Today's Generation Gap

As I sat across the table from my friend, his eyes danced.  "I just LOVE social media.  I love everything about it.  It's so immediate.  You can find out anything that you need or want to know.  I really love everything about social media."

He went on to tell me about how he and his young bride find out secrets on blogs, such as building bookshelves from inexpensive materials that look luxurious and expensive.  ("Two hundred and fifty bucks cost, covers the whole living room wall, and looks absolutely incredible.")  How to grow herbs for cooking great meals.  ("It's just SO easy....and it WORKS.")  To finding out information within companies and organizations.  ("You can find out so easy...through Facebook!")

My friend lives on Twitter.  ("I only really follow about 150 people.")  He went on to tell me how he became a committed Apple fan, finally "converting" just two summers ago.  He said he's been waiting for the iPhone 5 or html 5 (and then went on a happy ramble about things I almost thought I understood).

Then it hit me.  My friend, though we enjoy a peer level adult friendship, is half my age.  I could be his father.  He grew up being bathed in social media and portable technology.  This Old Dog is just getting sprinkled by these things, in middle-age.

In the '60's we talked (yelled) about a Generation Gap.  Welcome to today's "Generation Gap":

Those under 30 have been immersed in technology and social media, like a native speaker using their native tongue.  It's second nature.  They don't think about it, they live and breathe it.  By contrast, Old Dogs like me have to think about it, translate it in our heads, and then speak the language.  Rather than being a native speaker, for an Old Dog it's more like learning French in high school from a teacher who never even went to French-speaking Canada, let alone lived in France.

Thank goodness I'm determined to be a part of this new and exciting world of social media.  How about you?

You may want to go to lunch with someone under thirty for inspiration.  Watch the excitement in their eyes.

Thanks for sharing 97 seconds of your day,
Smitty