BIG BOOK – David Buckingham, ‘Digital Generations’

Big Book

Digital Generations by David Buckingham and Rebekah Willett – 2006

A key book in my area of study for my MA has been Digital Generations by David Buckingham.  It looks closely at how young people use technology differently from the older generations and what the implications are for understanding this new generation.

Buckingham begins this collection of papers by taking the time to define what he means by digital generation and suggests that we belong to a ‘generation’ not solely tied by our age, but by our media usage.  Those of us who can reflect nostalgically on old TV shows may be grouped in one generation, while those who watch reruns today for the first time may be grouped in a different generation.  Even though both groups have interest in the same TV show, they come from a different generation, thinking and feeling differently about the show.

Creating a generation-identity holds power.  Buckingham suggests that the media industry redefines generational categories to maximise profits. For example, Youth Culture is no longer just for young people, but for whoever consumes it.

Buckingham points out the stark differences in media that the new generation are growing up with.  TV dumbed down its audience by transmitting its content, whereas the Net raises intelligence through its interactivity and dynamic content.  Technology produces generational differences.

Children have an intuitive, spontaneous relationship with technology, unlike their parents.  This creates a wider generational gap.  Children encounter ‘discovery’ rather than ‘delivery’.  They are learning a new Net-based language and hence a new culture, identity and generation is formed.  “TV led the baby boomers to accept the status quo – the Net radicalises young people to be more active.” (Buckingham)

Buckingham takes a brief look at the issues of Internet safety and suggests that parental responsibility for young people’s safe-keeping while using the Internet is hard to police.  It cuts across trust issues in the family, and it seems that little is being done on privacy invasion further up the hierarchy (Government).

Amongst other chapters covering a range of areas of discussion, the other most interesting for me and my chosen area of study was chapter 11 by Lois Ann Scheidt.  She takes a close look at the reality of the blogosphere to discover than more than half (66%) of blogs started in 2005 have been left inactive.  However, of those still maintained, most are of a diary nature (70%), a vast majority are run by under 30 year olds (92%) and a high percentage are produced by adolescent girls (34-38%)

Scheidt argues that producing a blog helps to create a digital fluency in young people, so even a short-lived blog can help develop the digital generation.  Technology has filled a void for disenfranchised youth and provided them with a power that helps build identity.  Scheidt goes on to outline the importance of mentoring alongside technology as the key to good youth work and youth identity building.  With the phrase, “Identity is enacted in participation” (p313-314), Scheidt goes on to demonstrate this using her own experience within a youth project called ‘Hopeworks’.

She strongly suggests that young people need roles to create identity.  I would argue that roles play a part in creating identity, but identity forming is based much deeper and is influenced by a number of contributing factors, including roles of responsibility, but not limited to them.  It is unfortunate, I believe, to tie so much importance in what you can do, rather than on who you are.  Our self-esteem and identity are developed by a greater understanding of who we are, rather than what we can do, or our responsibilities.

The question, ‘What do you do” is often followed by: “I’m a … teacher.”  We should not be defined by what we do.  Our identity should not be tied up in what we do – or else, when what we do is threaten, our whole identity is at risk.

‘What do you do’ should be answered, ‘I teach…’  Identity’s question is – ‘who are you’ – not something we ask each other very often in this culture.

Scheidt completes her chapter by enforcing her beliefs in young people being both mentors and mentees.  There is much scope for this style of youth work within the world of technology.  Young people can pick up new skills very quickly, and can then be part of someone else’s learning.  Technology really can aid a young person through adolescence and identity forming.  Technology can provide a platform for young people to try on various roles, imagining themselves as different kinds of people.  Online experiments are another way to express oneself, and self-expression is an important developmental process for identity formation.