Just a thought, but … I find myself often thinking about technology.  More specifically, the response to it by people of different ages, from different generations.

I am most definitely far away from being a Gen-Zeer, yet I embrace all things technological with an enthusiasm that others have commented on.  It seems a fairly obvious no-brainer to me.  Why wouldn’t I want to use cloud technology to easily store and retrieve and protect my data … and wouldn’t my working life be much harder without the amazing collaborative software solutions I’m presented with by my organisation?  But I’ve observed that some friends and colleagues who are of a similar age to me, even younger, aren’t embracing digital in the same way that I am.

Of course, I have no empirical evidence to back this up.  Academics and researchers amongst you at this point, please look away.  I can offer no research data or analysis done by me that supports what I’m suspecting.  But based on anecdotal evidence and observation (and please don’t ever rule them out as being in part valid for proving a point!), I’ve noticed that for some people around me, their joy of, or indifference to technology is age-related.

Heaven forbid that I should use this blog to be ageist, because I certainly know what it feels like to suddenly have age become an issue … but simply put, how about this as a very simple explanation of what I’m noticing …

• My one year old grandson is already responding every time a phone camera is pointed in front of his face.  A huge grin erupts.  He knows what to do.  We don’t even have to say, “cheese!”  He also seems to love his nightly FaceTime, and can even wave at Granny peering out at him from the screen.
• Some adults I know are not enjoying clouds or kanbans or collaboration or any other of the amazing digital offerings out there that they’re being asked to embrace in their working day.  I’m wondering if familiarity is perhaps breeding more than a little contempt?

Me?  I’m looking forward to the digital world around me just getting better and better.  And, of course, my grandson ultimately teaching me how to use it all.