But there is no reason to expect the worst. Umberto Eco discusses the alleged displacement of the traditional book by the new electronic media. We have both. Yes, online technology will give more power to a privileged elite within the new wired generation. But even lucky kids like Kojima still need a broader educational context to ground them, to wire them to the earth.
Some basics persist, even through revolutions.
Despite the child's newfound ability to interact with a machine, human interaction cannot be displaced. Good parenting and adult mentoring still matter more than any technology. The new children are not so different from the old. Kids are still kids. Reprinted, with minor emendations, with permission from PreText magazine.