Grown Up Digital: Part 1

It is very interesting to read a book that analyzes you specifically. Having grown up with the internet, it is impossible to not notice the differences between my generation and my parents, particularly when my parents generation is writing pages and pages of thoughts on how horrible my generation is. Although it is particularly telling that they write this all on the internet, which they so happily blame for my generation's stupidity.

Tapscott opens up his book describing many of the differences between what he calls the "Net Gen" and the previous generation, Generation X. He points out that while Generation X watched TV, read the paper, and listened to the radio with passive acceptance of the choices that the producers and editors had made, Net Geners tend to challenge things, make our own path, and stray from the expected. Some look at this as a bad thing, that we have no respect for our elders and dispute everything that we can dispute. However, I think it is a sign of a healthy future. My generation refuses to accept the status quo, we are determined to change things for the better and challenge information until we find the truth. We no longer tolerate social injustice, as can be seen by Tapscott's story about his daughter refusing to buy roses that had been sprayed with chemicals and then picked by children. We are rising up and ready to make a change. We are content creators, world changers, leadership challengers, and ready to fight racism, homophobia, abuse of any kind, and bring everyone onto an equal playing field.

The author calls the Net Generation the "first global generation," which is an odd way to think about people my age. Yes, we are all connected to people around the world, and are aware of news on a global scale. But because it has always been this way, it's strange to think about a world in which it wasn't.

Technology moves so fast, that although this book was published in 2009, it is extremely dated. The way the author mentions BlackBerry as a popular device is telling of how behind the times this book is. I am tempted to document every part of this book that is already out of date and therefore irrelevant. It's crazy how fast technology moves now versus how quickly it moved when my parents were my age. Innovation has hit light speed and isn't looking to slow down anytime soon.

Tapscott introduced this idea of the eight norms of my generation:

1. Freedom: we want to make our own decisions and control our own lives.
2. Customization: we want things to become one with us, to become our own creation and work how we want to it work. Not to just work, but to work for us.
3. Scrutiny: we believe that everyone lies and we trust nothing until we've analyzed and challenged it thoroughly.
4. Integrity: we advocate for honesty and fight inequality. Social justice, diversity, in with the good, out with the bad.
5. Collaboration: we want to work together, talk together, think together. We value community and the sharing of knowledge.
6. Entertainment: work should be fun, we should enjoy life, since we only get to do it once.
7. Speed: faster is better, we have a lot to do in this short life.
8. Innovation: constantly improving, constantly making things work better.

I believe that all of those are accurate depictions of my generation.