Comments on: Is Cupid’s aim off? Students want this more than love

By: Thom

Thom — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:04:36 +0000

I agree with Alison, what is the contextual nature of this study? Although, based on my own readings regarding this generation and personal anecdotal experiences, I may tend to agree with the contents of this article. However, anyone can throw out numbers! The dynamics of the study would give it more validity in the eyes of my academic colleagues.

By: Danny

Danny — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:05:51 +0000

I am never surprised when the “real world” seems to model “the silver screen” world, or maybe someone in Hollywood actually has the thumb on the pulse of America and has done a good job of modeling the real world in the media world. I teach Community College Communication courses and have an opportunity to explore this topic with 100+ students from multiple “generations” each year. The truth is, today there are many more ways to use communication to maintain a relationship than there have ever been. We talk about competent communication being the ability to maintain a relationship at the desired level. Now for me, that does not mean going 100% technology for the channel of communication. But, do movies like Surrogates and Avatar paint a true picture of our future; a world where relational satisfaction is met wholly by technology? I think the real statement this research makes is that how we define relational satisfaction is changing. The need for communication is still present (technology may have even enhanced the need), but it is sad to see that many are meeting their needs in a non-physical way. I believe the most intimate form of communication is touch. And yes, highly qualitative interpersonal relationships require work. I also believe that technology (although it may be effective in meeting our maintenance goals) is the lazy/slacker way.

By: Alison

Alison — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:19:52 +0000

Nothing personal, truly, but I seriously hate it when someone says “it’s a generational thing”. There are ways to have efficient mtgs f2f, and ways to have a 5-minute reunion with your lover without it having to distract you from getting on with your work. People of all ages range the spectrum of what they prefer for work and play environments, and people of all ages run the gamut of their comfort with technology, too.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:05:40 +0000

Wow. Hard to believe that you are presenting this information without citation. What “recent study”? Methodology? Where can we read it for ourselves? Etc.

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By: Debbie

Debbie — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:38:05 +0000

Without more information it is hard to judge credibility and too many researchers take a small study of one group and spread it across all groups. How did age, gender, race place into this? But if any of this is real, it shows why gossip websites and dysfuntional behavior is becoming the norm. It also shows why students can’t figure out what is fact and what is gossip just picked up and passed along. Yet these same students want to graduate into leadership positions and lead other people when they can’t carry on a face to face conversation with anyone. What we’re training is worker bee’s not leaders. If the students would rather blog than interact with real people–you have to wonder can they communicate at all? Kind of makes you understand why relationships flounder so quickly –nobody can talk to anyone. .

By: Melanie

Melanie — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:34:06 +0000

I am of the opinion that this makes sense. If I am merely ‘taking a break’ from studying – for a few minutes – why not just click over to facebook and see what people are up to? I could message my mom, comment on my boyfriend’s wall, post a note about what I want to do tomorrow, or whatever. The break will only be as long as I want it to be for, so I wouldn’t get distracted. If I really want to spend time with someone in a relationship, I would make an effort to schedule some meaningful time – not a “study break”. And as for civilization somehow needing face-to-face conversation to get things done? I am a professional and get far more done with the people willing to collaborate through email than I ever get from those who constantly insist on face-to-face meetings. Those are the projects that always go past deadline and drag on way to long. Maybe it’s a generational thing.

By: Larisa Grigore

Larisa Grigore — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:59:16 +0000

true and sad..

By: Jonathan Miller

Jonathan Miller — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:11:37 +0000

I second Allison’s comments about details, but setting that aside for a moment.

“Only 4% said the library is a campus necessity” but “two in five students said the Internet and social media are the main things they couldn’t live without in college.”

This makes me think that they are defining the library as that big building on campus they sometimes go to to find study space when the dorms are too noisy, instead of the node on the Internet that gathers the rich information resources that they need to do well in their courses and provides it all without the barriers of credit card payments, dead links, and crappy connections, while surrounding those resources with useful tools that enable them to ask questions, get help, and cite things accurately.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:13:25 +0000

Another demonstration of the breakdown of social skills needed for a civilization to get things done.

By: Alison

Alison — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:36:58 +0000

Context, please? Which students, studied at which school (s)? Ages, majors, gender …

By: Juanita clark

Juanita clark — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:56:53 +0000

This actually dipicts a positive interest in independent technological studies amoung our students today(visual learners).