Digital Nation

This PBS-aired Frontline documentary (an update of the earlier film Growing Up Online, reviewed in VL-9/08) examines the cultural shifts that have taken place within a single generation as high-tech media have transformed how we learn, work, and relate to one another. Producer-director Rachel Dretzin teams up with author and media theorist Douglas Rushkoff to explore the new frontier, taking a look at everything from the Internet's effect on the brain to its role in transforming the workplace and the military. The program argues that today's students demand constant stimulation, are easily distracted, and absorb information in bursts and snippets but have trouble following the “big idea.” Segments filmed in South Korea show Internet cafes where some kids stay up all night texting and gaming, and “Internet rescue camps” have been established to battle addiction. Although the film suggests that people may not be as adept at digital multitasking as they might believe, Digital Nation also makes the point that virtual offices may be the model for the future, saving time and resources as people forge professional relationships without face-to-face contact. Taking innovation in a different direction, the U.S. military has created “virtual reality therapy” for veterans suffering post-traumatic stress disorder. Meanwhile, predator drones remote-controlled by stateside soldiers strike targets in Iraq and Afghanistan. Interviews with scholars, educators, kids, and parents provide a balanced view of the pros and cons of these seismic shifts throughout society, with one expert concluding that technology is neither good nor bad, simply powerful. Informative, provocative, and up-to-date, this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)