Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site ittvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!wjh12!genrad!decvax!ittvax!allenm
From: allenm@ittvax.UUCP (Allen Matsumoto)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: "Where are kids supposed to learn to be human?"
Message-ID: <1549@ittvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Dec-84 16:15:29 EST
Article-I.D.: ittvax.1549
Posted: Thu Dec 13 16:15:29 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Dec-84 01:49:19 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: ITT-ATC, Stratford Ct.
Lines: 27

I just read an interesting quote in the "Whole Earth Review" (which used
to be the "CoEvolution Quarterly").  The issue (No. 44, Jan, 1985) has a
large collection of articles on "Computers as Poison."  Basically its a
skeptical look at the effects of computers on people/society.

In the article "Six Grave Doubts about Computers," Jerry Mander quotes
one Marian Kester writing in the Toronto Globe and Mail.  I don't have
the original, but his quote of her is:

   If children are separated from their parents by TV, 
   from playmates by video games, and 
   from teachers by teaching machines,
   where are they supposed to learn to be human?

I guess learning to survive in the computer age is different from
learning to survive in human society (He-Man society is different, of
course).  Also, he says video games are good training for fast hand-eye
coordination, but what is that good for?  Computers speed up people.  I,
for one, don't want to speed up my kids.  I guess I'll take them on a
vacation with the money I've been saving for a home computer.

Allen
-- 
			Allen Matsumoto
			ITT Adv. Tech. Center, Stratford, CT 06497
			203-385-7218       
			(decvax!ittvax!allenm)