Media development and its social consequences

Shortly before the turn of the century, the „Generation @“ was proclaimed worldwide as the model for a new computer culture. The next generation was to live with and in virtual worlds as a matter of course. However, the „web lifestyle“ proudly propagated by Bill Gates is increasingly coming up against psychological and social limits in Germany. The „barely manageable flood of media“ is producing information stress: „You literally feel overwhelmed“ according to a small majority of the population (1998: 40% - 2010: 51%). And the Internet, the network of networks, has now become Germans„ biggest personal disappointment. A clear majority of Germans have come to the conclusion that “social contacts are becoming rarer as a result. Loneliness tends to increase" (1998: 41% - 2010: 59%). This is the result of representative comparative studies conducted in 1998 and 2010, in which the BAT Foundation for Future Studies surveyed 2,000 people aged 14 and over across Germany about their attitudes and experiences of media development.
„In the Internet age, desire and reality are increasingly diverging,“ says Prof Dr Horst W. Opaschowski, Scientific Director of the Foundation for Future Studies. „New contact networks are often just a mouse click away, but are less and less able to replace interpersonal relationships because they remain superficial and arbitrary. Emailing, chatting and surfing have become popular digital sports for the younger generation. But many young people zap through their lives and wait in vain for consistency.“
A growing proportion of 14 to 34-year-olds increasingly miss „stable relationships“ (1998: 42% - 2010: 53%). As internet surfers, they can be like nomads anywhere in the world, but ultimately less and less at home. Opaschowski: „They are constantly energised and are in danger of losing their grip on life.“ The trend towards „isolation“ is still limited for them (1998: 39% - 2010: 44%). But the consequences are foreseeable because they can no longer rely on their relationships without continuity. Hopes that the IT message „The new media will enrich private life“ would be fulfilled have not materialised for the younger generation either (1998: 42% - 2010: 39%). And the rest of the population hardly believes it any more (1998: 26% - 2010: 24%). There is less and less room for media euphoria in the lives of Germans.

Sensory overstimulation: Growing nervousness and aggressiveness

Almost every second German citizen is now convinced that the „sensory overstimulation caused by the flood of media is making people more nervous and aggressive“ (1998: 37% - 2010: 46%). „The culture-critical fear that in future we will be dealing with a generation flooded with stimuli that reacts increasingly nervously and aggressively in everyday life may become reality,“ says Prof Dr Opaschowski, the head of the foundation. „Hyperactivity and lack of concentration can be the result because the young media generation is constantly growing up with fast cuts and abrupt changes of scene and situation.“

„Avatar“ lives: Between role play and rehearsal life

More and more young people openly admit that they „play a role“ on the Internet and can „pretend to be different“ from who they really are (1998: 29% - 2010: 49%). Many also use the computer as a retreat, claiming that it allows them to „temporarily escape the stress and hectic pace of life“ (1998: 30% - 2010: 44%). A good third of the young generation (1998: 30% - 2010: 37%) even believe they can compensate for life's deficits by using computers. Professor Opaschowski: „For the young media generation, computer culture has become a second life (‚Second Life’). Avatar lives: young people can constantly reinvent themselves on the Internet. The desire arises: Live several lives!“ Nevertheless, only a few (1998: 27% - 2010: 26%) believe that this attitude has an impact on the value-orientation of their lives. For them, the Internet is just a stage on which they can play and occasionally rehearse.
The flood of media will certainly be unstoppable in the future. This makes media literacy education for children and young people all the more urgent - from personalised media consumption to regular relaxation exercises and attractive alternatives to multimedia. But instead of thinking about new toys, parents should get more involved in the game themselves, i.e. actively playing along and not just passively watching.