Ok this kind of bothers me. I was looking through the Top Toys for the holiday season and I find it kind of disturbing that so many of the toys are virtual reality talking toys. There is the new Furbie, this thing called Pixel Chix, and the iDog just to mention a few of the many new toys on the market today. What ever happened to regular Barbie dolls and toy trains? These toys, at least to me, seem to be saying who needs friends or playmates when you have a toy that takes care of that for you. If this is what kids are playing with where are they going to important social skills that can only be learned thru true human interaction?
Already today people are less social, walking around with their ipods in their ears all the time, talking on the phone while driving or walking causing them to not only not pay attention but miss meaningful conversations with people they might be with or pass by. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a group of people hanging out together while each person is on their cell phone with another person. :mad2:
Now I know not everyone is like this, I try my hardest to not use my cell phone while I am out and when I have to I stop walking or driving. And I don't listen to music while I am walking around either, I happen to enjoy the sound to the world passing by. I know there are other people out there with me.
I just feel that people are losing important social skill when we put an interactive toy in front of them because no matter how good we get at imitating human interaction its still an imitation and completely predictable. Humans are not completely predictable and they have certain nuances that can only be learned through true human interaction.
Sorry I don’t really know where I was going with this, I guess it just bothers me that we have become more reliant on toys to fulfill our need for social contact then with other humans. I guess maintaining a friendship with a toy is easier then maintaining a friendship with another human because with another human there are feeling to look out for and you can’t just shove them in the closet or take the batteries out when you are done playing with them.
Thanks for listening…
c:
Already today people are less social, walking around with their ipods in their ears all the time, talking on the phone while driving or walking causing them to not only not pay attention but miss meaningful conversations with people they might be with or pass by. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a group of people hanging out together while each person is on their cell phone with another person. :mad2:
Now I know not everyone is like this, I try my hardest to not use my cell phone while I am out and when I have to I stop walking or driving. And I don't listen to music while I am walking around either, I happen to enjoy the sound to the world passing by. I know there are other people out there with me.
I just feel that people are losing important social skill when we put an interactive toy in front of them because no matter how good we get at imitating human interaction its still an imitation and completely predictable. Humans are not completely predictable and they have certain nuances that can only be learned through true human interaction.
Sorry I don’t really know where I was going with this, I guess it just bothers me that we have become more reliant on toys to fulfill our need for social contact then with other humans. I guess maintaining a friendship with a toy is easier then maintaining a friendship with another human because with another human there are feeling to look out for and you can’t just shove them in the closet or take the batteries out when you are done playing with them.
Thanks for listening…
c:
