We live in the digital age, there is no denying it. Almost everybody has the world at their fingertips, be it an infinite wealth of knowledge through Google, a more relatable amount of knowledge through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any of the other Social Media out there, we even have access to vast worlds that are not our own through video games. Whatever our choice of relating to the world is, we have it with us, in our pockets, our backpacks, on our desks. Wherever we go, we are surrounded by media, but is everybody ready for that type of exposure?
In this series I am going to explore the effects of digital pacification on the younger generation. Specifically those ranging from two to seven years old. It’s surprising to us all that that demographic would even come up in a post like this. Tell the truth, though, when was the last time you went out to eat and you didn’t see a family who had their young child plugged into a device at the table? I hate to beg the question, but I want you to reflect on that question as we move forward, and maybe notice it next time you’re out; if you haven’t already.
For the purposes of this series, I will define digital pacification as the following: plugging a child into a device in order to keep them complacent. Hence, pacifying a child with media, specifically of a digital variety. That is the definition I will use moving forward.
Over the next few days and weeks, we are going to explore the effect of this phenomenon on the child’s social and cognitive. Then, to relate back to Symbiotic Studios, I’m going to give an editorial on what I think this means for the future of game development, as in the next 5-7 years, this demographic could very well be my target audience.
I encourage you to walk through this process with me. I’m not writing an objective paper for my English class, I’m writing an editorial. While I will use research to back up my claims, I welcome discussion. Leave a comment, send me and email, tweet me, I really don’t care. Continue the discussion with me, continue the discussion at your dinner table, I want to hear what you have to say on the matter!
I’m going to leave it here for now, I haven’t decided the frequency that these posts will come at you, but check back often and I will let you know. Next post: an exploration into the effects of digital pacification on a child’s social development.
That's all for now,
Austin