Sometime
in the future, in a non-denominational world, the ages of quick knowledge and enlightenment
may be measured by the above little letters. What do these critters mean? I’m
sure you ask…
These
precious little letters mean no more and no less than… “Before Google Search
Availability” and “After Google Search Availability”. Don’t laugh… there is a great
cultural divide here.
If you
are reading this, it’s likely you belong to a group of individuals who braved
the world of academia with rulers, dictionaries, and… OMG!!!... Books! Yep…
those ancient things which had pages to be turned, read, marked, annotated and
underlined and then, when you were done with the year studies, they were resold
to the next class of aspiring students. The value went up according to the
quality of the notes and underlining which paved the way for an easier study
time.
I think
this crop of students, the “Goooglehead” generation, is privy to a lot of
information we did not readily have. It could be said they are smarter because
of this and because they can find out the answer to most anything with a few
hits to the keyboard on their telephone and/or phablet and/or laptop. Perhaps.
I agree that a pocket, electronic Wikipedia would have been a big help in our
time. The Good Lord knows what trials and tribulations we went through at
finals time; running to get the needed last minute information, going to the
library (remember those?) and
checking through the cards and the old records you could look at in those old
viewers that rolled them in an almost unreadable screen.
On the
other hand, there are elements which might be missing from the new picture. The
process of learning and thereby assimilating the contents, the acquired patience needed to find sources, read them
and cull the wanted information. A patience which comes in handy later in the
real world, where not all is solved by stroking the keys of a computer. I have
witnessed a high level of frustration in youngsters (Geesh… I’m sounding old) when they can’t get an instant answer and
resolution.
There is
another and, perhaps more important area, where overall development could be lacking. Early social life. For many, socialization comes through chat groups, not through face
to face interaction. In the usual social media, what counts in the life of teens
and young adults are the “likes” they may get to a posting. No matter how silly
this posting may be. There have been far too many cases where a “dislike” brings on a depressive state.
They become a symbol of rejection. These internet surfers have not developed
the emotional and personality tools which would help them deal with the
perceived slights.
Yes, I
know. I come from a complex, yet simpler time. Complex because we had to learn
to interact with others and this was not easy or simple. Simpler time because
we were not overwhelmed with an ever-expanding universe of possibilities at our
fingertips. We looked for what we needed and didn’t get the surrounding garbage
that today comes with all searches.
Is this
going to change? Not likely. Actually, the next generation of “smarter-than-thou”
helpers is already on its way to us and our children, who gleefully want to be
the first in line to get the new goodies.
It is
their new world and we, the old geezers, created and handed it to them… Now we
are becoming bystanders in the all-out virtual world race…
Be Well … Be Back!!!
Final
Notes:
· Pray for those who are fighting an illness
which may take them away from their loved ones… Every request is heard, and
counts!!
· Follow us on Twitter … @RJAsPandora
