This document summarizes and responds to Amy Goldwasser's article "What's the Matter with Kids Today?". The author agrees with Goldwasser that the internet has a positive influence on today's youth, not the negative influence claimed by older generations. The internet allows youth to read and write freely online, access information instantly, and use social media to communicate and share opinions. While technology is criticized by some older people, youth are more open to technological changes that enhance learning. The internet provides knowledge and gives youth a voice in society.

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Yolonda Alston
Eng 101
Professor Alicia Bolton
19June2012
Technology of the Youth over theOld Generation
Amy Goldwasser’s article “What’s the Matter with Kids Today?” has argues that the internet has
a positive effect on today’s youth in response to the older generation’s blame that the internet is
responsible for the decline in kids actually reading literature. Goldwasser gives examples on how the
internet’s impact has greatly affected today’s youth as opposed to the older generation’s views: Kids
today read and write on their own free will via social networks, blogs, etc.They have instant access to
information on any historical event or literature in their possession, and how the youth influence our
everyday life thru the internet. I agree with Goldwasser in saying that the internet has a more positive
influence on today’s youth life than the older generation gives it credit for.
I agree with Goldwasserby questioning the older generation by asking, “If the inanities of
leveling charges based on fear, ignorance and old media, multiple choice testing?” (Goldwasser
667).Technology is looked down upon by most of the older generations who are consequently stuck in
their ways and refuse to adapt to today’s way of life. Kids are more willing to accept change and use it to
their advantage. Technology has provided us with the internet, and it is more than a means of
communication.Personally, I had to get used to using the internet for my English 101 class. All my
assignments require me to use the internet for blogging, researching, discussions, etc.
The internet plays a large role in the lives of the youth today. The youth of today has
incorporated their social life into the internet, “using social networks, blog sites, IM’s, etc. to write and
read about what is going on with them and their friends” ( Goldwasser 667).Author JuneAhn
states that “social network sites like Myspace and Facebook are now popular online communities with

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large teenage user population “( June 1).In Goldwasser essay “ On average, a child has 30 or so friends
on these networks, they all are going to spend 20 minutes or so hanging out and writing” (Goldwasser
667). The social network is how the youth today communicate. This is also how the youth keep up with
the latest news and are reunited with old friend and relatives.Ahn saying that teens use social
networking to” Interact, play, explore, and learn in significant ways”( June 1).
The internet also provides today’s youth with unlimited amounts of free knowledge at their
fingertips. Goldwasser states that “Ninety –Seven Percent of the teens in the Common Core survey
connected “I have a dream” with its speaker” (Goldwasser 667). Because of the internet, I can look up
the video of Dr.King’s speech at any given moment with a laptop, Google it on an iPod or read it on a
Nook. The internet has made information available to everybody in some way shape or form, versus
encyclopedias and books. Back in the days they couldn’t just flip a cell phone and look through any of
their local libraries’ inventory for a copy of “The Diary of Anne Frank”; not to mention that they couldn’t
buy and download it from off the web. Not long ago that laptop, Kindles, Nook, and iPods were available
to us. For example,if you didn’t own encyclopedias, you had to get a ride to the nearest library to do
your homework. The realities of today seem so distant to the older generation. If they would open their
eyes they would see what a great tool the internet can be, not saying that the internet within itself isn’t
responsible for a lot of damage. With the good, comes the bad, but in this case the good outweighs the
bad from my personal opinion.
The internet also gives kids today the ability to look up almost any piece of information upon
request but it gives millions of kids around the world the choice to voice their opinion. Once a child’s
opinion was swept aside, but nowadays the internet has a big impact on our everyday lives. And with
that being said, anybody who has access to the World Wide Web can voice their opinion on any and
everything they desire. Millions of kids from around the world have visited sites like YouTube, Twitter,
MySpace and Facebook to voice their opinions on everything from presidential elections to their favorite

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fast food restaurants. With the way society depends on computers and the internet nowadays, the
youth’s voice will be heard. With devices like the iPod, Nook, and Kindle book readers on the market,
the use of books might one day be overlooked. Most of the books that are released today, as well as
older ones, are now available in a digital form. Hard copies of books, as well as pens, are being pulled
from classes.Schools around the country have already begun to issue iPods andlaptops. I couldn’t think
of a better way to get kids more involved in learning. In ten years or so when technology becomes
cheaper, the use of a book bag may no longer be needed. Technology may eventually incorporate every
aspect of our lives.
In conclusion,I agree with Goldwasser in saying that the internet has a more positive influence
on today’s youth than the older generation gives it credit for. Kids of today read and write on their own
free will, they have instant access to any historical information or literature in their possession, and they
influence our everyday life with their opinions via the internet.

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Works Cited
GoldWasser, Amy. “What’s the Matter with Kids Today? “The Norton Field Guide to Writing with
Readings and Handbook. 2nded. Ed. Marilyn Moller. New York: W.W.Norton &Company, 2010.
666-669. Print.
June, Ahn. “Digital Divides and Social Network sites: Which students participate in Social Media?”
Journal of Educational Computing 45.2 (2011): 1-2. Computer Source.Web. 19 June2012.