Digitus Secundus: The Swipe [Last Word]

The author reports on downloading an audio recording and then easily swiping away the information once it got too depressing and going on to another topic. Examines the societal implications of not liking something and then having the ability to swipe, erase, turn off, or move onto information at a lightning pace. "In our society, if we don???t like something, we often mute, forward,or press stop. We can tune out the world with 3.5-mm technology tucked snugly in our ears. We can instantly and effortlessly escape, avoid, or substitute what makes us vulnerable, uncomfortable, or bored. When a student in my class publicly voices a struggle, other students so often pull out their phones. Yet, the unpleasant can teach us marvelous lessons. What seems insignificant, uninteresting, or irrelevant today often proves to be valuable later."