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We’ve all heard about “The Greatest Generation,” “the Baby Boomers,” and Generations X, Y, and Z. These are all labels used to describe and contrast the characteristics of the various age groups of people. I’ve used it myself in my writings to describe the behavior of different classes of workers, but recently I had someone in an Internet Discussion group tell me there was a easier way of differentiating people, namely Analog versus Digital. I found the description to be simple, yet profound, in terms of differentiating people. To illustrate:
understands... understands...
Super 8mm movies DVD's
Turntables, 45s & LPs CD's
Rotary telephones Cell phones, iPhones, and BlackBerrys
Rotating knobs for Scanners and remote controls
Radio-TV tuners Radio-TV
Clamation and cartoon Pixar Animation
animation
Black and white TV High-Definition TV
Magnetic Tape Flash drives and memory sticks
Carburetors Electronic fuel injection
Cash Electronic banking
Monitors Flat screens
VHS and BETA MP3, WMV, MPG, AVI
Cards, Monopoly, Video Games
Chess and Checkers
Land Lines Wireless
Rand McNally GPS, Mapquest
These comparative lists could go on and on, but basically, under this approach you are not differentiated by age, but by how well you have adapted to technology, and there appears to be a lot of truth in this. Those people shopping for jobs acutely understand this. On your resume it is becoming more important to list the technology you are familiar with as opposed to your command of the English language, or your understanding of business and management. In other words, the person who is proficient in the use of MS Office or Adobe Photoshop stands a better chance of being hired than someone who possesses good business and communications skills. This is like being rewarded for your skill in the use of a calculator as opposed to your basic comprehension of math.
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The point is, we are defined more by our ability to assimilate with our technology than by age or any other factor. This emphasis on technology is another indicator that the human being is being subliminally programmed, not just the computers and equipment we use.
A lot of people are unsure as to which generation they belong to. I guess the best way to discern whether you are of one generation or the other is whether you can competently program a cell phone or change the clock in your automobile. If you rely on a son or daughter to program it, you’re probably Analog.
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Keep the Faith!
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Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
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