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Essay / The death of the Internet generation has been greatly exaggerated. America's youngest generation, the "Internet generation," is not destined to become morally bankrupt, sex-addicted heroines. -a generation of overdoses that many media predict. As a member of this “Net Generation”, or N-Gener, I know first-hand what my generation values and I know what the future holds. This is where I agree with Growing Up Digital author Don Tapscott. Despite the wide range of negative uses of the Internet, there is an equally positive benefit to this form of communication, which gives me great hope and confidence in the Internet generation. Tapscott describes the changing ways of thinking of N-Geners, and he summarizes them in three points. N-Geners are more accepting of diversity, are a curious generation and demonstrate great autonomy and confidence. If this is really how mentalities evolve, I'm happy to be part of it. Since there is no way of knowing who people are when they are online, people must be accepted as they are. As the author says: “You can be [something] else... like an inanimate object. It’s not important that you communicate with a toaster, it’s what the toaster has to say” (Tapscott, p. 86). ). N-Geners often learn to think about what a person says without knowing who said it, eliminating any possible bias. The fact that N-Geners are a curious generation is perhaps easier to understand. The Internet is a completely new and ever-changing world, offering endless possibilities for exploration. This vast world of information has proven to be attractive to children, making the new generation curious. Autonomy and assertiveness are other important qualities acquired through the Internet. There are websites for all kinds of purposes, from fantasy football to free speech. The latter gives an interesting example of the evolution of methods of self-affirmation. These websites are “the digital equivalent of the 1960s petition” (Tapscott, p. 87). In other words, the ideals did not change radically between 1960 and the year 2000, just the methods of expression (and, on another level, the ease of expression). Internet-based autonomy arises from the independent nature of the computer. This is a single console designed to be used by one person. When on the Internet, people decide where to go and what to do for themselves, and this idea is firmly ingrained in the minds of N-Geners..
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