Technology plays a key role in the lives of people in modern society. Modern life would not be livable, or at least tolerable, without personal computers, the internet, and cellphones. Certainly, my grandparents and parents did not grow up with the most-up-to-date communications technology, and my grandparents, especially, had no access to any of the modern communications advances that younger generations now take for granted. In 50 or so short years, modern communications technology has dramatically changed the way people socialize, conduct business, go to school, and use entertainment on a daily basis. Moreover, the exponential growth of modern technology has changed the assumptions successive generations have about the proper way to live.
When my grandparents were about my age, about 50 years ago, they did not have personal computers, internet connectivity, or cellphones. Instead, they owned calculators, regular phones with lines, and did not even have an inkling that the internet would be a global game-changer. Nevertheless, my grandparents formed certain assumptions about the proper way to live based on their “low-tech” environments. I have spoken to my grandparents about their thoughts on modern technology, especially the personal computer, as well as Smartphones. The one primary takeaway I had from my grandparents was that the world of high technology has made things much too easy for younger generations. According to an interview with writer and social critic Nicholas Carr, people use computers in a far too passive way, expecting computers to make nearly all tasks easier to complete with little human interaction or involvement (Chatfield).
Certainly, my grandparents would heartily agree with Carr’s sentiment, and they would go one step further, stating that the personal computer has made people, especially younger generations, lazy. For example, many people do not even bother to write personal letters on paper, or read paper books. Many younger people may spend several hours per day in front of a screen of some sort, doing little but playing video games or connecting with friends on popular social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat. Also, many young people are captivated by the latest PokemonGo craze, spending hours per day playing the novel video game. My grandparents only shake their heads at this trend, and lament that the younger generation has an aversion to physical labor, spending time in nature, or even participating in the community with neighbors whom young people may never meet. As a result of my grandparents lack of experience with 21st century technology, their assumptions about work and play have been shaped by simpler times, times that involved more physical interaction, and no interaction with personal computers, or other modern electronic devices. Thus, they viewed their upbringing as stressing the need for more self-reliance, independence, and personal effort.
Curiously, my parents have embraced the new digital world of advanced communications technology. In large part, their assumptions about the latest communications technology is that it has become a necessity for work, both in the provision of goods and services. My parents strongly believe in the value of the personal computer, and the cellphone, for example. Their assumptions about the proper way to live are much more in line with my generation than with my grandparents’ generation. For example, there is a lot of research that reveals the acceptance and high usage of cellphones among those who are college-educated. According to Smith, 42% of cellphone owners who are college-educated believe that their cellphones save them time, which is much higher than those who have little college education or lower income levels (Smith). Thus, while being careful not to make sweeping generalizations, my parents’ generation has accepted that cellphones can increase a person’s efficiency, and thereby their likelihood to succeed. In other words, they have more or less accepted that advanced communications technology, such as cellphones, are a necessary part of life. Arguably, many members of my parents’ generation have been slower to embrace the assumption that social media is an absolute necessity, as these adults primarily began using cellphones, laptops, and the internet as tools to lead a more productive and efficient work life. As social media boomed, many elders quickly jumped on the bandwagon, if even to monitor their kids – the digital natives, or millennial generation. Thus, their assumption is that millennials should incorporate their usage of social media into workplace efficiency.
Unfortunately, the younger generation – not yet in the workplace – has done little to integrate the cellphone into their work life, but use it daily for its social media connectivity. In one survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 33% of those adults between the ages of 18 to 29 stated that they have difficulties paying attention to other things while using their cellphone (Smith). Thus, one can presume that younger adults have a tougher time multi-tasking while using their cellphones. Moreover, the Pew Research Center’s study has shown that younger adults are more aware of both the pros and cons of cellphone usage, such as distractibility and overusage (Smith). Younger cellphone users may be more familiar with negative aspects such as cyberbullying, stalking, identity theft, and even child enticement. The Generation Xers may not have as much direct experience with the dark side of social media usage, whether it be on a cellphone or personal computer.
Doubtless, the generation that has been affected most profoundly by the rapid advances in communications technology is the millennial generation. Nowadays, there is very little that an average young person does on a daily basis that does not involve the usage of personal computers, laptops, tablets, Smartphones, and internet connectivity – at work, home, or school. As a result, many of the assumptions that the younger generation has made about the proper way to live have been forged by this relationship, or interface between human and machine. According to Harrison, some studies have found that 75% of younger people believe that they could not live without the internet (Harrison). Moreover, about one-half of those same young people state they are at their happiest when online (Harrison). Doubtless, the internet is the single most influential piece of technology at the disposal of the younger generations, including the so-called Y and Z generation. Clearly, their assumption about the proper way to live includes their cellphones, social media, and constant connectivity via high-speed internet.
Thus, younger generations assume that it is “proper” to post status updates, selfies, let their Facebook friends know their general whereabouts, and forsake much of their private lives in favor of a public profile – without stereotyping an entire swath of younger people. However, based upon my personal experiences, and those of my friends and acquaintances, there are very few younger people who do not use electronics and the internet as vital tools in their lives. Again, according to the Pew Research Center, about 90% of younger people, aged 18-29, use Facebook on a regular basis (Perrin). However, an even more startling statistic is that about 35% of those adults who are 65 and older also use Facebook, which reflects a changing assumption about what is proper among our society’s senior citizens (Perrin). Thus, technology has had a powerful impact on all age demographics – from very young to very old.
Technology has changed rapidly over the years. Accordingly, assumptions about what is the proper way to live have changed significantly from my grandparents’ and parents’ eras to the younger generations’ lifespans. Digital technology, especially the internet, is changing so rapidly that every generation has gone online to some extent. As a result, any one generation’s assumption about what is the proper way to live is not set in stone, and is equally subject to quick changes.
Works Cited
Chatfield, Tom. “Future.” BBC. 12 May 2015. Web. 04 Aug. 2016.
Harrison, Laura. “How Has Technology and Gaming Affected Gen Y and the Millennials?” Socialnomics. 21 Jul. 2014. Web. 04 Aug. 2016.
Perrin, Andrew. “Social Media Usage: 2005-2015.” Pew Research Center. 08 Oct. 2015. Web. 04 Aug. 2016.
Smith, Aaron. “Part III: The Impact of Mobile Phones on People’s Lives.” Pew Research Center. 30 Nov. 2012. Web. 04 Aug. 2016.
