The podcast that I reviewed was called “Kids These Days” by IRL. It fit the conventions of a standard podcast pretty well. There was a pre intro music that plays for a while as there are quotes from different subjects of the intended target audience, and the music continues until the intro where the host comes in. There was a standard introduction by the host, as to who they are and what they do but that came only after the content of the podcast was described. There was a quote from a reputable news source in the form of journalist Manoush Zomorodi, who was a guest on the podcast, and there were also recordings from the field with quotes and anecdotes from subjects of the story; for example, Cameron Kasky, Parkland High student. I think that the host was effectively able to provide context and talk through the podcast to make sure the issue stayed relevant, while at the same time introducing new content and people. After hearing this podcast, it has made me think about this a lot more as I feel that I am a part of the social group that is being talked about in this podcast; being a teen who always has their phone at hand.
Some of the quotes that I found interesting from this podcast were:
“ It redefines a young person’s relationship to their tech, and because mobile tech is, well, mobile, it frees the user form parental supervision.”
“for the first completely digital native generation, parents have to constantly redraw that line between keeping kids safe and letting them engage with the big, crazy world, online and off.”
“social media wasn’t just a way to waste time; it was a way to get his own perspective on this terrible event out to the world.”
“But today that hunger for fame feels more immediate. A child might figure their phone can get them there if they can just get which photo filter makes them look the part.”
After this episode, I think that I know have a lot more insight as to which challenge would be the most suitable for me; I could relate to being a teenager who is on their phone a lot, so to challenge myself I think that it would be fun to try the challenge where me and my partner see which one of us can use our phones the least. Checking my phone has become so common that it has become a part of my daily routine, and I think that it would be a good challenge and a good temporary change to see how not having my phone always at hand or checking it much less will have an impact on me.
After thinking about this episode, here are two questions I came up with:
– Is the previous generation as entranced by the current one with the latest technology and applications of today? Does it have a similar effect on them?
– If social media and the Internet is a big factor in destroying parent-child relationships, could there also be ways in which it is used to improve relationships between parents and their children?
