Teens Snapshotted Before Iconic Art Get Roasted Online
Last year, a photographer shared an image of some teenagers standing in front of Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch’ at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The teens appeared so engrossed in their phones that they seemed oblivious to the stunning masterpiece right next to them.
Social media users quickly jumped onto the “kids these days!” bandwagon. But here’s the kicker: a teacher later clarified that those students were actually using their phones for a school project related to their visit. “The Rijksmuseum has a fantastic app that offers guided tours and additional information about the art on display,” notes Alex Green on Medium. “The students had been instructed to complete an assignment that included utilizing the museum’s brilliant smartphone app, right after they had marveled at the art and listened to knowledgeable adults.”
Here they are, truly captivated by the art. Green adds, “What’s more likely to spell the end of civilization: kids using smartphones to deepen their understanding of art, or the deliberate ignorance of adults who rush to judgment?”
Screens are now ubiquitous, having replaced many traditional forms of media. If this picture had shown kids engrossed in a museum brochure instead, it likely wouldn’t have drawn such harsh criticism. Our children are growing up in a digital age, where these devices are simply part of their reality. While we may long for the days of card catalogs and newspaper clippings, today’s kids have never formed attachments to those relics, which once absorbed our attention similarly to how screens command theirs.
Let’s cut the kids some slack. Assuming that every time a teenager looks down at their phone they’re just playing games or snapping selfies is a bit lazy. It’s “willful ignorance” on our part to think they’re not engaging in something meaningful. There will always be a generational gap, but we need to step off our high horses and recognize that today’s youth are adapting to technology. Expecting anything less is naive, and criticizing them for being connected is unjust.
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Summary
A viral photo of teens seemingly ignoring art in favor of their phones sparked criticism, but it turns out they were using technology for a school assignment. This highlights the generational divide and the need to rethink assumptions about technology’s role in learning.