Tag Archives: Time magazine

#6 Image generator: still playing…


MaximBubbles on TV Guide

Originally uploaded by tania.sheko

Looking through ‘Image generator’ in the Generator blog, I couldn’t help wondering about the inane aspect of all these fun applications. Browsing through the different things ‘image generator’ could create, I found ‘nightingale song generator’, ‘hair mixer generator’, ‘design your own donut’ (lol), ‘lederhosen dance generator’ (Ach du lieber!), and many others. What about ‘hair particle generator’ where a picture is made from what appears to be lots of hairs – a nightmare for those who freak at the sight of a hair where it shouldn’t be. I imagine boys would love the ‘insult generator’ or the ‘drug name generator’. What do you do with virtual soap? (bar soap generator)
Yes, they’re fun, but it does make me think that these things can waste a lot of time. And we thought TV was bad for kids! I suppose it’s all about balance and self-discipline, and seeing the educational potential of these things as teachers and teacher-librarians. When I was young, I wasn’t allowed to study while watching TV. Now kids study while listening to music and simultaneously checking their Facebook and MySpace, as well as chatting on MSN. How does focus work here? Great topic for a thesis.

I decided to put my poor younger son on the front cover of the TV Guide (haven’t told him yet).