Will Texting Make Young People Better Workers?

An interesting Wall Street Journal article about whether young people’s use of texting and Facebook will help them or hurt them when they enter the workforce.

Both sides are vividly described:

Some argue they can accomplish a great deal: This generation has a gift for multitasking, and because they’ve integrated technology into their lives, their ability to remain connected to each other will serve them and their employers well.

Others contend that these hyper-socializers are serial time-wasters, that the bonds between them are shallow, and that their face-to-face interpersonal skills are poor.

The article concludes that, either way, texting and social networking is deeply, deeply ingrained in young people.

(My guess is that texting and Facebooking help you become very good at light maintenance of relationships and light task coordination. But they don’t help you learn to rack your brain. If your job is going to include things like writing the first draft of the marketing plan, you’re still going to have to learn the solitary skills of grinding it out.)

(TW)

The Greatest Generation (of Networkers) | 4 November 2009

Tagged as: Social Media, Social Networking