Complete ignorance to a worrying
obsession
I understand technology. I really do. Downloading apps,
uninstalling apps, computer gaming, torren… I mean Netflix, I really do and I did
learn to use many types of tech all by myself. That’s just our generation I
guess – tech savvy! Although I do remember a time when I did need to learn how
to use a VCR to record my favorite Nickelodeon shows. My parents taught me. Very
patiently I might add. Right from explaining what a VHS tape looks like to
where it goes and that one must always rewind it once you’re done watching.
This was also the case with learning the TV and the music system. Most of us
learned to use “gadgets” from our parents. So it’s only fair that today it
should be vice-versa, isn’t it?
How many times have you been annoyed by your parents or
grandparents with regards to a problem they have with their phone or tablet? I’m
considering the fact that you might just have agreed with the word “annoying”-
The biggest part of the problem. There
is a fear or intimidation that technology manages to create among the older
generation and we are a huge reason why. There have been several times my
parents refused to ask me a trivial question with regards to their phone on
account of how I might react. We all do it.
I remember reading about a very funny incident/joke – An old
guy is trying to dictate loudly the problems he has with his PC to this IT
support guy over the phone. The support guy is this young lad who’s fresh out
of college. He keeps on telling the old man to switch on/off his PC. The old
guy is finding this quite challenging, “Slow
down young man. I am new to this”. The tech guy is starting to lose his
patience a bit, “Sir, it’s very simple.
Why is that you’re finding it so hard to do such a basic task?” The old guy
aware that he was losing the interest of the young lad politely asked, “Son is it possible for you to come over to
my place and help me out?” The tech guy was clearly annoyed at this point, “Gosh old man! Have you never used a simple little
gadget in your life,huh? How hard is it?” The old man started to laugh, “Honestly son the last simple little gadget
I used was a M2 Carbine back in `Nam. Actually it wasn’t that simple and it
definitely wasn’t little. You see the M2 wasn’t like these guns you have
nowadays”. After a brief silence, “Sir
I’ll be there in 15 minutes!”
The greatest generation indeed! Why it is that tech forgot
this generation?
As I understand the main aim for technology has always been
to make human life easier but it seems an entire generation has been forgotten.
There is a general misconception that the older generation does not possess the
necessary grasping power to understand the various facets of the Smartphone
world. Again – the problem!
Various studies have shown that the general scrolling of a
website on a tablet or receiving a Skype call on your mobile tends to help the
older generation to keep their brain active and avoid the feeling of isolation.
Something similar to what you feel when you get 200 likes on Facebook.
I am not saying that the entire older generation struggle
with technology but most of them do and one of the most common issues is the
lack of user friendly devices. The most common problem is tablets or mobiles
which have sensitive touch screens and complex menus which could become hard to
use. Further to this there also exists some security threat – remembering
passwords, financial details, virus, intrusions etc.
Isn’t it our job to educate our own parents/grandparents on
how a phone works? In fact if you think about it they need it more than you do.
Ordering a pizza or ordering medicines? Not the same thing, is it? Paying their
telephone or electricity bills online helps avoid that tedious trip to the
office. Show them how to do it initially. Patiently! Sooner or later they will
get the hang of it. Ensure that they are confident enough to use the device on
their own. Assure them that nothing will go wrong. Be there to explain if
something does go wrong. Again patiently! Acknowledge that occasional WhatsApp
image you receive from them. Keep connecting to them via various apps so that
each time there is more faith in that device. Expose them to the world of
Kindle, Netflix, YouTube etc. My grand mom follows a South Korean drama series
on YouTube and my mom has subscribed to more channels on YouTube than me. My
dad watches almost all of his childhood films and series across various video
streaming portals like Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime etc. All it took was a
little patience (maybe not little) and the occasional outburst from my side but
my family is now “tech savvy”.
Philip Green said “Good, bad or indifferent, if you are not investing in new technology,
you are going to be left behind”.
LEAVE NO MAN BEHIND!
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