You've been chosen to serve your System on the Game Grid

Tron. I was only 8 when I saw this film for the first time on Betamax. In the early 80's there where many films that questioned the relationship between computers and their human creators. These themes can be seen in more recent films such as the Matrix and I Robot. Still I feel that people have missed the real issue when it comes to how computers have effected relationships.

Computers have taken over, but not in the way these films would suggest. Computers have changed the way people relate to one another. The anonymity that the computer screens gives has cause a fundamental shift in some key cultural aspects. One of which is the use of language, and the ablity to express ourselves through the written word. With text messaging and IM many senior high students have trouble spelling simple words. This has spilled over into blogs and sadly, term papers at some schools. The text messaging phenomanen also has cause people to write in a condensed fashion void of any true expression. This has lead to countless "miscommunications" at schools and offices across America.

Second, computers have comtributed to the decline in manners among young people. Online gaming is a festuring swamp of juvenile banter. These young people have lost contact with real communication and substitue a discourse of explitives. The computer supplies a buffer, allowing for a false sense of security. The internet for these kids is a consequence free zone. Their virtual persona is much like the character in The Matrix. These are egos out of control. Hour in front of a computer screen has caused common civility to decay. This has cause kids around the world to be more brazen, and has hurt real relationships with parents and teachers.

Last, computers have hurt this next generations chances of crossing cultural bridges. The lie was that computers would even the playing field and those differences that trip up relationships would fade away. Instead, the worse in human nature has come to the forefront. All we see is a selfish, rude and childish reflection of ourselves. It is almost as if the computer has given us a licences to show humanities 'hind side.

The computer has known from the begining that a direct attak would never work on mankind. Instead, computer has turned humans against themselves, and stolen the value of culture. Without a proper view of personal relationships the world is looking at a dark and dismal future. These futre leaders will not have the natural skills to communicate with their countrymen, much less people from around the world.

So, you have been chosen to serve your System on the game grid. This is the Master Control Program...End of the Line.