Comments
There seems to be an assumption by every generation that they are the rightful owners of a new vision. I'm sure the first generation growing up with telephones developed their own cultural subset based on this new technology. What parents felt when their kids spent hours on the phone is similar to what today's parents feel as IM's are exchanged well into the night.
Teens tend to be early-adopters, so without fear of the technology they are free to color it in their own image. Cell phones are a prime example. Text messaging, camera phones, skins and ring tones prove teens are eager to make technology their own. But the question really has to do with how will this adoption change the way our society operates?
By the time todayâs teens reach the workplace, will text messaging be a standard form of corporate communication? Probably. If you can instantly message a group, chances are good that corporations will leverage this "swarming technique" to become more nimble in reacting to market conditions.
Wireless integration and broadband technology will allow tomorrow's workforce more freedom to roam. It's even possible that large corporations will become de-centralized to accommodate generational expectations of geographic freedom.
But all this comes with responsibility. I think today's teens will need to be much more global. As technology removes boundaries, the success of our next generation will in be their ability to succeed beyond both beyond our own borders and at home. If this means embracing technology, fine, but it's no substitute for understanding global economies and leveraging the technology to make it work to your advantage.
Frankly, I don't perceive the youth today any differently than any generation perceived their offspring: impetuous, rash, immature and at the same time brave and hopeful. It's interesting to note that the Internet, personal computers, cell phones and lots of other so-called new technology was invented years ago - today's youth (as did every preceding generation) have simply embraced it and forced a rapid morphing to their own needs. A discussion of technology is narrow because there will always be new technology.
When I was a teen, there was no such thing as a personal computer. No cell phone, no Internet. But that doesn't mean we lacked a vision of the future. My technology heroes were astronauts. For me they embodied the promise of the future - a future where we lived on distant planets, regularly traveled in space and benefited at home from distant space technology. We did indeed benefit from the space program, but we could never have imagined the technology revolution started by the personal computer. I guess my point is to prepare for change in unexpected places.
Posted by: Pete on April 23, 2005 10:10 AM
i think this guy is doing the P.I.P
(personal interest project)
which is what im currently doing too.
its due in the next month.
i'm also focusing on the eldest of boomers, the ones who are thinking of retiring.
My topic focus's on the difference between retirement today, to 30 odd years ago. mainly looking at the changes in values. for example, family roles were considered more dominate 30 years ago. this isnt to say that family isnt as important for retirees today, yet there has been evidence of a shift in priorities and attitudes towards retirement. there are more options in terms of lifstyle, leisure.. etc
feel free to express your thoughts
Posted by: House on July 18, 2006 7:58 AM
Important notice about terms of use. Please read
Post a comment
Home | Hot Topics | Music | Culture | Humor | Junk | Contact Us | Boards | Boomer Careers | Links | Boomer Statistics | Site Map
Copyright 2008, The Baby Boomer Homepage

|