Generation Gap

Instead of focusing on my parents, I am just going to focus on people who use technology frequently and those who don't, who are often divided by a generation gap but not necessarily. Some people my age aviod technology like the plague, and some older people love it, so I don't want to generalize like that.

Personally I think there is a third category. People who understand technology well enough, yet are not necessarily able to afford some of the things techonology brings us. That would be me. It's really hard to live in a society in which everyone has a cell phone, without having credit to get your own cell phone. For people who can afford technology and choose to use it I think there are some disadvantages. One is isolation. Isolation occurs when people who choose to be lazy are sitting around on their computer for hours because it really is (and I agree) a lot easier than going outside for a walk or talking to someone face to face or anything else that they'll definetly be more likely to remember later (how much easier is it to remember a conversation v. a few hours online?). It's also isolating even in public settings. I see people talking on cell phones a lot when they are walking around in public settings, such as in a store, or at the gym. Personally I think this is annoying. Not everyone wants to hear all about their gossip and life. I think it gives them a sense of security, because if they went to wherever alone then they feel not so alone. I understand this. Right now I am in the library and playing my cd player so that I can focus on what I am doing. But its slightly different. While music may help me focus, the cell phone doesn't really help focus, it more distracts.

Now to get onto the people who don't understand technology. There's two categories of these people. People who are elderly and therefore have absolutely no interest in new-fangled gadgets. And people who are younger and just don't like technology. While the first could possibly benefit from the use of technology, I think the second group should be able to not use technology if they want. Now when I say technology I am not talking about things that American's "need" such as shelter, a fork and spoon. I am specifically refering to things which have cropped up recently: Cell phone, i-pod, internet, computer. Most of those people may occassionally use a computer but only when they really have to. I have a friend who was so frustrated with his computer he put it in his closet. I don't think that this makes him a bad person or even disadvantaged- I think its actually a lot better that he had a life v. someone who's knowledge of technology greatly overpowers their knowledge of people.