Hey all.

I was sitting on the bus today, and i had an epiphany... i was listening to some HARDCORE LOVELY METAL (children of bodom, dark tranquility, and in flames <3) and i looked around me. almost EVERYONE else on the bus was listening to their ipod/walkman phone/zune/whatever. Are these ipod/mp3 devices causing kids and teens to become more and more unsocial/antisocial? same goes for the internet.

i was reading an article about a camp in Korea that treats internet addicts, as young as 7 years old. incredible? yes. Depressing? YES. should we do something about it? YES. are we doing something about it? NO.

i've realized im going to budget my time on my computer. no, im not anti/unsocial at all, i go out every chance i get, yet i still spend to much time sitting here in front of this darn LCD screen. Why? Who knows, but its got to change, FOR ALL OF US.

Thoughts? Comments? POST.

thanks - Mason

I suppose if you let it get to you SO much, that you wouldn't want to have out with your friends and such.... I can see how it could get to you, But people have to know that their social life is just as important if not more.

The thing about the mp3-players isn't a too big of a problem as far as I've noticed... There isn't really any reason for anyone to be social on the bus, unless you drive with friends.

The internet has been stealing people's social lives for years, this isn't anything new. People getting too hung up in a world of internet should simply not have internet at all...

TBH, not really.

I don't know of any one who listens to high MP3 as an activity. i do it when i got nothing else better to do: when im riding my bike, at the train or bus and in the stations. This is _FAR_ off from making me (or any one else for that matter) an Internet or Technology 'addict'.

I mean, if you were on the bus, and had no music (and nor did any one else on that bus for that matter) would you go ahead and start talking to a complete stranger you just happen to see on the bus? I wouldn't, unless she's hot. Computer's, again, is just somthing i do for fun - i cba to be with my friends all the time. i spend all day at school with them, most of the time we got aft school to the mall to watch a movie or play some bowling. It's not like i'd rather go home and play on my PC, but i'd rather spend some time on my computer that be with friends another 4 hours over the 6-7 i spend with them 5 days a week and some more on weekends at partys.

So here's a shout for all you guys who consider themselves self centered, unsocial or anything of that kind, and wanna blame technology - GTFO OF YOUR HOUSE AND GET A LIFE, NO ONE'S GONNA DO IT FOR YOU!

To be put simple, yes. I don't know a kid without an MP3 player and a Myspace...Although MySpace does make it easier to social with a large group of people without having you to get up, but you aren't actually doing anything.

If you talk to your parents they will tell you how they worked, ran and played. Talk to any kid in America today, all they say is Xbox, Music, and Myspace.

As for MP3 players, if an MP3 player alone makes someone become antisocial, they were probably antisocial before they ever got that MP3 player lol. It's just music.

~Jeremy~

Don't see how music can make you anti-social. My bus ride is an hour so I always have my iPod handy. The internet? Depends on the user. Most people aren't anti-social because of it. However, if they're a WoW player, there's a good chance they don't go out very often.

Eh, I talk to friends at school, but I'm not really social at school either. In my classes, I normally sit by myself, talk to no one, and stay out of people's business. I guess you could say I'm a loaner. I don't like to do things much with friends. I don't like to go out or anything either. It's not because of technology or anything, it's just how I am. If I do hang out with people, I'm normally crazy and random. But I don't music and the internet really makes people antisocial.

thanks all for your replies. fisherman brings up a good point. i didnt think of the fact that most people listen to music when they exercise as well. But also, the busride, at least for me on the school bus, if you try to talk to people, they SLOWLY take their earphone out, and then give you this look as if they dont really want to be distracted by you, even though they're my friends! haha oh well. I must say, im guilty of listening to AWESOME METAL MUSIC as well on the bus.

Just a point, and trying to get some people to think about it =)

thanks for the replies.

anyone with anymore points/suggestions/statements?

As much as i like playing runescape...I have real life friends (a few...but better than none).

I only listen to my MP4 if i'm REEALY bored. I don't go around as much with it lol

The Internet...on the other hand...okay...yes i do visit a lot, but mostly because i get bored easily and this doesn't imply the fact that i'm an addict.

Yet i still like to go on the internet, but i ain't that much of an addict