Up in the Source
February 10, 2009
This week I decided to look into cell phones and their effect on our society. I felt this was a topic that fell under this class subject and what our teach was expecting from us. I decided to look further into this because lets face it cell phones are everywhere. I just got my first cell phone 2 years ago and just started texting last year. Even though I do have a cell phone I leave it at home most of the time, and usually don’t take it with me in public. For some reason I do not like the thought of being able to be reached all the time because it is not that important to me and find it rude to be on cell phones in public. But, I know they are here to stay and that people will be on them no matter where you are.
So I went online in search for information that I could use to get a better understanding of the prevalence of cell phones and how they affect our society. I typed in the information and their was what I was looking for. I found a few articles and web sites that talked about cell phones and society. I looked over a handful of these website’s and read through them and found out some information that I agreed with and disagreed with. It is hard for one to evaluate each site as good information or not because when it comes to the internet vast amounts of information is at our fingertips. I check credibility by if any Doctors or professionals give quotes, or if any college studies have been done that supports the information. I also check the bottom of the sites and articles to see if any source where named to give credit to the information. But, then you still really never know how true the sources and information truly are.
I think you can’t always 100% believe everything that you read. It depends on the information you are reading and where you are getting that information from. I would not believe the crap that you see in the check out lane at the grocery store but would believe the Harvard Journal, or Wall Street Journal. You have to use your own intellect to weed out the crap from the non crap.
As for the professors I am not sure how they would evaluate a students research skills. I guess they would see what kind of information was gathered and from what source. I could see it being kind of difficult to judge one students info from another but I think that the Prof is wise enough to distinguish the bad and good sources of information.
In our world of the internet as Postman stated has to much information, which most is crap and not needed. There are to many non experts commenting and spreading information that they have no full knowledge of thus polluting the rest of us that read that information. Postman says, “ The role of the expert is to concentrate on the field of knowledge, sift through all that is available, eliminate that which has no bearing on a problem and use what is left to assist in solving a problem.” In our culture everyone wants to have their two cents, everyone wants to have a say, and everyone thinks they are right. So, the internet is a great place to spread useless unfactual information for all to read and believe.
Jared
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Kingston
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/179/report_display.asp
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/28/earlyshow/living/main683377.shtml
An interesting subject the cell phone and our society. In our household both my wife and I carry cell phones although they usually stay in the car; it’s easier to return the call than take the call while shopping or at work. At home I can’t remember the last time I use the conventional phone to make a phone call. We get several calls a day to the house phone but very seldom use it for outgoing calls. I wonder if were to compare the phone use today to 10 years ago if it would be like the US Mail/email scenario?
The internet has made us cynical researchers. It used to be looking for a book at the library that wasn’t ancient (etc) but now we must wonder if the research is valid or just a person’s rant on a topic. We must also sift through the sales pitches that want us to believe one thing, when the truth is another. It shows how careful one must be when accepting whats real/valid/informative when your own credibility is at stake.