For this assignment I chose to interview my teammate Kassandra, my mother and my grandparents. Kassandra is 20 and she uses the computer often. She claims that her primary use for the internet is access; access to school pages such as blackboard and our women’s basketball site. She uses the internet for everything, she estimates being online for about 10 hours daily. This includes using her computer as well as her iphone, to search the web, checking her email, Facebook, MySpace accounts, sports scores and shopping.
She says that, “(The internet) has helped my life a great deal because everything I could possibly need is at the click of a button.” However she continued to admit that the internet being such a major point of her life is bittersweet. She loves the fact that she can do anything at the click of a button however, knows is anything was to happen with the internet or if she no longer had access, her life would almost come to a complete stop and she doesn’t know how she world function.
So many people in Kassandra’s age group feel this way about the internet because of their total dependence on the technology.
I interviewed my mother for next person, at age 50 she fits into the 36-60 age groups. My mother uses the internet for few things. She is still learning the ropes. Her main uses for the internet are emailing our family members and shopping. My mother recently moved to Corvallis with me to help with my daughter and with limited stores in the area she recently had to learn about online shopping. She is not dependent on the internet however; she would honestly drive for a couple of hours rather to simply order online. My mother was in the room as I interviewed Kassandra and she found it hilarious and also saddening that Kassandra is that dependent on the internet. My mother believes that the internet is crippling the youth. She believes that it is a good tool to have but stresses that it IS NOT OUR ONLY TOOL to find information.
I couldn’t find anyone that I knew over the age of 61 that used the internet. I called around and was surprised at my findings. I really thought everyone used the internet at every age. I thought that even if it wasn’t around when they were younger, I thought that they would have learned by now since all the other age groups depend so heavily on this technology. However, I did ask my grandmother and my grandfather to discuss their feelings on the internet and explain why they didn’t bother to learn how to use it. Both are over 80, yet are in good health and have years ahead. Both replied that they made it this long without it; they can go however long god permits them to go without it. I just smiled in response because they did have a point.
Overall each age group had a different view of the internet with the youngest generation almost to the extent of being completely dependent on the internet while the eldest generation saw no need for it. Honestly I feel as though I am a mixture of these three generations. I can see and can also relate to each point that was brought up by each person that I interviewed.
February 25, 2009 at 4:21 am
I find it amazing that you were unable to find any over 60 people to interview! Not that I feel you didn’t put adequate work into it, just that there exists such an absence of use in that age group! That portion of society really makes you think. Like your grandparents mentioned, maybe we could make it without the internet and just choose not to. Like your teammate, maybe we put this whole internet world in motion. The ideal of instant information and connection surely is convenient but this class has really made me think about it. Namely, what is the cost? Neil Postman has many insightful thoughts about what he feels the cost is. I think these things may need to be something we begin to consider (especially as we fall in the younger and typically internet saavy group).
Cool post! I enjoyed reading about your interviews!