Okay. Be forewarned. This is a rant. I may offend some people.
Feel free to exit if you are offended.
As many of you know, I have been taking graduate classes up the wazoo so that I can finish my master's degree by June. I generally enjoy the classes. I am currently taking a class that meets on weekends. I spent all day (8:00 - 5:30) in class. The final meeting is tomorrow.
My issue is my "texting" classmates. I have problems with people who feel the need to text constantly. Why?
I have to deal with this shit in high school. Teenagers feel the uncontrollable need to text constantly! We used to be able to confiscate cell phones. We are no longer authorized to do that. The administrators do not support us because they are tired of dealing with kids. The truth is they are tired of dealing with the parents of these darling cherubs. The parents seem to think that their children need to be within a button's reach if an emergency should occur. Parents actually text their kids in school for fuck's sake!
Now I am in a graduate level class for teachers. At least one third of the class members have their cell phones on their desk, or in their pocket, or in their purse. These people are all teachers and they are fucking texting during the class! The professor has never said a thing.
So today Neetzy was annoyed as hell and decided to be confrontational (in a nice way). One particular student, a young woman around the age of 24-25 was texting almost constantly. I says, "I notice you text a lot".
She says. "Oh I HAVE to. My sister is going to Texas tomorrow and we have a lot of stuff to do.
WTF?? I'm thinking wait one half hour to call your sister.
I respond "Don't you find that annoying when your students do that?"
Her response. "Oh no. I'm a digital native. We do that. You are digital immigrants. You have to get used to the way we operate."
I suppressed the urge to smack her. I also suppressed the urge to lecture her on rude, idiotic behavior. After all, she was a graduate of one of our area's finest Christian institutions that pride themselves on teaching "family and Christian values".
I realize I am old enough to be her mother.
So I am a "digital immigrant" . I wasn't raised with a computer on my lap or a cell phone attached to my ear (or fingers). I didn't learn to use them in school. I had to learn on my own.
I'm thinking I want to rename these digital natives. I can think of a few less flattering terms...digital fucks? digital dipshitz? I'm fishing for suggestions...anyone?