How My Generation Conquered Technology

Technology! What is the meaning of this word? Our dictionary tells us the following: –

• The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry.
• Machinery and devices developed from scientific knowledge.
• The branch of knowledge dealing with engineering or applied sciences

How does this affect us as human beings? Generations apart? Well let’s begin by identifying the different generations of years past and what they mean.

• Traditionalists of Silent Generation Born 1945 and before
• Baby Boomers Born 1946 – 1964
• Generation X Born 1965 – 1976
• Millennials or Gen Y Born 1977 – 1995
• Gen Z, iGen or Centennials Born 1996 and later

Where does this put me as an individual, well without divulging my age, I would be placed in the “Generation X” age category.

How do “Generation Xers” and today technology meet, well let’s look, let’s ask ourselves, who are the so-called “Generation Xers” and more importantly how do they fit in?

Meet “Generation X”

“Generation Xers” are born sometime between the years of 1965 and 1976. Where do I fit? Slap bang in the middle, 1970.

The earlier “Generation Xer” will still have trouble with technology such as computers, cell phones etc, while the later members, have NO trouble at all and are enthusiastic to learn and meet all the technological demands and challenges out there.

Focusing on the later members, as this is where I consider myself to be.

• We love the new technology of the century,
• We love our families,
• We love our freedom and the independence that comes with it,
• “Generation Xers” have seen substantial events, civil rights movements, several wars across the Atlantic not to mention the grunge fashion movement.

To reiterate, a stereotypical “Generation Xer” will be family oriented, financially responsible and self-reliant or independent for want of another word.

So, how did MY generation conquer technology? Let’s take a glimpse.

Going back some years let’s look how “Generation Xers” have met technology. I will use my own personal experiences to create this timeline.

At the beginning of my working career, we had “snail mail”, typewriters, fax machines had JUST come out and we had dot matrix printers.

Today, how many of these things still exist? Well let’s see.

• The post office is still around to offer us the “snail mail” option, however very few people use this avenue of communication.
• Typewriters and their black and red ink ribbons were set aside for us to embrace, wait for it …… the computer and or laptop.
• Fax machines are almost extinct and have been superseded with emails. What is email you ask, well an email is a message which has been distributed by electronic means from one computer user to another computer user. WOW you say, yes, and we don’t even have to get up from our chairs.
• Dot matrix printers, well there are still a few around, but generally we have all gone inkjet or LaserJet, depending on your requirements. What used to take 10 minutes to print is now done in milliseconds. There is just no comparison.

This has been quite an eye-opening exercise as to how our “Generation Xers” have advanced over the years. It is quite scary to comprehend how fast time flies and how we have moved on to a whole other era.

A huge shout out to Karen Wessels for putting forward this challenge to her Team of Virtual Assistants and for continually challenging us to be better individuals and to embrace the bigger picture.

VA Connect has a team of Virtual Assistants just waiting to be of service to you, to lighten your load! To FREE up some of your time!

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