Back in the day...

“Back in the day we walked to school uphill both ways, there were no cars or technology, like kids have these days!” This is a frequent comment said by my grandma when technology is brought up.  So as soon as I saw this blog, I knew she was the first person I would talk to about technology.  My grandmother doesn’t seem to realize the importance of technology.  She frequently says “I can’t even see those little screens!” Being 90 years old, I can see how she feels very lost in technology. My grandma feels she grew up in a better time without technology because she believes it is wrong to text and email because face to face communication means so much more to her.  She is very insistent on face to face communication because this is how she grew up and it is the only way she knows.  She has a mixed view on technology because she feels medical discoveries are an amazing thing but she doesn’t agree with non-face to face communication. 

            I also interviewed my parents about technology.  They are 51 and 54 years old.  Being neighbors as children you would think they would have the same ideas on technology, but this is not the case.  My mother works with technology on a daily basis at her job.  My father on the other hand is let’s say, technology resistant.  My mother texts frequently, has a facebook and loves technology.  On the other hand, my father struggles to answer his cell phone, hates facebook and frequently gets frustrated with technology.  My parents said they were fine with growing up without technology because they had no idea at that point the amount it would grow.  My mother feels technology is now very important to the world because of such great advances which help medical problems, traveling and many other things.  My father on the other hand, believes technology is just a money maker and is not needed in the complicated form it has become.  I find it very interesting that my parents view on technology are polar opposites. 

            There are many common threads between these opinions on technology.  My father and grandmother’s opinions are very similar even though they are not close in age.  They both do not completely understand how technology works and are not sure exactly how it helps people in everyday life.  Both my father and my grandmother feel face to face communication is lacking and should be used more frequently.  My mother does not have common ground with their opinions because she uses technology every day and has knowledge about how it works.  I feel today, my younger generation has better knowledge about technology which makes it a more useful source then my parents or grandparents generation.  Learning and life revolves around technology in my age group.  This was not the case during my parents or grandparents childhood.  The world has changed from then until now and many people don’t agree with this, but in my opinion technology can only help us grow and live better as a civilization. 

Fullero, Bruce. "Changing Times: Technology & Stewardship | Giving Speaks." Giving Speaks | Giving Speaks Volumes about Life, Love, and Religion. 11 July 2011. Web. 31 Jan. 2012. <http://givingspeaks.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/changing-times-technology-stewardship/>.