Part 1 - Moderation is Key

I've grown up in two eras: the era of analog technology, and the era of digital technology with its golden internet. I grew up playing outside and scraping my knees, and just being an active kid. I knew who most of the people in my school were, and they knew me, and we've all exchanged greetings, ort a "hey. cool light-up sneakers," at least once in the time that we were in school together. We got the basic gist of who the weirdos, bullies, cool kids, and super smart kids were just from interacting with them throughout the day, even if it was embarrassing because of the stupid things we'd say or do.
These days with the internet exposing people, especially school-aged kids, to so many different things, it's easier for them to not have to physically interact with others to get their fill of social needs. You can browse the web, discover things about other peoples of the world, and really think about what type of person you want to be after being exposed to the vast cultures of the internet. This is great because you might have more people you can identify with on the internet than in those who are around you geographically, and be in a supportive social environment.
However, one thing that really bothers me, personally, is when such people cannot communicate with people in-person. I understand shyness and all, but there is a whole other level that people are reaching these days because the only practice they get with interacting with other people is through the internet. On the internet they can either say whatever rash thing they want to say and take it back and delete it, or they can carefully mull over it and take forever to get their statement out.
Or, users can be like Autumn Eadows, in which they have two very different lives on the internet and in real life. That's not always the case with people, but the internet does provide plenty of opportunity to do such. I feel like today's society, catapulted by the changing technology and times, just takes too many things to an extreme. Autumn Eadows is an extreme case in which internet personality and real-life personality were estranged, but statistically, it's not proven that this will be the fate of all internet users. I think that one thing that we've all strayed from, as a  modern urban society, is moderation in the things that we choose to do.

·       http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/ and click “watch the full program online”