My parents had me in their mid-late thirties and they have experienced many changes in technological development throughout the turn of the century. Growing up in the early 2000s, I was able to experience the evolution of flip phones to iPhones, the internet and google at my fingertips, the rise of social media, and various streaming services, such as Netflix, as the norm. Whereas my parents grew up with a house phone connected to a wire on the wall and were able to witness the change between black and white to colored television that used a switch under the screen instead of a remote to change the few channels that were available. Needless to say, there is a big gap in the decades and generations between our diverse experiences of technology.
I do not remember a time in my life without the internet. Although I was not alive when the idea of “surfing the web” was first introduced in the 1990s, I was still able to witness its beginning growth in popularity as I saw the new ways it was becoming accessible with the advancing technology over the years. I remember in pre-K and elementary school when I would go on Poptropica.com for an adventure or enter a CD into the computer to learn my ABC’s and math skills with Mickey Mouse or Putt-Putt on my parents’ big computer that had a keyboard and mouse connected by individual wires since I was not allowed to watch YouTube or go to other websites that were not so kid-friendly. Almost every classroom in my elementary school had a computer and as I got older, the computer screens got flatter. In middle and high school, there were laptops and iPads to enhance our learning, and on occasions we could use our own technology, including our phones and Apple watches. Most of the research for our papers and presentations came from google or any websites that were deemed reliable and less from encyclopedias or textbooks. Today, the Wi-Fi and internet are almost considered another necessity. Since middle school, not a day has gone by that my family and I have not used the internet or technology for work, education, entertainment, or to stay connected.
“I do not remember a time in my life without the internet.”
My mom’s first cell phone was a pink flip phone that had a Hannah Montana ring tone and a one-sided camera with very little storage for pictures. The screen was small, the internet was slow, and I had to press the numbers multiple times to type the character I wanted while texting. It was around the time when my sister got her first phone during middle school that my mom switched to a Samsung Galaxy S4 and finally allowed us to have an Instagram account. Although my sister’s tiny, blue slide-up phone was not the best technology to fulfill the enjoyment of using social media, we were able to satisfy ourselves as new users on Instagram with our iPods. My parents were stern about us only having Instagram at first; other social media such as Vine, Musical.ly, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter were strictly not allowed. Over the years they have relaxed on what kind of social media we can have and in fact decided to join Instagram and Facebook. However, our accounts have continued to be private and we are still extremely cautious about how and what we decide to post.
Everyone that I know who are my age or older has a cell phone and there are very few people who have or still use their house phone. Cell phones were helpful in being able to contact those who were not around through texting or calling but now they are our “computers-on-the-go.” They are faster and simpler to use with its touch screen and more private yet not at the same time. The convenience of being able to get into your phone by face recognition or fingerprint scans keeps others from invading your privacy. However, having a quality camera at your fingertips allows posting your life to the internet easier which can quickly change your life or those around you to for the better or for the worse.
“Cell phones were helpful in being able to contact those who were not around through texting or calling but now they are our ‘computers-on-the-go.’”
Those who are a part of or close to my generation as Millennials or Generation Z have at least one social media account. The first social media, such as Myspace and Facebook, were originally meant for fun and to stay connected with friends. As social media has evolved, social media is less about being fun and more about looking like you are having fun, while staying connected with friends is more like showing off to your followers or focusing on how many followers or “friends” you have. Although a few accounts are sincerely used for creative expressions or sharing experiences with loved ones, most are made out of vanity or attempts to become famous, especially for Millennials or my generation. It is common that people base their value on how many likes they receive or the amount of followers they have which then determines what they post and how they present themselves on social media. This disheartening reality drains the creativity and enjoyment of the original intention that social media was created for.
Technology has truly progressed over the years and continues to shape society today. My parents can hardly keep up with technology in this era; I can’t imagine how different the world will be when I am their age.
