Saturday, March 6, 2010

Learning Technology is No Worse than Sticking Your Finger in an Electric Outlet

Why is it that Boomers and older Gen-Xers associate so much fear with the simple use of modern digital technology?  After all, we are the generations that:

1.  Grew up without plastic covers to protect us from electric outlets.

2.  Spent our entire weekends and summer days exploring neighboring woods and underground storm sewer systems.

3. Learned to ride a two-wheeled bike without training wheels (and without helmets).

4.  Built our own skateboards that tended to fall apart about the time we were racing down a steep hill (again without helmets or other padding).

5.  Went sledding on hills that didn't include safety fencing to prevent us from streaking out into the adjoining roadway (we learned to stop on our own - most of the time).

6.  Rode city buses on our own as elementary-age kids so we could spend a quarter at the downtown soda fountain.

7.  Walked along the busy tracks of the local C & O railroad depot for hours hunting for road flares.

8.  Chewed on lead paint (it was everywhere, including our cribs) and played in asbestos.

9.  Took showers together after gym classes and sports contests without thinking the kid next to us was a pervert or something.

10.  Walked and road our bikes places without asking mom or dad for a ride all the time, because we relished our simple freedoms and loved striking out on our own to solve the days problems and accomplish new objectives.  And we did it without telephoning our parents every hour or constantly texting our friends.

With this legacy, overcoming the obstacles presented by new and unfamiliar technology should be a cinch!

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