This is Why You Were Bored as a Teenager

ronenreblogs:

mikehudack:

newsweek:

From NurtureShock:

In his new book, Dr. Joe Allen has concluded that our urge to protect teenagers from real life – because we don’t think they’re ready yet – has tragically backfired. By insulating them from adult-like work, adult social relationships, and adult consequences, we have only delayed their development. We have made it harder for them to grow up. Maybe even made it impossible to grow up on time.

Basically, we long ago decided that teens ought to be in school, not in the labor force. Education was their future. But the structure of schools is endlessly repetitive. “From a Martian’s perspective, high schools look virtually the same as sixth grade,” said Allen. “There’s no recognition, in the structure of school, that these are very different people with different capabilities.” Strapped to desks for 13+ years, school becomes incredibly montonous, artificial, and cookie-cutter.

This was my experience, and a key reason why I dropped out of high school and joined the workforce at sixteen.

This was my experience as well. I’ve always thought real learning was active, hands-on, and took place in real-life, not behind a desk.

Now you have students who, because of the internet, have surpassed their teachers in knowledge and experience. I often find myself chuckling at new media courses in universities because we can learn all of it for free - just by researching, asking, and doing. Even the valuable school communities (and alumni) are being formed online based on interest and participation.

Sitting behind a desk learning information that is rapidly changing (especially if you’re in new media or technology) seems like a hold-back. The master/student dynamic is also royally warped. Today the students are the masters.

An open letter to reviewers of web shows and online video

I agree. Being honest and giving constructive criticism is always more helpful than just being nice… and in the long run, much more valuable.

rickrey:

Dear reviewers,

I know many of you, and I like many of you. But there aren’t many of you. Our web video community is still relatively small, so we’ve all had the opportunity to commingle and get to know each other. This is great for socializing, but it introduces a dangerous conflict of interests. I say dangerous, because it’s really starting to hurt the industry. Let me tell you why.

When you don’t give a bad review, because you’re fearful of the repercussions, or you don’t want to hurt feelings, or you don’t want to lose potential sponsorship opportunities - you aren’t a reviewer anymore. You’re a marketer. Not that there’s anything wrong with marketing! We need more of it in online video. But you see the danger in posing as one thing when you’re the other, yes?

This industry needs you now more than ever. We need you to hunt down the unseen gems that I know are out there - a lot of it is probably happening outside our little bubble, e.g. random YouTube channels, filmmaking communities, etc. - so it’s going to require some leg work on your part. But we need you to do it, because the more truly “good” content that bubbles up, the easier it is to convince the naysayers that our industry is the real deal. I can’t speak for other producers, but I don’t want to be in the “minor leagues” of television, nor do I want that stigma associated with my projects. Raising the bar is always a good thing.

And just as important as finding the good stuff, you need to be more critical of the bad stuff. Like, way more critical. Because here’s the thing. You’re too fucking nice. And it seems like you pick-and-choose your reviews too carefully. Maybe it’s a coincidence, maybe it’s due to a lack of resources, whatever - in my opinion there is no good excuse. An announcement is not a review, it’s an announcement. If you announce something and hype it up, your readership will expect a review on it. Don’t back down on that. You will command a much more loyal and committed readership if you do this. Reputation is everything - you’re a journalist, and I know you know this.

So, I’m giving you blanket permission to bash the hell out of anything I work on from here on out, and I promise I won’t hate you, or disinvite you to parties, or not buy tickets to your events, or whatever other concern might be holding you back.

All I ask is that you’re fair and honest, and you don’t pull your punches.

Sincerely,
Rick

PS- this letter is not directed at any one person or organization.