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Highlands Today

Young to blame for generation gap

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Ramblings

Published: October 31, 2009

I think the so-called generation gap is widening. Blame it as much on a younger generation that feels that oldsters think the same as they do while coping with a communication technology that is expanding exponentially.

If you take a peek on the Internet and look for keywords like seniors and cell phones, you'll find some pretty intimidating things written about the relationship between seniors and modern day gadgets.

Things like: seniors are reluctant (afraid) to carry them; they can't afford them; they can't understand how the blasted things work; if God had wanted people to be in constant contact with all the other people on the planet He would have given them mental telepathy and if Obama wanted seniors to have omni-communications he would have provided them with a stimulus package.

One of the problems with the written word today is that it is created by members of the younger generation. So we hear about how they think the creaky generation is reacting to new stuff.

Oldsters have other more important things on their minds than writing. Things like: golfing, playing cards, deciding which of the ED drugs is "right" for them, conducting private tests on the various brands of bran, as well as trying to make some intelligent choice of the variety of medical and drug plans available.

And worrying about how a legislature that is more concerned about their chances for re-election will view their needs.

A different perspective
If the seniors would take the time to write articles about themselves, they would probably say that unlike those youngsters who have time to write, they, the oldsters grew up at a time when things like cell phones, that seem so terribly important to people today, didn't exist when they were the same age so they haven't become addicted to them.

"We remember back when we had to wait 'til we got home to find out what we were going to have for dinner, and as disturbing as it sounds, we had to go without milk in our coffee because we ran out and somebody forgot to bring it home."

I've heard that song before
In a recent article in this paper, a teacher was quoted as saying about those Smart boards in the classroom, "I don't know how I ever taught without one." How a Smart board worked wasn't really covered, so suddenly the gap has gotten a little wider.

Back when I was taking a college math class, a student asked the professor if it was OK for us to use calculators (hand calculators were just becoming popular) during tests.

He said, "Yes." He felt it was acceptable to use tools in college that were available in the workplace. My parents and grandparents would have been aghast. They might even have considered it cheating. It wasn't something they were familiar with or felt they needed.

I would guess that the difference between oldsters and youngsters is that the seniors will use something when they see a need for it while the not-yet seniors use new things and develop a need for it.

Happy witches and warlocks day
Change of pace: It happened way before I got there, but somewhere in the annals of history there has to be a rational reason that orange and black was chosen as our high school colors. You can just imagine the ridicule that we went through at intramural competitions. We were forever remembered as the Halloween School. It's not a nickname that's easy to live with.

So anyway, remember my alma mater today as you greet all those happy little ghosts and goblins.

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