“My son is so smart! You’re amazing with computers! I don’t know what we would do without you,” my mother exclaimed as I finished up another successful service call at my parents’ house.
“Oh, it’s really no problem at all,” I modestly replied as I began my obligatory goodbye tour before leaving.
My folks were having some internet connectivity issues so they called tech support, (a.k.a. me). Really though, all I did was restart the router, but I wasn’t gonna tell them that.
As I finished my goodbyes, I stopped for a moment to bask in the ongoing shower of compliments and praise. Please, continue to tell me how great I am! Although, I was beginning to wonder if my now swollen head would fit through the door….
This is a scenario that plays out at least a couple of times per month. See, whenever my family has a problem with a PC, phone, or any other type of technological gadget, I’m the first person they call.
Family tech support guy, at your service!
My family thinks I’m the second coming of Bill Gates. However, I’m here today to make a confession. I’m a fraud. I’m not that good with computers or gadgets. I mean, I’m competent. My parents are not what you’d call tech savvy, so to them I guess I do look like a prodigy straight from Silicon Valley.
But, here’s my secret: I’m just good at Googling.
Ah, yes, Google. How did we ever survive without it? Google is literally my go-to for anything and everything in life.
Today, thanks to the interwebs, we have instant access to an infinite amount of knowledge. The device on which you’re reading this article can provide the answer to literally any question that pops into your head. It’s quite astonishing when you think about it.
In mere seconds, you can learn anything you want to know about any subject in the world. Technology is amazing.
Just the other day, I was in line at a local supermarket attempting to calculate the total for the Mount Everest of groceries in my cart. I literally laughed out loud as I swiped up on my iPhone, remembering all those math teachers who told me I wouldn’t always have access to a calculator. Ha! Jokes on you.
Back in the day, if you wanted to educate yourself, you’d have to spend hours in a library scaling shelves lined with encyclopedias. These days, the vast majority of us carry around a gadget in our pockets more powerful than the computers that sent Neil Armstrong to the moon. It’s unbelievable.
Yet, so many people take this for granted and have no idea the power they hold in their hand. If you can’t figure something out, Google will show you the way. All you gotta do is ask.
But it’s like our parents’ generation are reluctant to learn about and utilize technology. They seem intimidated by these new-fangled gadgets and interweb machines, so much so that they don’t even bother trying to learn about modern technology or use it. While our parents/grandparents are too stubborn to fully embrace technology, millennials are the polar opposite.
Millennials, smh. You guys are so reliant on technology that you can’t survive without it. The art of face-to-face communication is being lost as we are always on our phones. Millennials have panic attacks when they have to use their phone for making actual phone calls.
I’m including myself here. I was born about a year before the actual “millennial generation” began, but I identify as a millennial. Admittedly, I am on my phone way too much. Today, we are more connected than ever before, yet we are more isolated than ever before.
I can go on and on with generational stereotypes and comparisons, but that’s another article for another day. For now, I guess the point I’m trying to make is to embrace technology. Learn about it. Use it. It’s pretty awesome.
Just don’t get so caught up in your virtual life that you neglect your real life. It’s about balance. Use technology as a tool to enhance your life.
With so much information freely available at our fingertips today, ignorance is a choice. You have the freedom and ability to learn about anything you want. Just Google it.
