Douglas Rushkoff’s, Program or be Programmed raises some serious points about programming that I completely agree with. Personally, I think it is extremely important for people to learn computer programming languages. Yes, I understand that it may be a little intimidating when you first see it….

And you’re sitting there looking at the screen like…..

But I’m sure if it was taught just like any other course in Elementary school such as:

• English
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies
• Art
• Physical Education
• Music

It wouldn’t be such a problem. Just think about it. With any of the above named courses mentioned (lets say first grade) you are taught the absolute basics. You know, 1+1 basics, the cat in the hat basics. Well if you were in first grade you could also be taught the super extreme Java basics and as you progressed in your education so would your Java knowledge.

I really advocate computer science in every way especially in this overwhelming tech world that we live in. I think children should begin to play with computers– well the kid friendly kind, at a very young age because no matter what they will be surrounded by them throughout their whole lives.

Overall…

I really enjoyed Rushkoff’s work. It was very insightful. My favorite thing he said in Program or be Programmed would be…

Ironically, perhaps, as our digital experiences make us more simple, our machines are only getting more complex. The more complex our technologies become, and more impenetrable their decision-making (especially by our increasingly simplified, gist-of-it brains), the more dependent on them we become. -62

And I think he is correct because our computers are doing all the work for us now. Just today I got too lazy to calculate a percentage so I typed in on google “percentage calculator” and plugged in the numbers. Is it because I don’t know how to do it? No. It’s because I was too lazy to do it and I’d rather just look it up! – SO. SAD. I know. But I have to agree with him. We sometimes look up the most basic things just because we know our technology can do it…and probably do it faster than we could.