Archive for the 'Questioning Things' Category

Growing Up With Technology

Published by Jarred on February 19, 2009 in Culture, Education, Lifestyle and Questioning Things. Comments

A post over on CrunchGear notes that a recent study in the UK concluded that the average age at which children receive their first cell phone these days is eight years old.  I believe I was in 10th grade (2000 or 2001) when I received my first cell phone, right when I got my driver’s license — so, around age 16.

At what age will you start introducing your children to technology?  How old will they be when you give them their first cell phone?  Their first personal computer?  Their first online profile?  How will you regulate their use?

For me, I am of the opinion that starting children on technology early and responsibly is the key.  Technology will be a major part of their lives from an early age whether we like it or not, because it will be tightly integrated into all levels of education from pre-K onwards.  I want to be part of that learning experience with my children.  This is partially because I want to impart my love of technology and innovation to my kids, just like others want to impart their love of football or music or dancing.  But it is also because I want to make sure that it is me that is showing my kids how to use technology responsibly, and to teach them good habits.

Continue reading ‘Growing Up With Technology’

Questioning Things: Vol. IX

Published by Jarred on July 11, 2008 in Questioning Things and Uncategorized. Comments

Today we’re going to do something a little different with our traditional “Questioning Things.”  Instead of having you respond in the comments, you’ll be able to simply and quickly respond through the polls below.  Hopefully we’ll get more participation this way.

These questions are a little frivolous, but I thought it would be interesting to see the numbers.  Next week, we’ll use this system to ask more relevant/serious questions. But, as this is my last day of work at my current job, I’m not in a very serious mood. Roll it.

Questioning Things: Vol. VIII

Published by Jarred on May 22, 2008 in Questioning Things. Comments

Sorry this week has been a little lame, Tropophilia-wise.  Taylor’s getting his study on for the GRE, and I… well… have no legitimate excuse.  We’ll be back in action soon.

I feel like my “questioning things” offerings last week were a little vague, broad, and/or serious.  So I’m going to make this week’s series concrete, direct, and awesome:

  1. What’s your second-favorite season of the year, and why?
  2. What’s your favorite interview question?
  3. What’s your favorite board game?  What’s your least favorite?

Questioning Things: Vol. VII

Published by Jarred on May 16, 2008 in Questioning Things. Comments

Thank the stars, it’s Friday. Taylor and I are headed to Davidson this weekend, celebrating our one-year anniversary of academic furlough by watching this year’s grads walk across the stage. But you know we love you, and wouldn’t leave you without a little sumin’ sumin’ to think about over the weekend.

These are random questions, but will hopefully generate some interesting responses.

  1. Our world is plagued with problems: war, AIDS, natural disasters, injustice, poverty, hunger, etc. If you had a magic “fix it” button you could press, but you could choose one – and only one – problem to solve, what would it be?
  2. What is one job you’d do literally until the day you died, but for which you would receive no pay? Assume you would be provided with food and housing similar to a college meal plan and dorm, be given unlimited quantities of the wardrobe you currently own, and have unlimited free health care.
  3. If the next President called you and gave you the task of completely rewriting the Pledge of Allegiance, what would you submit? The current pledge is about thirty words, but I’ll give you fifty.

Proceed.

Image used under a Creative Commons license courtesy of Flickr user Dom Dada.

Questioning Things: Vol. VI

Published by Taylor on May 9, 2008 in Consumer Behavior, Politics and Questioning Things. Comments

I live in North Carolina. You might have heard about a little primary election we had on Tuesday. I actually voted weeks ago, taking advantage of my state’s one-stop early voting process: voters can show up at any early voting location in their county, register, and vote on the same day. The early voting locations open about three weeks ahead of election day, and offer weekend hours for voters who are unable to vote during the work week. I walked into my polling place, voted, and was back at100 laptop work within 20 minutes. As I walked back to work, I couldn’t help thinking: I can’t believe an idea this indisputably good for our state actually came to fruition. Now don’t get me wrong: I love NC, and we have a number of incredibly dedicated civil servants working in all levels of state and local government, not to mention brilliant and talented policy advocates in the nonprofit realm.  And yet, for some reason I’m still shocked that early voting is real.

On the other end of the spectrum is the $100 laptop.  This strikes me as such a powerful idea, such a POSSIBLE dream–there is, in fact, an excellent design–and yet…the project is stalled and faces innumerable obstacles.

So here’s the question: what are other policies, products or inventions (maybe online tools?) that seem almost too good to be true?  What’s something amazing you’ve seen/heard about, only to be shocked when it became reality?  Alternatively, what’s the best idea that you don’t think will ever come to fruition?

My second story (and question) is inspired by an article in Fast Company magazine (thanks for the plane reading material, Dan!) on “The Brand Called Obama:”  obama sign

Politics, after all, is about marketing — about projecting and selling an image, stoking aspirations, moving people to identify, evangelize, and consume. The promotion of the brand called Obama is a case study of where the American marketplace — and, potentially, the global one — is moving. His openness to the way consumers today communicate with one another, his recognition of their desire for authentic “products,” and his understanding of the need for a new global image — all are valuable signals for marketers everywhere

As Jarred and I have disclosed before, we’re fans of Obama’s politics.  But more and more, I find myself attracted to the Obama “brand” with the same fierce loyalty I feel for a company like Apple.  Let’s just say, if Apple released an electric toothbrush, I would probably buy it.  These brand loyalties are interesting to me.  Jarred and a number of our friends are irrationally loyal to one particular “barbecue” (in quotes because it’s not legitimate ‘cue) joint in their neighborhood, despite all convincing evidence of its over-rated nature.  What forms and perpetuates these loyalties?

Again, here’s the question: what brand(s) are you loyal to–to a fault?  What brands will you absolutely pay a premium to support, even if logical alternatives exist?  When you examine your brand loyalties from a detached perspective–I can, for instance, recognize that an Apple toothbrush would probably be awful…and that I would buy it–what loyalties seem ridiculous?  Which can you justify, and which are completely irrational?

Image of $100 laptop used under a Creative Commons license courtesy of Flickr user Kofoed.

Obama sign image used under a Creative Commons license courtesy of Flickr user sweetashvegas.