“We didn’t have a generation gap; we had a generation Grand Canyon.” ~ Mary Brave Bird
Indeed, there is a Grand Canyon gulf between the old and young, and through regular contact with the younger set, I have become acutely aware of the issue. Kids have become little encyclopedias, and they are savvier than the average adult.
Today, many grownups still struggle with computerese stuff while nippers (often still unable to read or write) are already fluent with it. Nowadays, a child is practically born and raised with an electronic device in his hands, and by the time he is around six, he can already draw circles around his elders.
Grandma, do you want me to show you how to add a contact to your iPhone? Or to add it to your Favorites? It is very easy…
Shut up kid, you are getting on my nerves!
Some adults (probably deprived of grandchildren) struggle with basic messaging, while the whippersnappers are racing through the process with both thumbs. At 7, a kid is already a whiz with iPhones, iPads, PlayStations, and computers. And he has already experienced VR. What’s that will ask “les croulants” (doddering old fools)? Is that a new sex fad?
Yes, there is a big Generation Gap between grandparents and grandchildren. Like in any discipline, you need to start young to be proficient… while your mind is still unclogged with stressful grownup stuff. And this is what the kids are doing.
But, they, in turn, will have to compete with the next generation that is going to be even smarter than they are. Surprise!
“Each new generation born, is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it is too late.” ~ Thomas Sowell
The kids (apprentice sorcerers) might have the knowledge but still lack life’s practical experience… and the Internet is full of pitfalls. Don’t believe everything you see my young friends, and don’t rush into questionable suggestions. All that glitters is not gold!
And that when, son of a gun, “les croulants” become astute again.
“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.” Mark Twain
Yes, there is a Generation Gap, but with a little teamwork, it can be bridged.
Alain