Technology as a Function of Youth…

Since the Information Technology boom in the 1990s when usage of Personal Computers(PC) increases, a generation of tech-savvy people has embraced technology more than ever before in the history of all man-kind.

This phenomena is apparent when we look at internet usage in comparison to different generation of people starting from the 1950s when commercial computers is starting to spread. It is not until mid-1970s that the first consumer PC is being produced.

When it comes to internet usage, we have to look at one’s online time: the undeniable truth is that in general, the younger generation is spending more time online than the older generation, if the trend in the above figure doesn’t impress you, look at mobile data services.

What really puzzles me is why is the younger generation using mobile data services more than Generation X (age 27-40), after all, it’s people in their 30s and 40s who are doing more business calls and important business communications. I figure the mobile data services should look something like the online shopping diagram. Why? Because younger people do not use cellphones for important matters, they use them to chat with friends and text random messages. (Head’s up: in case you don’t know, sending data takes energy, every message you sent has to go through the local communication tower, if required, it will need to go through the satellites orbiting earth, then the message go through another communication tower and finally to the receiver. Think about this waste of energy when you send your friend a message or talk to your friend on a cellphone who’s 10 feet away!!! This is also true for computers and Internet communications)

Personally, I love shopping online and I had this “innovative” idea that one day, we should transform all shopping markets to a huge warehouse and all employees do in that company is receive stock, update stock level and deliver stock. So, the customers need only to buy stuff online and have them delivered. (hope you find it interesting.)

Anyways, back to the diagram with online shopping. I believe why the reason the youngest generation is not buying as much online is not because they don’t want to.  This is due to:
1. people of younger generation usually work part-time, earning the bare minimum to pay for their post-secondary loan/debt.
2. many banks do not approve credit card applications from young people due to reason number 1, and many online shopping requires the use of credit card. No credit card, no shopping.

In conclusion, the younger generation is embracing more technology than the older generation. However, we as a younger generation we must learn to be responsible with the technology we take for granted.  I would advise you to talk to a friend who is 10 feet away if you are like lost in a forest and cannnot find a friend whose 10 feet away.  Otherwise, call the person via landline if you are at home to chat about random stuff (this will also save you money!).

I hope you know a little more about technology in regards to youth and their relationship with it now. To learn more, read this article:  Study shows youth embracing technology even more than before – Ars Technica to see more about the research on youth embracing technology as I talked about above.