Welcome to the Naked Generation, proclaims a blog posting on CNet News written by Caroline McCarthy, a young Manhattan socialite who believes that the web can actually help one's social life. The Naked Generation is that group of people who choose to use the web as a means of self-promotion. In her words: "The Naked Generation is something different: its figureheads are smart, business-savvy young adults, typically in emerging creative fields, who see the embarrassing antics of 'MySpace kids' and their emotional outpourings, and see a window of opportunity. They're smart, and they know it, so they think they can use online exhibition as an advantage rather than an embarrassment."
But even by her own admission, "think" is the operative word here. What are the repercussions of putting your life online? It's simply too soon to tell. Some people have made a name for themselves by doing so, others have simply added more ignored material to the information super highway. For those who have made their mark, what impression does it leave? And for those who tried to get noticed but failed, how does it impact them?
It's hard for me to imagine what, besides complete narcissism, is going on in the minds of these "meta-exhibitionists." And there is evidence to back that up -- research conducted earlier this year found that college students are more self-centered than ever before.
Is it time for Sesame Street and other educational television shows to send a message to kids that they aren't so special after all?
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