Family in Digital Age

My grandson was in town today for a basketball tournament. His two games were early this morning with two more scheduled for tomorrow morning. So he was around the house this afternoon and for most of the time, even during a hour of lost of electricity, on his smart home, conversing, listening, or texting. He is 14 and at one point I asked him if he remembered what people did before the computer and digital revolution. He had some vague memories and I reminded him of how we played games, real and imagining, talked and joked together. He has some memories of these things but his sister, my granddaughter, 10, only knows the digital age, where everyone, including her has an IPad, smart phone, computer, tablet or some other digital item.

One time tonight I looked around our living room and all of us, my son and his wife, my granddaughter, my wife and I were on a digital device, IPad or Smart Phone or Computer. I made an observation to that effect and some looked up from their screen as I was criticizing them. I said no but just making an observation. My daughter-in-law reminded me of how I was an early user of digital items, which was true. Now when my granddaughter shows me a slide show she made on her IPad with music, pictures and words from a family trip we just made to Mackinaw Island, I realize how much I lag behind on the new digital age.

At our conversation at dinner tonight, where we still talk while we eat, I said I knew some people that do not use the internet. My grandchildren found that hard to believe but it is true for many elderly people as well as low-income persons. The digital age is here to stay; the media is the message in many ways. How we use it, as a distraction or to focus our attention remains to be seen. More information does not always mean more knowledge or wisdom.

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