Who would ever have thought that we would come to such a huge digital divide, even among people from our own generation(s)? The mainstream media teaches us that most kids out there know computers better than their parents! Not only is this totally false, the very idea is just reinforcing that the mainstream media is in dire need of some repositioning. Kids imitate what they see their parents doing. If they smoke, then you had bet your bottom dollar they will be lighting up someday, as well. If their parents are blue-collar workers, then more often than not the kids will follow this line of work as well.

So explain to me how some idiot in the mainstream press figures that the parents that do not use the computer on a regular basis are going to set an example for their children that computers are not just something that are ‘nice to understand’ but the knowledge of operating of such a device is quite essential these days. Just because the kids use computers at school does not mean that they are getting the skills that they need to succeed as they grow up. Perhaps some parents are still living in that delusional past we called childhood.

Take my generation, for instance. While I have no desire for everyone that is 28 - 33 to be a computer guru, it would be nice to see more of them at least be informed as to super basic trends and concepts that are coming out that affect all of us. Now, to the credit of the 40+ crowd, I have seen more progress here than I think we will ever see with the folks in my age bracket. At least someone is working at improving their knowledge base.

So who can we point a finger at in disgust? Does this mean that the large percentage of my age group is stupid or just does not care? No, first off, they are far from stupid. Second, you have to go back in time and look at where we went tech and they went mainstream.

When geek became chic-

While the geek set is not only starting to become more accepted, many are finding out they are seen as pretty cool too. Most of the mainstream has thought of those people that were into computers as nerds or worse. How do I know this? Because in my teen years I was one of these types. I’m not talking about the misfit type. I used to be a longhaired metalhead who thought anyone that was into school, learning, or computer kits (it was a long time ago) was someone that was not worth knowing. Back in these days, these kids were often mistreated and most certainly not that popular. Looking back on it all, I felt bad at how I used to be to this sort of crowd, but it was society that taught us that this was normal. Unlike adults, kids at that age don’t always understand the repercussions of their actions. So, having said all of this, I guess it is safe to say that the digital divide was much more defined back then.

Now what many of the mainstream folks did not know back then was that many of their own mainstream peers were actually geeks screaming to get out! Well, sometime before my teen years, I had a knack for programming in BASIC on an old Texas Instruments computer. My draw to science fiction and computers was always there, but was always kept in the closet for fear of being seen as ‘uncool’.

Granted, today people are much more accepting than they were back then. I have seen the roughest construction worker foreman using PowerPoint to give his subordinate employees the instructions they needed to get the project done. I have seen plumbers and bricklayers with PDAs and professional football players with notebook computers.

Even with all of this progression, I still know a number of men and women who feel that all of this is stupid. Oftentimes these are people who have simply not given themselves a chance to learn this new technology, so they react with the childish attitude that if they don’t get it, something must be wrong with the technology and not them! Others are totally capable, but just don’t really dig it. I have no real problem with either - that is till they start raising a racket about how expensive their kid’s computer tutor is going to be! ‘Damn those computers, life was so much better before they came along!” Perhaps so, but acting like a child and not accepting responsibility for giving your kids every advantage in school will eventually come back to haunt both of you.

If you think that computers are a waste of time, this is fine. But you having kids and expecting to succeed without very basic computer knowledge is going to prevent them from getting even the most remedial successes in life. Don’t take my word for it though, just look around for yourself…

Let’s get digital!