The Next Generation Gap

Say Everything By Emily Nussbaum of the New York Magazine

This article shook me awake. I had only thought the techno-kiddies were enjoying their toys and not being socialized by them. It’s a frightening realization just how powerful new technology is at shaping the direction and development of the younger generation. Generation X’s Pac Man pales in comparison to this generations unfathomable access to information in its ability to shape how we become who we are. They aren’t techno-kiddies, they are individuals and the first generation who have been raised with the Internet as something that is and not something that will be.

This is Jakob’s vision: a place where topless photos are no big deal-but also where everyone can be known, simply by making him- or herself a bit vulnerable. Still, even for someone like me who is struggling to embrace the online world, Lodwick’s vision can seem so utopian it tilts into the impossible. “I think we’re gradually moving away from the age of investing in something negative,” he muses about the crueler side of online culture. “For me, a fundamental principle is that if you like something, you should show your love for it; if you don’t like it, ignore it, don’t waste your time.” Before that great transition, some Susies will get crushed in the gears of change. But soon, he predicts, online worlds will become more like real life: Reputation will be the rule of law. People will be ashamed if they act badly, because they’ll be doing so in front of all 3,000 of their friends. “If it works in real life, why wouldn’t it work online?”

If you are over the age of 25 I recommend you read this article and take whatever steps are needed to get yourself back in the game.