About the AuthorJim Taylor, Ph.D., Psychology, has consulted with young people, parents, and educators for more than 27 years. He has been a speaker at hundreds of elementary and secondary schools, education associations, youth-sports programs, and performing-arts organizations around the world. Jim is the author of 14 books, four of which are parenting books including Positive Pushing: How to Raise a Successful and Happy Child, Your Children are Under Attack: How Popular Culture is Destroying Your Kids' Values, and How You Can Protect Them, Your Children are Listening: 9 Messages They Need to Hear from You, and, now, Raising Generation Tech: Prepare Your Children for a Media-fueled World. He publishes Prime Family Alert!, a bi-monthly e-newsletter and blogs on parenting for psychologytoday.com, huffingtonpost.com, and other websites around the U.S. Jim has appeared on NBC's Today Show, Fox News Channel, ABC's World News This Weekend, and the major television network affiliates around the country. He has participated in many radio shows. Dr. Taylor has been an expert source for articles that have appeared in The London Telegraph, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Outside, Men's Health, and many other newspapers and magazines. Jim lives north of San Francisco with his wife, Sarah, and his daughters, Catie and Gracie. Jim can be followed on Facebook and Twitter. You can view Jim's interviews and video newsletters on his YouTube channel. To learn more, visit www.drjimtaylor.com.Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Introduction Our children are growing up in a world that is vastly different from the one in which we were raised. Economically, politically, socially, culturally, and technologically, the world that we live in hardly resembles the world of just a few decades ago. Consider this: Facebook and text messaging, two of the most popular and powerful forces in the lives of young people today, didnt even exist ten years ago. The Internet itself has only been in widespread use for around fifteen years. The vast changes that we have observed over the past few decades are certainly unsettling for us digital immigrants. We may worry about what the world will look like in the coming years and long for a simpler and slower time (although the good old days were probably not as good as we remember them). At the same time, for our childrenthe digital nativesthis crazy new world is neither crazy nor new; its just their world, and its filled with excitement and possibilities. Regardless of where you are standing, one thing is certain: there is no going back. Technology is an inexorable force that cant be stopped, nor should we want it to be. People, however, havent changed much. Despite the immense changes that have transpired throughout time, we humans are little different from our ancestors of thousands of years ago. That seemingly obvious fact may no longer be fact from here on in. New technology is altering us as individuals, changing our brain development and functioning, and as a society, reweaving the social and cultural webs (no pun intended) that encircle our lives. The challenge for us as parents is to ensure that these dramatic changes help foster a better world for our children and that our children are well equipped to master the increasingly complex world that they will inhabit. This challenge is no small matter. As the visionary educator and philosopher Marshall McLuhan said almost half a century ago, We shape our tools and afterwards our tools shape us. That sentiment predated computers, mobile phones, and the Internet. As if looking into a crystal ball, McLuhan saw the future. For us and especially for our children, that future is now. The speed at which technological advancement is occurring is so breakneck that we have little time to consider the implications of each new development before the latest technology takes root in our collective psyches. Only looking in our rearview mirror can we begin to understand how these new technologies have altered the way we think, the way we connect, and ultimately who we are. Only then are we able to judge whether those changes are beneficial or detrimental, but by then, its too late to undo the changes. The relentless pace of innovation forces us to play a constant game of catch-up that we have little chance of winning. As someone who has serious concerns about the influence of technology on children (and on all of us), Ill admit that I may sound like Chicken Little. Calls of The sky is falling have been heard throughout the history of technological advancement, for example, with the introduction of writing during the Bronze Age and the invention of the printing press in the 1400s. Yet, in most of these cases, these game changers have been boons to humanity rather than the end of days that those Chicken Littles predicted. Plus, we as humans have shown ourselves to be remarkably adaptable creatures who can readily adjust to the variety of changes with which weve been confronted. The essential question is whether this pattern of Chicken Little reactions to technological changes is an appropriate response or whether simple acceptance of the inevitable is perfectly reasonable. If the metaphor holds true to form, then I would argue that, given the poor track record of calls about the end of the world, Chicken Little should be kept in his coop. At the other end of the continuum, though, blithe submission also seems misguided, particularly given the growing body of research showing that technology can have a negative impact on our lives. As with most things in life, the best answer usually lies somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry. With this book, we can draw some compelling conclusions from emerging research and from what we see occurring before our very eyes. My intention is not to act as Chicken Little but rather to sound an alarm. My goal is not to repel technology; its to help you use technology and the culture it creates to your childrens greatest advantage. The Power of Popular Culture There has always been popular culture. Various media, however primitive by todays standards, have always influenced the way we think, feel, and behave, and how we communicate and interact with others. Popular culture has been defined as a reflection of the values, norms, and beliefs held by the people in a particular culture. When certain ideas, interests, or choices reach a critical mass within a society, they become widely accepted and proliferate throughout that society. Most people think of popular culture as the most common forms of entertainment, whether television, movies, music, or whats on the Web. Those are really just the conduits through which popular culture is expressed. Popular culture actually plays a vital role in maintaining a vigorous society and a healthy democracy. Collectively, a popular culture that is an expression of a societys shared experiences has essential value and a beneficial function to that society. Perhaps as much as the rule of law, an authentic popular culture acts as a societal truth, a shared bond that holds societies together and communicates that we are one. Maybe more powerfully than the top-down government-provided glue, a genuine popular culture, created of the people, by the people, and for the people, acts as the real, bottom-up glue that unites diverse people into a cohesive society. As individuals, a genuine popular culture instills a sense of ownership and empowerment in our society because each of us knows that we contribute to that culture. We are more likely to act in our societys best interests because we know that those best interests are also our own. An authentic popular culture also gives us a sense of shared identity, meaning, and purpose that transcends differences in geography, race, ethnicity, religion, or politics. All of these then encourage us to lead a life in accordance with our cultures values and norms because they are our own. Popular culture was, until the electronic revolution, an organic expression of what the populace of a society found engaging and that had the unifying effect that I just described. Yes, forces outside of the people have always tried to sway the masses, whether through soapbox proselytizing or ads in early print media, but the influence of those forces was obviously tempered by their limited reach. Then radio, television, and movies were invented, and the ability of inorganic forces to influence popular sentiment and, by extension, popular culture, grew exponentially. With this powerful new technology, this impact wasnt restricted to face-to-face contact or small geographical regions in which newspapers and other print media were distributed. Its impact reached across miles and states, and now, of course, it extends nationwide and internationally. That reach has also changed what popular culture means. With this ability to reach increasingly larger audiences, businesses saw these electronic media as conduits through which they could sell their goods and services. They also saw how they could directly influence a societys values, norms, and beliefs in ways that would encourage sales and increase revenues. Advertising became more and more sophisticated in its ability to shape and, yes, manipulate the needs and wants of its audience. That impact has grown exponentially with the rise of the Internet to the point that, through the latest computer and communications technology, children (and all of us) can be exposed to these influences almost every hour of the waking day. The result has been the loss of an authentic popular culture, one that is a reflection of what the people value, and the emergence of a synthetic culture that is driven by the forces of materialism and consumerism. As a commenter on one of my blogs observed, there is nothing popular about popular culture these days: [Most] of what is considered popular culture is churned out by corporationswith the sole purposethat we can be converted into voracious consumers. We didnt demand, for example, American Idol, Grand Theft Auto, or Facebook. They were created to make money and then marketed as must-haves, which, admittedly, the masses then embraced, and then they became a part of our so-called popular culture. This synthetic culture not only has significant implications for our society as a whole but also has serious ramifications for how children develop. An essential purpose of popular culture is to enculturate children into society by communicating to them accepted values, norms, attitudes, and beliefs. The intent of this process is to prepare children to be functioning and contributing members of that society. Yet, when children grow up in a synthetic culture that is far removed from the realities of society, they are prevented from learning what it takes to survive and thrive in that society. In addition, this synthetic culture isnt nurturing, because it doesnt care at all about children. It is downright disorienting to children because of the large chasm that lies between that artificial culture and the genuine and caring culture that they need to feel safe and secure. This unsettling experience is exacerbated by childrens inability to distinguish between what is authentic and what is manufactured. This synthetic culture is also suffocating genuine popular culture, depriving it of the oxygen it needs to live and flourish. ... what are some good ideas for a website Raising Generation Tech: Preparing Your Children for a Media-Fueled World
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Time to update our parenting skills for the technological world...By AdairI highly recommend Dr Taylor's book as an insightful and accessible book on the subject of our children and technology. I found it a very refreshing read and really appreciated his sound assessment of popular culture (not very favourable - especially where our kids are concerned), then highlighting the overly easy access technology allows our children to popular culture and the subsequent harm it does them. I really liked that for all that, the book has a very positive tone; it is very empowering in that while it's putting the responsibility back on parents to actively supervise and engage with their children wherever technology touches their world, it encourages us that we do in fact have the mandate and the means to protect our children, to equip them to be discerning, to be the first and primary influences upon them etc. It's tempting to feel overwhelmed and powerless against the bombardment of negative messages assaulting our children at every turn... Dr Taylor reminds us, charges us, not to feel that way and gives good practical advice and guidance as we negotiate the ever-growing challenge.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Unmediated LifeBy TerryThe standard formula for books on kids, the media, culture, etc.is to describe various studies and to illustrate with real-life stories.This is actually a pretty good formula and was what I was expectingwhen I started reading ""Raising Generation Tech: Preparing YourChildren for a Media-Fueled World". Instead, the author, Jim Taylordoes things a little differently. Yes he does go over some of the newresearch and yes he includes some real life anecdotes, but what stoodout for me was his philosophical take on the storied relationship betweenchildren, media and family.As someone who has read extensively on how media is affecting bothchildren and adults, I wasn't expecting anything particularly new. But youcan tell Dr. Taylor has thought about this deeply and has found some new,very interesting ways of looking at these media issues. For example:- on the advantages of living an "unmediated life", not a no-technology life,but a life where media does not play a central role in one's life.- "externalization of Self-Identity", how children develop a self-identity, andhow this process is being usurped by corporate media (i.e. Popular Culture).- how Popular Culture teaches a distorted view of reality and a false self- how parents themselves are often overly focused on technology to thedetriment of family life.A number of parenting how-to books have come out looking at the effectsof technology on kids and family life. All too often the emphasis in on theinternet, video games, texting and social media, with barely any mention oftelevision. But children still spend more time watching TV than any of thenew technologies combined, so that pretending that it is not an issue makesno sense. Luckily "Raising Generation Tech" does not make that mistake.For parents looking for some hard and fast rules, you won't find them here.But Dr. Taylor does provide ample new ways for looking at the problems ofmedia overuse, and he very much encourages parents to think about andbe aware of how much technology their kids are consuming. And whetherparents want to raise their own children, or let technology and corporatemedia (pop culture) step in and raise their children for them.Dr. Taylor writes in a breezy, easy-to-read manner, yet his subject matteris in many ways philosophical and deep. I would definitely recommend"Raising Generation Tech".1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Parenting: Do the job you signed up for.By A readerThis book is a must read for all parents today, especially parents of kids with access to tech gadgets that keep them on-line for hours a day. Let's face it - we parents are tired! It is easy to turn on the TV when we want some peace and quiet. And it is easy to let your older kids occupy themselves on the computer for hours at a time. But what are our kids being exposed to? This book takes a hard look at what they are seeing and how it affects their developing brains and personalities. Feeling isolated, low self esteem for not measuring up to unrealistic ideals they see on TV and on-line, depression, being sedentary and out of shape... We all know the risks and drawbacks. This book clearly points them out so that you can't look away.Dr. Taylor also provides guidance on how to avoid these pitfalls of technology. He gives practical ideas for how to implement and maintain tech-free time, how to educate your kids on seeing the hidden motivations of advertisers, how to stand up to kids who throw tantrums when they are denied the screen-time that they crave and how to find a healthy balance of using technology for your children's benefit. Yes, this means more work for parents but, after all, that is the job we signed up for.If everyone read this book the campgrounds would be full of families enjoying tech-free time and kids would grow up feeling more valued by and more connected to their parents and other people in their lives. I will refer to it as my kids get older and I will recommend it to my friends.The only reason it doesn't get five stars is that it can be a bit wordy and repetitive. The good thing about that though, is you can pick it up and open it anywhere to read even a few pages and get something worthwhile.