Being a member of the so called “Digital Generation”, I constantly am subjected to lectures of how hard my parents had to work to gather information, or how we as an emerging generation simply use our minds at higher rates and process information faster due to our surroundings when we were growing up. I have never felt that this is true, however. Although we have greater access to information and means of communication, one fact remains the same: we are still human beings.
As a human being, I have a limited memory bank and can only learn things so quickly. No amount of computers, websites, or apps can change that. This is a common misconception held by many older people. I actually have a pretty high IQ and do well in most social and academic situations. What do I attribute that to? Reading as a child. I believe my video games, iPhones, and computer have done very little for me as far as skills are concerned, while reading cover to cover, book after book has given me a head start in life. As you can see, I’m not so different from previous generation members.
I believe my generation is tired of being discredited for our hard work due to how “easy” it is to get ahead in life with the technology available today. A tool is only as useful as its handler, and all the achievements made by young adults around my age have been accomplished through hard work, determination, and creativity. These qualities do not disappear because of the mediums they are paired with.