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#Post#: 10316--------------------------------------------------
Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: Sudeep
Date: December 16, 2018, 12:32 am
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When I compare people of certain age group from my country with
other countries mostly from Europe and America, I find they have
not yet got along well with the digital age. For example, here
in this forum we have people above 50 years age and they are
pretty good at handling internet and hope other stuff too but
people above 50 years of age here are not that well aware of
internet except some Whatsapp and facebook things. They are
probably not yet exposed or haven't felt the need yet to know
what else can be done through internet. If you ask a common
person, "what is internet?" who is not well aware of internet,
then the most probable answer you would get is: Google is
internet. The main reason behind their not getting up to date
with the current digital ear is that they lack interest in
learning because they find it difficult and unwanted. If I give
an example of my parents, I put them in that category. But my
mom is more interested to lean thing and ask me how to do and a
quick learner than my dad. But when you don't use something for
a long time, you start forgetting and that's the reason she asks
me again and again when get confused. My dad doesn't show much
interest learning things even though my mom forces him to learn.
But they have to learn as the government and other fields are
slowly getting digitalized and to avail any service without
standing in a queue, one has to know how to use their smart
phones smartly ;)
So, how is it where you live? Do people above 50 show interest
in learning stuff about internet world or do they still prefer
listening to gramophones instead of You-tube and Netflix ;D Are
the services in your country forcing people more towards the
digital age? Any other information would be greatly
appreciated:)
#Post#: 10318--------------------------------------------------
Re: Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: Alharacas
Date: December 16, 2018, 3:00 am
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Good question, Sudeep!
As embarrassing as it is, I find it harder to keep up - much as
I try, I simply hate my smartphone and its tiny screen.
Fortunately (or not, depending on your viewpoint), Germany is
quite behind in the area of digitalization. (Even though our
politicians keep spouting technical lingo, it's clear that most
of them have no idea what they're even talking about.) There are
lots of places where there is either no internet connection at
all*, or it depends on your provider. One of my friends has to
work in the farthest corner of his garden, if and when he
decides to put in a home office day, because it's the only
square meter where he can actually receive calls on his mobile
phone.
Also, you may be able to make an appointment at a government
agency via the internet (or not), but you still have to show up
in person. And most official correspondence is still conducted
via snail mail.
But the technical side is just one thing. The other is that a
significant percentage of Germans is quite concerned about their
data, where they may end up, and to what end the government (or
other agencies) might ultimately make use of them.
As to people even older than me - well, it depends. I know an
old gentleman (86) who's the proud owner of a PC and utterly
fascinated by the internet, but drives his son and all younger
visitors crazy by asking them the same questions over and over
again (a bit like your mother, Sudeep).
My mother, on the other hand, refused when I offered her a
computer about 25 years ago. And whenever I tell her that I just
watched a video about something, I can see her visualizing a
video cassette and. ;) She's quite impressed by the internet on
the one hand, but keeps forgetting what it can do, and often
gets quite worried about not knowing somebody's postal code, or
where we got those brilliant chocolates from last year.
*To quote our current minister of education: "Wir brauchen kein
5G an jeder Milchkanne" (we don't need 5G at every churn)
#Post#: 10321--------------------------------------------------
Re: Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: Susan
Date: December 16, 2018, 10:19 am
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I think a lot depends on the age when the person began using
computers or devices and getting comfortable with them during
adolescence or early adulthood. When I was in my teens, I could
not understand why my parents, who were around 50, seemed so
resistant to learning how to set the video recorder to record
shows. Now I understand completely-- I was in my 40´s when I
got my first smart phone. I hate learning all the new settings
on my phone and am not very inclined to try to figure out new
apps. I just learned how to use the camera on my phone-- only
after multiple sessions of assistance. And learning about how to
close programs that are draining my battery has been a challenge
for me. When a kid gets a new phone, they seem to love to dive
in and try everything and then they seem to be able to remember
everything they found and even can explain it to their parents.
And you know that recent topic about posting pictures to the
forum? Pasha mentioned a person could just go look it up and do
it? Sounded like the younger generation talking to the older
generation to me. Yes, we could go look it up and eventually
get it because we are people who have some basic knowledge about
internet and forum use. But will SHL or I get past the bit of
frustration and be motivated enough to look it up and post a
picture... we will see.
As an employer, I learned that a persons age, and especially the
age at which the person began using a computer, was usually a
good predictor of how comfortable with the digital things my
employees were going to be. All of the people I ever hired told
me they were comfortable with computers and had used them in
their work. But many of the people who just had been introduced
to specific things in their work in mid- or late adulthood
really just could do some basic things. Often my 50 or older
employees did not even know how to delete a file on their
computer. Whereas anyone in their 20s just is not daunted by
computers because they have been a part of the schoolling and
life since young ages.
The older people like myself here on the forum are probably ones
that have used the internet for awhile. I first got a computer
during my work on my master´s degree. I was an early adopter of
the internet, using ¨listserves¨ in the 80´s. I remember using
the internet before Netscape, the first major web-browser, went
public. I was in my late 20´s . In my 30s I was comfortable
enough to design my own websites. But now in my 50´s, I really
am not that comfortable with my smartphone.
#Post#: 10323--------------------------------------------------
Re: Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: the lost minion
Date: December 16, 2018, 11:33 am
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The sad thing is that I don't know too many people over 50 who
learn new things in general. I mean I met some on language
courses - so technically you could say that they fall into this
category but the truth is they were terribly passive: just
waiting for a teacher to come and make them understand, and they
weren't too successful.
So I would say this is a general problem that is only highly
visible in tech because of how ubiquitous, fast-changing and
necessary in day-to-day life it is. But it's a mistake to think
it has that much to do with technology - it's only very easy to
see who learns fast and who doesn't because it's extremely hard
to escape using smartphones or facebook, googling things up,
etc., while hiding your failures in other areas (learning a new
language, getting to know a new field of knowledge, learning to
drive a car) is just so much easier.
#Post#: 10331--------------------------------------------------
Re: Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: Alharacas
Date: December 16, 2018, 1:36 pm
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What a thoroughly depressing post, Marmolada. Can't say you're
wrong, either. Which makes it even worse.
Is it some chemistry-related thingy in the brain? Does anybody
happen to know?
#Post#: 10335--------------------------------------------------
Re: Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: the lost minion
Date: December 16, 2018, 3:04 pm
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@Alharacas,
What is so depressing about it? I didn't mention that I don't
know too many people learning new things who are under 50
either, did I? It's quite simple: most people are not that
bright. They don't feel the need to learn things. That's it.
So if you are in the group with higher IQ, curiosity and/or
thirst for knowledge, the fact that the rest of those nitwits
live like zombies could even cheer you up. You've got a
superpower. Forget about the nitwits, mind your own business.
They certainly don't care about you.
[I never thought I would sound so upbeat, by the way. Must be
X-mass: gifts, cakes, liqueurs!]
Brain thingie? I think that would be diminishing neuroplasticity
and thinning of the myelin sheath. Still - if your baseline is
higher, you're better off despite the ageing process.
#Post#: 10350--------------------------------------------------
Re: Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: SHL
Date: December 16, 2018, 9:42 pm
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I have sort of a love/hate relationship with the internet. On
the one hand, I couldn`t imagine living without my iphone or
ipad, or laptop for that matter. I see the entertainment and
educational value in them. But, at the same time I really don`t
like feeling dependent on a machine.
I don`t have any of the newer, more popular apps, and I`ve never
even seen them, nor would I even download them (WhatsApp,
Snapchat and several others I suppose). I think facebook has
seen its day and is fading out as well.
I got my first desktop computer in 1998 with Windows 95
installed and the old dial-up modem. It was horribly slow and
frustrating to use. So, early bad experiences with the internet
can leave a bad impression.
I recall the engineering department at my University had an
engineering program, FORTRAN, which I`m sure is still in use
today. The computer that ran it took up an entire large room
that had to be air-conditioned.
And the first PCs that came out in the early-to-mid 80s were
incredibly expensive (like $8,000, in today`s dollars adjusted
for inflation) and were really just word-processors. No
internet. An awful lot to pay for just a fancy typewriter.
As to the age issue, yes, I`ve noticed people like in Pasha`s
age range (whatever that is) and other younger people being far
more internet savvy than I am, and I would expect that. But
surprisingly, I`ve also run into a good number of people my age
and older who are very internet savvy, as much as any teenager.
So, it may have as much to do with personal interests and needs
than anything else, not just age. But, I have noticed the
greatest push back among people my mom`s age, who still use
regular landline telephones and refuse to use text messaging,
no matter how easy it may be.
#Post#: 10356--------------------------------------------------
Re: Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: Aliph
Date: December 17, 2018, 6:56 am
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@ Sudeep, i think it all has to do with the economic standard of
the person. In the country were I live (Switzerland) there
aren't really barriers and even older people are interested in
some technology.
I come from a family that always was curious about new things. I
remeber our first portable phone in the late 80. It was as big a
an business case. We were so excited carrying it with us in
winter vacation, when we rented a flat that had no phone
(landline)
#Post#: 10360--------------------------------------------------
Re: Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: Sudeep
Date: December 17, 2018, 9:27 am
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Thank you all for sharing some interesting information and your
opinion:) I think the most important reason I could find is the
curiosity and the need to know something new be it technology or
language or any other skills. The age is another factor which
can also play an important role in learning something even
though we say learning requires no age :)
#Post#: 10410--------------------------------------------------
Re: Your age at par with the digital age!
DIR By: Allie
Date: December 18, 2018, 7:14 am
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Here I am late again
I don’t have much to add that hasn’t been said already, but it
made me think about something I notice, so here it goes.
Indeed I think a lot of aspects play a part in it and when I
moved to Europe I could confirm a theory I already had in my
head.
Older people here seem to be much more capable when it comes to
more “intellectual” tasks in general. Nothing brilliant here, I
am just talking about using computers, reading, working, etc.
Where I am from, I don’t see older people using internet
actively, studying, etc.
However, when I moved to Europe I saw people using the internet,
working, writing, producing plays, composing songs, performing
and it was mind blowing. We can talk to them about literature
and cinema!
Where I am from, at a certain age, people talk most about…
health problems.
I am feeling terrible while writing this, but it’s the truth.
So yes, intelligence and interest can play a part, but I think
education, social conditions and exposure are determinant too.
(On the other hand, I must say that the physical condition
surprises me too. The number of elderly falling on the streets,
using walkers and being constantly cared for shocked me.
Where I am from the elderly tend to be more independent.)
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