The Ethics of Solitude - vs Group and Shared Everything

I have subscribed to the Ethics Newsline for a while now - ever since I started teaching the IB ITGS course a few years ago. Often I merely skim their regular updates, but this time I was intrigued by the title of one of their posts. The Ethics of Solitude.

In a world where everything seems social, from the peer pressure "need" to be on FaceBook and Twitter, to be on Tumblr, LinkedIn or whatever. Everywhere we seem to be challenged to be "social" in our use of technology. Maybe this is a reaction to the often heard comment that technology makes people less social - they have less need for community because they can "commune" at a distance now. In fact, a report I heard yesterday on radio news stated that online dating was now second most common way to meet a love interest - behind being introduced by a mutual friend.

So - I read the Ethics of Solitude. It's worth a read. The world is not made up of clones. Everyone will have a different perspective. At a time where we do seem to spend a lot of time on sharing and teamwork - and they are important - there is a place for solitude.

Enjoy the read.

TAGGED

"When a group of high-school friends posts an online rumour about a rival, it sparks a chain reaction that leaves no one untouched. Cyberbullying, sexting, filmed fights and police action ensue—will these friends be Tagged forever?

Developed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority's Cybersmart program, Tagged is a short film for teenagers that encourage students to discuss the core ethical obligations of going online. It explores issues like the widespread impact of cyberbullying, how internet users can manage their digital reputation and how online interactions may have real-life consequences." 

That's the intro to the YouTube video "Tagged". It's a great resource for teachers and parents - in fact anyone who needs to work with young people (around 10 - 15 years of age) about the power of using your head and to "think before you click". 

Here is the video - its worth the 16 or so minutes to watch.

One of the nice things about the ACMA site is that they have resources for schools, parents and teens at the appropriate page of their site. If you are a school head to this link , if you are a parent head to here, and if a teen head to here. 


And while on the "think before you click" idea, don't forget the great resources that NetSafe offer here in New Zealand.