As a Gen-X, I taught my millennial son how to build a computer (and he knows much more than me now). I assure you I know how to find where on the menu to convert to PDF. I also know how to do it via something like Gimp, or other tools. I also know when to not convert it to PDF. :p
Yanno I thought about ending my post with “of course there’s exceptions for every generation”, but I thought as much would be common sense and could be assumed.
My father, born in the 50’s, is also very tech literate, but his existence doesn’t mean there’s not a trend with boomers to be technologically challenged.
That may be more Xennials, a limited cross-breed of the two that grew as computers started moving into public use. Older Gen-X grew up knowing both the world before computers and the one during their spread, so some of us had opportunity to learn as it evolved.
I’m always on the fence with the generation stuff. I think logically it’s about as valid as astrology, and yet sometimes it seems that it fits people.
True about the astrology part. Also, I’m Dutch, and some of our sociologists have a different take on our generations. They usually have the boomers born between 40-55, gen-x between 55-70, the “pragmatic generation” or “fries generation” between 70-early eighties and then the millenials. The pragmatic generation would probably overlap with your Xennials.
It’s a close match. It seems to get messier as the generations get younger. Xennials in the US were a very narrow window that mirrored the entry into the computer age. Of course the easier route many take is to just call someone older a Boomer and younger a millennial, ignoring the fact that millennials are reaching midlife now.
Fair enough, but I’ve also met plenty of millenials of whom I could say the same. Which actually isn’t that much of a problem, I’ve also met plenty of people from all ages who would hurt themselves with a cordless drill. Somehow the world is still turning.
There is absolutely exceptions, and the whole generation thing is a bit ridiculous if carried too far. I didn’t take your point that seriously, just saw an opportunity to provide my own example. I will also add that my father (a Boomer/silent gen) was a smart person, mechanically gifted, even a patent holder, yet he could not for the life of him figure out computers. It was a baffling disconnect. My son, who I mentioned as being far smarter in tech than I could be now, is not mechanically inclined and will admit to that. So yeah, everyone has their skills… if anything I think of myself as a jack of many trades that I’m decent in, but none that I excel high in.
As a Gen-X, I taught my millennial son how to build a computer (and he knows much more than me now). I assure you I know how to find where on the menu to convert to PDF. I also know how to do it via something like Gimp, or other tools. I also know when to not convert it to PDF. :p
Yanno I thought about ending my post with “of course there’s exceptions for every generation”, but I thought as much would be common sense and could be assumed.
My father, born in the 50’s, is also very tech literate, but his existence doesn’t mean there’s not a trend with boomers to be technologically challenged.
You could also just admit you forgot about Gen-X, who grew up in the time when computers became houshold items.
That may be more Xennials, a limited cross-breed of the two that grew as computers started moving into public use. Older Gen-X grew up knowing both the world before computers and the one during their spread, so some of us had opportunity to learn as it evolved.
I’m always on the fence with the generation stuff. I think logically it’s about as valid as astrology, and yet sometimes it seems that it fits people.
True about the astrology part. Also, I’m Dutch, and some of our sociologists have a different take on our generations. They usually have the boomers born between 40-55, gen-x between 55-70, the “pragmatic generation” or “fries generation” between 70-early eighties and then the millenials. The pragmatic generation would probably overlap with your Xennials.
It’s a close match. It seems to get messier as the generations get younger. Xennials in the US were a very narrow window that mirrored the entry into the computer age. Of course the easier route many take is to just call someone older a Boomer and younger a millennial, ignoring the fact that millennials are reaching midlife now.
I didn’t forget about them, I’ve just met many tech illiterate gen-x’ers which has informed my opinion here.
Fair enough, but I’ve also met plenty of millenials of whom I could say the same. Which actually isn’t that much of a problem, I’ve also met plenty of people from all ages who would hurt themselves with a cordless drill. Somehow the world is still turning.
There is absolutely exceptions, and the whole generation thing is a bit ridiculous if carried too far. I didn’t take your point that seriously, just saw an opportunity to provide my own example. I will also add that my father (a Boomer/silent gen) was a smart person, mechanically gifted, even a patent holder, yet he could not for the life of him figure out computers. It was a baffling disconnect. My son, who I mentioned as being far smarter in tech than I could be now, is not mechanically inclined and will admit to that. So yeah, everyone has their skills… if anything I think of myself as a jack of many trades that I’m decent in, but none that I excel high in.