For as long as I can remember, digital communication has been a huge part of the culture I've been engulfed into; Emails when I was a todler, instant messaging and xanga in middle school, facebook and myspace in high school, and the ever present text messaging.
I had a really interesting conversation with a close friend of mine this past week on the topic of digital communication. He, being a few years older than I, was relating how the progression of technology that has developed has impacted how differently each generation communicates, and how the "generational gaps" have gotten so much smaller with these new emerging technologies.
Although he is only a few years older, he is still in a completely different means of communicating than I am accustomed to. For example: Take blogging. He does it. Religiously. I don't, never have, and probably will not continue to do so after these assignments. Why? Because it's not a media form that was introduced to me in the same way it was introduced to him. He relies mostly on emails to keep in touch with friends around the country. What do I use? Facebook. Although the technologies are similar, they contrast with large differences, and, once again, timing.
The more I thought about this, the more amazed I was. If the pattern continues, we will always be a step behind the technological hop. And not because we're not 'tuned in' or 'technically apt,' but because the media has age groups in crosshairs, and when we're not part of those targeted groups, the product is going to have the tendancy to jump over our heads.
