KIDS react to ROTARY PHONES

In a recent video posted by Youtubers TheFineBros, children of various ages ranging from as young as 5 and as old as 13 were introduced to a piece of history, some for the very first time; a rotary phone. One of the funniest clips in a while, this video documents the reactions of how old, clunky, and useless these phones are to a generation of kids who have grown accustomed to converging technology that fits in their pockets. This ties into chapter two of our text, Converging Media: A New Introduction to Mass Communication, which deals with media literacy and the changing media landscape. The kids are asked to figure out how to function the relic and can barely believe that this was our primary means of communication once upon a time. When asked to text on the phone, one young girl is perplexed but soon realizes that life before texting meant actually CALLING a friend to talk about anything, big or small. Some questions were quite valid, such as the boy who pondered what we did in the event of an emergency away from home. Mostly, it was interesting to see the kids interact and speak in such a sophisticated nature, mirroring the advances technology has made in the brief time of their life spans. To be young today is almost like being born into a totally new age of media literacy.

Pavlik, J. V., & McIntosh, S. (2011). Converging media: A new introduction to mass communication. New York: Oxford University Press.

 KIDS REACT TO ROTARY PHONES [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://youtu.be/XkuirEweZvM

KIDS REACT TO ROTARY PHONES (Bonus #97) [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://youtu.be/K0nDfE3tfRE