Happy Groundhog’s Day, everyone. By the time you read this, good odds ol’ Punxsutawny Phil has done his thing and we’ll know if we’re in for six more weeks of winter weather. Or I could just escape into virtual summer…
digital_nation
Safety Rating: It might scare sensitive adults, but kids will be okay.
Friendly Rating: More important for adults, but teens might like it.
Quality Rating: Very good.
PBS, at 9 p.m. (but check your local listings to be sure)
This episode of PBS news series Frontline takes a look at how the Internet is changing our lives and even how we interact with other people. Producer Rachel Dretzin and writer Douglas Rushkoff look at video gaming, game addiction, love online, virtual worlds, wire classrooms and all the ramifications of being wired in today’s world.
Some of what they come up with isn’t pretty, but I think this is critical viewing for parents because not only are our kids growing up umbillically attached to their Blackberries and iPhones, we’re the ones who are going to have to decide how our kids are going to relate to all these devices.
The film is pretty even-handed and does not indulge in fear-mongering. While there are a lot of pluses, there are also a lot of downsides to this digital revolution, and while it seems pretty worrisome that we are losing the capacity to enjoy a 500-page novel (don’t tell that to J.K. Rowling), we are gaining new ways to experience and tell stories.
My only problem is that at 90 minutes, it’s a tad long, but that may have to do with my lack of attention span. And, yes, I appreciate the irony.
Anne Louise Bannon
Your Family Viewer
