Tech Tools Fostering "Mini Generation Gaps" 322
Hugh Pickens writes "The NY Times has an interesting report on the iGeneration, born in the '90s and this decade, comparing them to the Net Generation, born in the 1980s. The Net Generation spend two hours a day talking on the phone and still use e-mail frequently while the iGeneration — conceivably their younger siblings — spends considerably more time texting than talking on the phone, pays less attention to television than the older group, and tends to communicate more over instant-messenger networks. 'People two, three or four years apart are having completely different experiences with technology,' says Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project. 'College students scratch their heads at what their high school siblings are doing, and they scratch their heads at their younger siblings. It has sped up generational differences.' Dr. Larry Rosen, a professor of psychology at California State University, says that the iGeneration, unlike their older peers, expect an instant response from everyone they communicate with, and don't have the patience for anything less. 'They'll want their teachers and professors to respond to them immediately, and they will expect instantaneous access to everyone, because after all, that is the experience they have growing up,' says Rosen." Read below for another intra-generational wrinkle.
Another intra-generational gap is the iGeneration comfort in multi-tasking. Studies show that 16- to 18-year-olds perform seven tasks, on average, in their free time — like texting on the phone, sending instant messages, and checking Facebook while sitting in front of the television; while people in their early 20s can handle only six, and those in their 30s about five and a half. "That versatility is great when they're killing time, but will a younger generation be as focused at school and work as their forebears?" writes Brad Smith. "I worry that young people won't be able to summon the capacity to focus and concentrate when they need to," says Vicky Rideout, a vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Let me get out my violin... (Score:5, Funny)
They'll want their teachers and professors to respond to them immediately, and they will expect instantaneous access to everyone
And they're going to be quickly disappointed.
Rob
!Generations (Score:2, Funny)
Generations keep getting shorter and shorter somehow. This is because they're favoured by journalists who can't think of a better way to seem significant, so they have to keep finding more.
"iGeneration"? "Net Generation"? Come on, give some to...
- the Latte Generation
- the 9/11 Generation
- the Keyless Entry Generation
- the LOLcat Generation
- the "Juno" Generation
- the "Ima Let you Finish" Generation
I don't have time to read this... (Score:5, Funny)
... would someone just FAX it to me and I'll read it while I'm on the toilet?
Re:Bullshit level: High - Storm likely. (Score:5, Funny)
Get Off My Lawn Kids
Having been classified as ADHD in the early 70's it's so nice to finally get my revenge now that everyone has been infected with the damn Attention Deficit Syndrome. Those who don't learn to focus and develop short term memory are bound to fail and I can sincerely state "Welcome to my World" - sukkers.
iScrew this! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Instant response? I don't think so. (Score:3, Funny)
Indeed. What do they think phone calls are? Speak into the phone and get a reply 5 minutes later?
Re:Patience (Score:3, Funny)
Playing Pac-Man well requires intense concentration, memory [nrchapman.com], and plain old fashioned stamina. If you don't find that intellectually stimulating, you have failed to understand the game.
Re:Instantly communcation indeed (Score:3, Funny)
'They'll want their teachers and professors to respond to them immediately, and they will expect instantaneous access to everyone, because after all, that is the experience they have growing up,' says Rosen.
Well, aren't we special!
Re:Let me get out my violin... (Score:5, Funny)
They'll want their teachers and professors to respond to them immediately, and they will expect instantaneous access to everyone
And they're going to be quickly disappointed.
Rob
Dammit, we are tired of waiting for quick disappointment! We demand INSTANT disappointment!
Re:Patience (Score:3, Funny)
I'll get off your lawn when my brother gets off mine.
Discovery channels is way more than blowing things (Score:4, Funny)
Discovery is more about blowing stuff up than explaining science, the History channel seems to be nothing more than WWII and explosions.
Come on Discovery channel is way more than explosions. They got computer generated imagery of dinosaurs, shark bites, more dinosaurs, disgusting food from tribals, some more dinosaurs, disaster videos, and some dinosaurs, some more shark bites and did I mention dinosaurs?
Re:Where does this leave old Gen-X farts like me? (Score:2, Funny)
Either that or the Sandmen are going to come and get me.
The young'uns don't even know who the Sandmen are. When I've made jokes about being a grup or going to Carosel most of my 20-something friends need to explained to them.
Re:Bullshit level: High - Storm likely. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Bullshit level: High - Storm likely. (Score:4, Funny)
It's called marriage.
Generation Interface Module (Score:3, Funny)
'They'll want their teachers and professors to respond to them immediately, and they will expect instantaneous access to everyone, because after all, that is the experience they have growing up,' says Rosen."
Solution (and I am going to patent this as a business method) : the holding pattern interface
If an iGeneration member wants to communicate with an oldGeneration member ; they will receive an instant automated reply, followed by automated "i am working on it" reponses until the oldGeneration member finds time to get around to it.
"Hi [sibling] great to hear from you, busy doing a million things, will talk to you soon" ...
".. just let you know that I haven't forgotten about [thing] will talk to you later"
Customizable, 9000 canned responses (including "I am about to land in Hawaii.. waiting for signal") in 99 different languages.
Available sometime in the future at iHoldingPattern.com
Just like real life.
(Any parent knows that children want everything NOW, whereas us "grownups" try to juggle these demands in between the really important things. Like catching some TV)
Re:Bullshit level: High - Storm likely. (Score:3, Funny)