THE GREAT TECH DIVIDE
By Cate Masters
As everyday functions become more dependent on gizmos and gadgets, I’ve come to notice something. Something striking – to me, at least.
It may be best illustrated by, of all things, a TV commercial, I think it’s Verizon. You may or may not have seen it, or perhaps ignored it, as I do for most commercials. It breaks down statistics for users and how they use their Verizon account in a fun, understandable way with graphics, mentioning Twitter and how many times people will use it. And how many people have no clue what it is.
And therein lies the great divide.
Those who’ve hopped aboard Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride of Technology, and those who passed by the ride’s entrance headed for the walk-through funhouse. (Not a great analogy, but you get the general gist.) When the two step off their respective rides, their experiences will separate them. One will not be able to relate to the other.
In everyday life, this translates to teens living an online existence many parents cannot conceive of. Or – more strikingly – couples whose tech savvy, or lack thereof, make it difficult to communicate.
I’ve seen this divide in my own family. My nephew is poised to make a potentially life-changing move with an online venture, and his mother, my sister, can’t conceptualize it to real life. She’s never even sent an email, and can’t imagine how it will make his life any better. Sadly, this difference is causing a rift.
Personally, my husband hasn’t yet made a leap far enough to the online world to understand blogs, Twitter, Facebook or the like. He’s no stranger to the value of the virtual world – he’s ordered supplies online and email is a daily part of his job, though the bane of his existence. I’ve explained blogging a few times, but each time, he shook his head. He doesn’t really want to know. So he’ll never read this post, or any other. Will this, sometime in the future, become a point of contention? (Love me, love my blog?) Does not wanting to learn new technologies translate to a failing in commitment to a relationship?
Not in my case. While my husband doesn’t venture beyond his small scope of understanding, he does understand how important it is to my writing. And marketing efforts.
But it still makes me wonder what might happen, sometime in the future, if the less tech savvy fall so far behind that it becomes a real problem – either in the context of civilization as a whole or within a personal relationship.
Keeping up with technological advances requires persistence. Is it the old “adapt or perish” applied to present times? I’m sure Darwin never envisioned Twitter in that scenario!
I’m curious to hear – has technology affected the way people relate to one another, in your experience?
On a lighter note, my short women’s fiction, Liberation via Pen, is available Tuesday from Wild Child Publishing. Happy dance time! Below is the trailer.
Cate Masters’ short stories and flash fiction have appeared in various web zines and press sites. Visit her online at www.catemasters.com or www.catemasters.blogspot.com or friend her on Facebook.
One Soul for Sale, an urban fantasy novella, coming June 7 from Eternal Press!
As everyday functions become more dependent on gizmos and gadgets, I’ve come to notice something. Something striking – to me, at least.It may be best illustrated by, of all things, a TV commercial, I think it’s Verizon. You may or may not have seen it, or perhaps ignored it, as I do for most commercials. It breaks down statistics for users and how they use their Verizon account in a fun, understandable way with graphics, mentioning Twitter and how many times people will use it. And how many people have no clue what it is.
And therein lies the great divide.
Those who’ve hopped aboard Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride of Technology, and those who passed by the ride’s entrance headed for the walk-through funhouse. (Not a great analogy, but you get the general gist.) When the two step off their respective rides, their experiences will separate them. One will not be able to relate to the other.
In everyday life, this translates to teens living an online existence many parents cannot conceive of. Or – more strikingly – couples whose tech savvy, or lack thereof, make it difficult to communicate.
I’ve seen this divide in my own family. My nephew is poised to make a potentially life-changing move with an online venture, and his mother, my sister, can’t conceptualize it to real life. She’s never even sent an email, and can’t imagine how it will make his life any better. Sadly, this difference is causing a rift.
Personally, my husband hasn’t yet made a leap far enough to the online world to understand blogs, Twitter, Facebook or the like. He’s no stranger to the value of the virtual world – he’s ordered supplies online and email is a daily part of his job, though the bane of his existence. I’ve explained blogging a few times, but each time, he shook his head. He doesn’t really want to know. So he’ll never read this post, or any other. Will this, sometime in the future, become a point of contention? (Love me, love my blog?) Does not wanting to learn new technologies translate to a failing in commitment to a relationship?
Not in my case. While my husband doesn’t venture beyond his small scope of understanding, he does understand how important it is to my writing. And marketing efforts.But it still makes me wonder what might happen, sometime in the future, if the less tech savvy fall so far behind that it becomes a real problem – either in the context of civilization as a whole or within a personal relationship.
Keeping up with technological advances requires persistence. Is it the old “adapt or perish” applied to present times? I’m sure Darwin never envisioned Twitter in that scenario!
I’m curious to hear – has technology affected the way people relate to one another, in your experience?
On a lighter note, my short women’s fiction, Liberation via Pen, is available Tuesday from Wild Child Publishing. Happy dance time! Below is the trailer.
Cate Masters’ short stories and flash fiction have appeared in various web zines and press sites. Visit her online at www.catemasters.com or www.catemasters.blogspot.com or friend her on Facebook.
One Soul for Sale, an urban fantasy novella, coming June 7 from Eternal Press!
Oh I understand what you mean. However I think that gap is starting to narrow. My father who has never used a computer in his life thought it was a great idea when I told him that I was connecting via facebook - with relatives - from all over the world children of his cousins whom he knew in his youth growing up in Italy before he immigrated to Canada and with whom he still keeps in touch by phone.
ReplyDeleteMany of them immigrated as well - to South America, Australia, the U.S. So he loves the fact that we're connecting and keeping in touch because family is very important to him and he wants us to know our relatives as much as possible.
So in that respect technology is wonderful - it enables us to make a connection and perhaps form a lasting bond.
Oh, absolutely, I've connected with family I've never met! It's been great for many of my family, but it just struck me as sad to see it be a barrier for some family, too.
ReplyDeleteHi Cate
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean about the hubby. Mine's never logged onto Facebook and I doubt he even knows what Twitter is about! And yeah too, email is the bane of his existence. Still, he too understands that to promote my work, I need all the hoop-la.
I also agree with what Joanna said. I've met family members I hadn't spoken with in over a decade and all through Facebook. Even my parents who have never even touched a keyboard know what facebook is about. My mom's always going, oh honey, drop a message to so and so on Facebook, we heard her mom is not doing well, etc.
People are catching up, but the real deal lies on whether they want to get involved or not.
Good post!
Hugs
Z(Aasiyah/Nolwynn)