While I'm (assumingly) not as old as the author, I am a child of the 80's. It is weird to stop and think of all the changes (both culturally and technologically) that my generation as with any other. I am six months older than MTV. Growing up, black and white TVs still existed (never used, but existed nonetheless), phones had cords and were attached to the wall. Music was played over the radio and we captured songs that we liked on tape. Home computers and gaming systems were in their infancy (we even had these things called arcades). You went to the video store to rent a movie, but you could also go to a drive-in during the summer and movie theaters year round. We had TGIF Friday nights on ABC and Saturday morning cartoons on all channels. We also had afternoon cartoons before the news. I was alive when the USSR and the Berlin Wall existed.
Growing up, we had a Comodore 64 as our first home PC and certain classrooms had an Apple 2. I actually played Oregon Trail and Paperboy. Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt. We searched for both Waldo and Carmen Sandiego. I was in junior high when Windows 95 came out and a junior in high school when I got my first email address.
Yet, here I am, typing this on my iPhone. I could own a laptop, but a tablet would suit my needs better. I download all my music and watch both TV shows and movies on Netflix. If I really feel like it, I'll hit a Redbox. While I reminise about how things were, I'm completely comfortable with how things are and would easily adapt to the next big thing. I know that my children will be born in a world where 9/11 is something you learn about in history class and both Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are already dead. Smart phones will have always existed and they will have technological advances that will blow my mind. Perhaps we will have already colonized Mars by the time they're teenagers.
Yet, here I am, typing this on my iPhone. I could own a laptop, but a tablet would suit my needs better. I download all my music and watch both TV shows and movies on Netflix. If I really feel like it, I'll hit a Redbox. While I reminise about how things were, I'm completely comfortable with how things are and would easily adapt to the next big thing. I know that my children will be born in a world where 9/11 is something you learn about in history class and both Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are already dead. Smart phones will have always existed and they will have technological advances that will blow my mind. Perhaps we will have already colonized Mars by the time they're teenagers.
Only time will tell. This post is not meant to make you feel old (or out of touch, if you're young enough). It's to show that right now we live in a time when we can learn so much from all the generations that are still alive. So bridge the gap of generations and grow, you human race.
No comments:
Post a Comment