ADD vs. Multitasking
Did you know that Attention Deficit Disorder otherwise known as ADD affects about five percent of children (APA)? Now you might be wondering what ADD is; it is a childhood syndrome characterized by impulsiveness and short attention span, and sometimes h-yperactivity that often leads to learning disabilities and various behavioral problems (AHSMD). In the article “Multitasking or Mass ADD?” it claims that we are creating a generation of kids with the inability to focus, and whose ability to pay attention may be “destroyed” as the article put it (560). Multitasking is the ability to juggle two or more tasks simultaneously. I disagree with the article’s claim for several reasons; first off multitasking has always been an advantage for me; second, I believe there is no certain connection between ADD and multitasking, and lastly, ADD and multitasking are two different things.
Who does not multitask currently? I find myself doing it more and more often. Whether they are chores or school work, I always find myself doing two or more things at once. I could be doing my homework while listening to music and washing clothes along with texting my girlfriend. I can watch television, write a paper, read information all while checking Facebook on my mobile phone. Multitasking is a part of everyday life, and it is something to which we have just grown accustomed. I feel like I get more done that way, and more is better. Very seldom will I ever sit down and just do ONE thing. I am always texting and doing something else, never just one activity. Giving someone our undivided attention nowadays requires a lot, but it is possible. Right now my girlfriend might feel a bit rejected because I am working hard on this paper, and I am only texting her back every five to ten minutes, but on the other hand, whenever I am with her, I will seldom touch my phone or text anyone else. Our attention is mostly given to those who mean a lot to us. Manners can also play a role in all of this; for example, whenever I am sitting at the dinner table with my parents, I will leave my phone alone until I am excused from the table, and on the contrary, if I was eating at the table by myself, I would be texting away while shoving spoonful’s in my mouth. Multitasking is a way of life; if one can’t do it is safe to say that they are clearly missing a few screws!
Multitasking will not give a rise to ADD due to indirect connection. “We are creating a generation of kids whose ability to pay attention may be destroyed” (Goodman) seems like such a drastic claim. Just because I am typing out a paper and my cellphone vibrates indicating a new message and I take a second to reply to it, does it mean that I have ADD? It means that I care, and I find it important to reply to the message for whatever reasons I have. I can still finish tasks thoroughly and I can focus on tasks. My attention to details is still sharp and I can be organized and orderly. Oh hey look a cracker! My ability to multitask, and do multiple things at once should not categorize me under something I do not have and is not a part of me. With technological advances, it makes it easier for us to communicate with other peers while we are apart. It doesn’t mean that when we walk down the hallways we communicate through technology like a pair of zombie robots. Whenever I see my friends and we’re together, I don’t find a reason to shoot them a text or send them a message on Facebook. A child will learn and use what he or she is exposed to. Set rules and boundaries for phone use, and you will not be fighting with them for their attention. The use of technology does not mean you have ADD but that our priorities are swapped. Multitasking and doing several tasks at once does not make me prone to Attention Deficit Disorder, and it certainly does not mean I have a problem focusing on a single task; I just prefer doing more at once to get tasks done and over with.
Lastly, I don’t see ADD anywhere in