Interview with X

For this assignment I chose to interview X, my next door neighbor. X is in 10th grade, and he and I have known each other for the past four years. I met X after he and his family moved into the house next to mine. Our backyards border each other, and there is no fence to separate them. Being X and I are on the same schedule, I often see him a lot during the summer, and we sometimes toss a frisbee in the backyard. While we still remain friendly, as he has gotten older and more concerned with friends, X and I have seen each other less. One thing that I have noticed in recent years is when he and his family are out in the yard, he is often glued to his iPhone. Despite it being totally commonplace, it is a bizarre scene to gaze upon... X's dad is a professional cellist, and the family often sits outside during the twilight hours as dad plays, but almost without exception X is zeroed in on his phone not listening to, or paying attention to his parents.

When I first knocked on X's door to ask to interview him, he was reluctant. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk, but was concerned that his friends would find out and he would somehow be perceived as less cool. Once I quelled his anxieties, and told him none of his friends would have any idea about the interview, he agreed. We spoke at length two times over the past week, once at his house, and once on my front stoop. Our conversations were insightful for me, but it seemed that X  did not have many self-reflective moments as a result of articulating his social media and technology habits. One conclusion that I drew from our conversation is how challenging it is for young people to even recognize tech dependence for those who grew up in an era where there was never any other reality. Throughout this course I have often remarked on my own experience as what I feel is the last generation to not experience a 24/7 connected life. I did not have a smart phone until after college, which I think is very important in terms of being conscious of tech use. I remember the time before people had instant access to everything, and am nostalgic for it. Because I have experience in that world, it is easier for me to try and replicate that way of life for myself and my family. I don't think the same is true of the generation that X belongs to. The only reality they know is having a smartphone and being connected 24/7. They have never had to wait on a line, or stand on the subway without a computer in their pocket. They never had to pick up the phone to call someone because texting wasn't an option. They never had to meet someone face to face for the first time without first connecting on social media. To be honest, the more I reflected on the interview, the sadder I became. I am concerned with the direction the human experience is going and I place much of the blame on the unconscious use of things like social media. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way anti-technology. I certainly recognize the power of digital literacies, and the huge benefits the new landscape brings to society. It just feels that there are not enough conversations about responsible use, especially as it pertains to young folks. Highlights from the interview below.


Time spent on social media: X reported that he is on Instagram most, but also uses Facebook, Vine, Snap Chat and Twitter. When I asked to him to estimate how many hours per day he used all of these sights combined, he said 4 hours sounded right for school days, and maybe 5 on weekends. X reported that he felt this was reflective of his friends and most high schoolers, too. When I asked him if he thought that was excessive, he told me "no" without hesitation.

Uses for social media: X told  me that Instagram was used to show "cool stuff." to your friends. When I asked him to elaborate, he told me you could post pics of cool stuff you see around the city, or memes. He told me that his parents did not want him posting pictures of himself, but that he didn't always listen. X told me that he has over 500 followers on Instagram, and he and his friends compete to see who can get more likes on the same photo. I asked him how many of his 500+ followers he knew personally, to which he replied, "maybe 70." X showed me his account, which often utilized the geotag feature, which drops a pin to the spot where the photo was posted. I asked him if he ever thought about the fact the is advertising where he is to over 400 strangers. He did not seem too concerned by my question, and seemingly did not make the connection to why that could be dangerous.
X reported that Facebook was mostly to talk to girls. He said that it's much easier to talk to girls online because you can think about what you want to say before sending it, so you sound cool and smart. I asked if he used FB to meet girls he did not know, and he said yes, but that they all went to his school, or were friends of friends. He told me he didn't think he would be as "successful" with girls if he had to do it all without FB.

Texting: X said that he often sends over one hundred texts per day. When I asked him why he texted so much, he said that he is involved in a number of group texts, so he doesn't get bored. I let him know I have often observed he and his family outside on summer nights and how he is always on his phone. He was kind of taken aback that I took note of this, and said, "what else am I supposed to do?" The notion of just being had clearly not occurred to him.

Using his phone as a tool: I asked if X used his phone as a tool to help with school, and he said not really. Sometimes he will use the calculator app, or will rush to do HW and email it on his way to school if he forgot the night before. He doesn't use it for the calendar function, or to set reminders, though.