(keitai-l) Re: Guardian Unlimited Observer | UK News | Thumbs are the new fingers

From: Nick May <nick_at_kyushu.com>
Date: 03/28/02
Message-id: <fc.000f76100006af2d3b9aca00865524d2.6af38@kyushunet.com>
This has been posted several times - and really is the sloppiest, most
careless, inane piece of reporting since - well - the last time....

"MUTATION"?!

Surely that implies genetic changes. 

Is anyone seriously suggesting that?

>Experts claim it
>proves technology is causing physical alterations that previously happened
>over generations. 

It seems they are. How silly of them.

What they mean can be no more than something like: "kids given the
opportunity to type on certain types of keyboards while very young will do
so in a  way different to adults - specifically using the thumbs
ambidextrously. This may well lead to a strengthening of those muscles and
a greater use of the thumb in other areas".

No more "mutatation" than I "mutate" when* I exercise and put on muscle.

Fave inane comment of the article has to be : 
>There is no question that choice is having a clear effect on their
>physicality: thumbs are the new fingers.

nick

(*That "when" is to be understood as a closet hypothetical conditional of
course...)




keitai-l@appelsiini.net writes:
>GameBoys and
>computers,has caused a physical mutation in the under-25s, according to
>new
>research. 
>
>The study, carried out in nine cities around the world, shows that the
>thumbsof the younger generation have overtaken their fingers as the hand's
>most muscled and dexterous digit. 
>
>The change affects those who have grown up with hand-held devices capable
>of
>text messaging, emailing and accessing internet services. Experts claim it
>proves technology is causing physical alterations that previously happened
>over generations. 
Received on Thu Mar 28 02:27:39 2002