Our generation lives in a revolutionary time. We are among the last that can remember living without a computer, and those memories are very small and quickly fading. Since the computer has become so prevalent in our lives in nearly every way, it is understandable that people such as Mark Bauerlein have come to the decision that we are "dumb." After all, the computer has changed the way we live. It has taken out of our lives tasks that were once considered essential and common ability, such as paper banking for example. However, we have also built upon what the computer can do for us.
We are redefining intelligence. Before computers, it took a good amount of thought and planning to drive outside of your home territory. Now, it's simply a matter of plugging in an address to a GPS unit. Folks such as Bauerlein may say that we are losing the ability to read maps, and that may be true. HOWEVER, reading a map is no longer an essential skill to master in our world. Maps have become obsolete.
I personally take offense to being named a member of the "Dumbest Generation." I know that very few people over the age of 30 can do what many High School students can on a computer. And, when our generation ages, we will be changing what the computer and technology in general is capable of. We ARE intelligent, and we WILL advance the world when our time comes... but it will not be in the way Bauerlein and his generation did.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I completely agree. I agree with the part that we are may not be able to read maps, or so it has been said, but maps are becoming obsolete. It is not that we are dumb, we just have to obtain different skills than previous generations. I also wrote in mine that tell almost any adult to do what we do in school with our computers, and most will not be able to do it. Calling us the dumbest generation is unfair and biased.
I as well take offense to being called "The Dumbest Generation", but in my opinion there's a huge difference between being technology smart and book smart.
Hard work and labor has definitely become much easier thanks to the geniuses who created Computers and GPS Systems, but lack of effort could also impose laziness. It's up to our generation to appreciate what we have, and use it to our best interest for a source of knowledge.
Very good points Saul. Soon enough maps will not be needed. We are always adjusting to the new techonology and use it how we can. People like Bauerlein just the technology that they know how to use. We use the new technology in ways that we can use it and others do not know how.
Post a Comment