Wear wristwatch? Use e-mail? Students don't.
Wear wristwatch? Use e-mail? Students don't.
For students entering college this fall, e-mail is too slow, phones have never had cords and the computers they played with as kids are now in museums.
Few incoming freshmen know how to write in cursive or have ever worn a wristwatch.
These are among the 75 items on this year's Beloit College Mindset List. The list is meant to remind teachers that cultural references familiar to them might draw blank stares from college freshmen born mostly in 1992.
For example, as item No. 13 on the list says, "Parents and teachers feared that Beavis and Butt-head might be the voice of a lost generation."
The "Beavis and Butt-head" item suggests that maybe parents shouldn't overreact every time a controversy arises, he noted. For example, maybe it's no big deal if college freshmen misspell words when they text, and maybe their attention spans will be just fine even though they grew up in the Internet age, he said.
Remember when Dr. Jack Kevorkian, Dan Quayle or Rodney King were in the news? These kids don't.
Ever worry about a Russian missile strike on the U.S.? During these students' lives, Russians and Americans have always been living together in outer space.
With far edgier content available today, such as "South Park" or online videos that push the envelope, there's something quaint about recalling the hand-wringing that the MTV cartoon prompted, Nief said.
"I think we do that with every generation — we look back and say, what were we getting so upset about?" he said. "A, kids outgrow it and B, in retrospect we realize it really wasn't that bad."
Jessica Peck, a 17-year-old from Portland, Ore., disagreed with two items on the list — one that says few students know how to write in cursive, and another that suggests this generation seldom if ever uses snail mail.
"Snail mail's kind of fun. When I have time I like writing letters to friends and family," she said. "It's just a bit more personal. And yes, I write in cursive."
Peck did agree with the item pointing out that most teens have never used telephones with cords.
"Yes, I've used them but only at my grandparents' house," she said.
"There's something about the resilience of human nature that renders these gloom-and-doom prophesies moot after a while," he said. "I can't say for sure, but it looks like the track record of these very anxious prophets has not been impressive over the years."
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- Posted on August 17, 2010
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i think they are totally right all the things on the list are right beeves and butthead are funny even though they dont come on any more wich stinks.
Even thought the 1980s were a bad time for the USA, there were traditions that are going to be missed by a lot of people. Russian and American conflict tensed up everybody's life. Keep in mind that Russians were also worried, plus their communist government pressured them further, so it is fair to say that the USSR was more worried. It could have been worse for the USA. Despite all of this, it was probably the worst for Cuba. Castro took over, people cheered, he announced that he was communist. Cubans did not see it coming, but from there on a new era of suffering was established. Cuban citizens and political refugees swarmed across the ocean, some hoping for a better life, some wanting to simply get loose of Castro's cold, iron grip. Meanwhile, Communism's self destruction was slowly arriving. Tensions peaked at 1989. 1990-1992, Communism fell and the Cold War was over. Americans did not see the fall of communism, most lost hope and accepted that communism would always live. Thank God the USSR was shattered and a new Russia was born. It is only a matter of time before Cuba's government is destroyed as well. Earth is changing swiftly.
Based on the text, the author must be reminiscing on the 1908s and 1990s in the USA, and the old traditions and beliefs that were expressed throughout that hard era.
LIterary Devices: ALLITERATION, ...ever worn a wristwatch.
ALLUSION, ...such as "South Park" or...
baeves and butthead are cool i really like them they are my favorite t.v. show they are funny and cool
and they are silly and guffballs
I don't see why anyone would expect us to remember things before we were born? This is just how life is. As time goes on, new generations come along and find their own way to do things.
I think that the growth in technology has greatly impaired the education and intelligence of the majority of the children that grew up in this century. I have to agree — it isn't a mistake to have all this technology around, since it has already helped us so much, but the way children use it nowadays is just wrong. And maybe wearing wrist watches are a symbol of bad taste in fashion sense, but it doesn't mean that we're getting that much dumber because of it. Every generation changes, and this isn't a first.
I have many different ideas about this topic. For one, why would kids wear wristwatches? In grade school, we learn how to read time on clocks and if you really need to know the time, clocks are everywhere you go. Also, cell phones, pdas, and mp3 players display time so, if you really need to know the time, all these devices are available. Also, in the third grade, I learned how to write in cursive. Has it been useful to me since then? Mostly not. The only time people really use cursive writing is to sign their name when, today, most people's signatures look more like squiggly lines than anything. I do agree, however, that learning cursive should be mandatory in elementary schools to give children a different way to write and be creative.
i love this show it is so funny and i watch it all the time and they are just amazing peopole on this show and they just like to be funny and everyone likes this show its like so funny and they are just teenageer guffing around and just be funny the whole time and they should come out with more shows about this favotite show of mine and they should be on the news or something
Kids about now have new tech, so it is really easy to know what is going on and college students have money and can afford it so it is available. I cant write in cursif and never wear a wrist watch.
Ha, I love that show! Its hilarious! I watch it all the time! Oh, and did I mention that I have the shirt?
I can't write in cursive. I don't think there is a point to write in cursive it is just another thing you have to memorize. Plus it is harder to read.