learning. Going back to our first TED talk, it can also be a way to teach people things they would never have even heard of or had access to. The internet opens our world and we write about it as we find interesting things to share.

I think people who have these ideas about the downfall of society are mostly tech-phobes. They just don't understand. We have plenty of major things to worry about and this should not be on the short list. WikiLeaks gives us enough to be concerned about...