Conquering the Generation Gap

As generations go by, our predecessors assume we are skipping out on important aspects of life just to get a few extra minutes on our devices. In Catherine Rampell’s “A Generation of Slackers? Not So Much”, it is said the older generations believe Generation Y is “coddled, disrespectful, narcissistic, and impatient” (Rampell 388). In all reality our generation is just doing what it has to in order to thrive in the world we live in, where technology is one of the largest parts of our everyday lives. If the older generations that criticize Generation Y had grown up in Generation Y they would realize the world we live in requires the use of technology. The advancement of society with technology has shaped Generation Y to be the people that they are, relying on technology; however, older generations believe Generation Y is lazy.

Many times our fears of what is unknown to us are often the strongest fears we hold as human beings. However, what if it was the fear of things we already know that were the most powerful and influential in our lives? In modern society, many hold within themselves a deep-seated fear of the technology that the world has become so revolved around. Additionally, it has recently become debatable whether or not this technology has become a hindrance to members of the so-called iGeneration, born between 1995 and 2012, who have grown up in a world surrounded by technology. Truly, the members of older generations, including millennials who have had themselves split off from the apparent technology obsessed generation of the youngest millennials, have expressed their concern as to whether or not these vast differences in generations have to do with the unhealthy use of technology. Among those to have analyzed this phenomenon is writer Jean M. Twenge who in her article, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?,” utilizes the study of a modern 13 year old girl named Athena to exemplify a plethora of determinants that technology has imposed on young people and the slow deterioration of everything from independence and social skills to a decline mental health due to technology use. Many of Twenge’s statements reveal the belief that many members of iGen are unequipped to handle adulthood and are even less happy because of the technology that has played a significant role in their lives

Technology has always been a controversial subject between conservative people and innovators. Some people believe that it is a great tool to connect cultures and improve education and innovation in our society today, but others view it as a menace in our lives. “Growing Up Tethered” by Sherry Turkle and “George Orwell...Meet Mark Zuckerberg” by Lori Andrews both view technology as a dangerous tool. They believe in the many drawbacks of technology and the harm it can do to our lives with no explanation of the positive effects it has had on our society. “Our Future Selves” by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen plays the role of a positive look at technology and its role in our lives today. It gives examples of how advancing technology helps us and improves so many peoples’s lives. We can use Schmidt and Cohen’s essay as a lens to view the other two texts and gain a different understanding of what they are writing about.

As technology is advancing, it is ruining our reputations and everyday lives because we use it too much. “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury is a story of parents who use too much technology to spoil their two kids which rely on technology and use it to kill their own parents. The Atlantic is an article on how technology has changed the concept of the community and how it affects people’s daily lives in mostly negative ways. In both sources, humans rely on technology too much, having a negative effect.

Technology has advanced a lot more in the past century than it has over a million years. There is millions of new advancements found every day, however, this is making the younger generation a lot less knowledgeable. In the book The Dumbest Generation by Mark Bauerkein, it states that the teens today are the dumbest generation to live on the planet. It is commonly believed that the young generation is the least knowledgeable generation because of their great reliability on technology, constant distraction by technology, and negative media influences. Although technology helps to make one’s everyday life a lot easier, it is taking away one’s intelligence.

Along with the progression of society, major advances have been made in hundreds of different fields — particularly technology. Controversy has risen, and debates ensued over whether today's young Americans are really “the dumbest generation,” due to their “money, media, e-gadgets, and career plans” [Source A]. While advances have been made, they have brought with them resources to benefit off of, and ultimately assist in the overall intellect and intelligence of the human race.

Jessica Sidon AP English Feb. 13, 2018 The Dumbest Generation? People know a day’s live in a generation where they rely on technology for an everyday basis, and some might even say that they cannot live without it. Technology is very effective and useful, however it can be the reason why this generation is considered “The Dumbest Generation. With there being valuable reasons to why it’s not making us “dumber” their is more valid reasonings to why it actually is.

Through the internet and the change in learning this group is more self motivated to learn from each other versus just from the classroom. They also learn a lot more on their own. This expands “new forms of expression and rules of social behavior” (Source B). Consequently, the internet is more creativity and sense of self. As well as that “what makes these groups unique is that while adults participate, they are not automatically the resident experts by virtue of their age ” (Source C). Proving that Millennials surpass adults in the aspect of technology understanding and knowledge. Overall, the 30 and under generation are more self directed and creative in their learning prior than older

English professor Mark Bauerlein claimed in the book, The Dumbest Generation. That the outcome of technology benefits for the children did not show up. According to the “2007 Pew” survey on “What Americans Know: 1989 - 2007”. There were higher percentages of younger generation who obtain little knowledge with the existence of technology while there is lower percentages of older generation who does not have technology support. Eighteen years old teens may have devices like an adult, may have accepted into a college and getting ready to start a new life.

As the years tack on and we embark on new technological advances, the effects of such technological advances brings on new concerns about what this technology is doing to and for us. Is it connecting or disconnecting us, pushing the boundaries or crossing the line, helping or hurting us? Now what’s come into question is our intellectual habits; Is new technology making us “dumber”? With research making unfair comparisons between the new generations and older generations, those under the age of thirty cannot be proven to be “the dumbest generation”, but an improving generation.

The multigenerational could affect its operation depending on how I will manage each generation I have to keep in mind that each generation have a unique different way to communicate. Like mention in the book, I have to be cultural competence, “set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that comes together in a system, [in an] agency, or among professionals, and enable that system, [that] agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations” (Pg.

How many times have you felt that your parents don't understand you, that they have no respect for you as an individual? How often do you shake your head in frustration and blame it on the 'generation gap'? Parents! They are like aliens from another planet altogether! You and they are in different camps; strangers forced to live under the same roof Right? Wrong! There is a way of bridging what appears to be a yawning chasm. If you genuinely want to improve your relationship with your parents (and give them a big shock in the bargain!) try listening to them, treating them just like you would listen to a valued friend. Instead of always whining, 'You don't understand me", stop and think. Do we ever try and understand

Technology has been involved in people’s lives forever, especially in the Millennial Generation. This generation consists of individuals born between the years of 1982-2004. The articles “The Flight From Conversation,” “Teens and Technology 2013,” and “Leading The Charge For Change” deals with teens interacting with technology today.Each article has different topics, but they connect through the over dependence of teens to technology. The Millennial Generation becomes less and less in touch with the real world and morphs into a quasi-reality.

In this modern era of the 21st century, the United States educational system has had to adjust on multiple occasions to fit the need of the growing career and college-based needs in order to be successful. With the help of technology, new techniques, and a different point of view of higher education, it has become hard for teens and parents to connect on an educational level.

"When you are as old as me now, you will have the same opinions as me" - said my mother when we had a sensational discussion. I can't understand what she said. I thought much about it and I realized that we have many differences. So what is its cause? I think the main cause is the generation gap.