Old School v New School Part II
Sorry this post has taken so long for me to get to you, but I had some other affairs to handle. In continuing my thoughts from the earlier post Old School v New School: Role Models, the lady at the car dealership also discussed what may be best known as "Facetime". Specifically she says, "these young people don't even know who they talking to and who they dealing with. They spend all their time on the phone and they don't even know," *she turns to look at me* "what color eyes this young man has or they don't even know he got both ears pierced." *I smile*. I smile for two reasons; one being that I still get a tinge of embarrassment when older people address me personally, and two because she is right.
I got my ears pierced when I was 18 years old and attending St. Johns University, Queens, NY. Why has it been the case that several of my Elon alum (the school I transferred to after St. John's) have up to very recently said, "Oh I didn't realize you had both ears pierced." Or why is it that the scar I have had on my left cheek and chin since my 17th birthday went unnoticed by some of my colleagues from law school? I do not necessarily blame phones...not specifically at least. However, when the majority of the time you spend talking to someone is over Facebook, Twitter, Gchat, and text; chances are at the very least there are some physical features that will escape your notice.
Truth is the age of technology has indeed left us lacking "facetime". Kind of odd I would be discussing this the same day one of my brethren says to me, "Is it possible I don't know you all that well?" I told him honestly, it's not only possible it's true. The advent of technology may put our personal private information at risk for identity theft, but it also allows us to hide who we truly are in some degree. I can tweet about anything, and onlookers would actually believe that what they read is gospel and that is who I truly am. I could update my Facebook profile pictures with only pics of me smiling, indicating I am a happy young man when nothing could be further from the truth (not me specifically, no swandiving for me). I could text you about how I partied hard last night, but truth is if you saw me as I made that bald-headed lie (Martin reference #moretofollow) you would know I did not do anything but drink tea and read a book.
Nevertheless, let our generation not concede defeat. We may lack "facetime" but we are much more connected than our parents generation. I can, and have, planned to go to Hooters or to the mall and within 15 minutes am able to find several friends in the area to join me. I can have several people work on my resume simultaneously. I can find out about networking events with a simple point-and-click. I can have a best friend, who I only see twice a year, and still we know more about each other's lives than the old lady up the street getting 10x as much facetime (nosey ass Ms. Jared).
Additionally, our generation makes "facetime" when we need it. If I want to see my friend in L.A. I will bbm her some dates, while looking up prices on my laptop, subsequently book the trip and forward her my itinerary while she looks up new restaurants for us to check out. If I haven't hung out with my boys in a minute, I will conference text them: "This Friday @ Kings Street Fridays in VA. Imma hold down 3 seats". Truth be told we are the generation of multi-taskers. Some dangerous such as texting and driving, some productive like finding out about a networking event and inviting 5 people via Facebook, and some for "entertainment" like when I tweeted about a lame venue I was at and was instructed to go to a more popping (fun) place. I like that...I will take that. Granted most people reading this may have said I did not know both ears were pierced, and some may be scratching their head like "What scars!?". The main point is if they wanted to see it they have several methods to contact me and arrange a meeting, OR in the much more likely alternative we have to the old school's "facetime", I could snap a picture and send it to them all on my phone; within one minute they will see two ear piercings and scars. Facetime on demand when we want it, 24/7 multiple methods of connection when we need it. I think new school should get this one.
I got my ears pierced when I was 18 years old and attending St. Johns University, Queens, NY. Why has it been the case that several of my Elon alum (the school I transferred to after St. John's) have up to very recently said, "Oh I didn't realize you had both ears pierced." Or why is it that the scar I have had on my left cheek and chin since my 17th birthday went unnoticed by some of my colleagues from law school? I do not necessarily blame phones...not specifically at least. However, when the majority of the time you spend talking to someone is over Facebook, Twitter, Gchat, and text; chances are at the very least there are some physical features that will escape your notice.
Truth is the age of technology has indeed left us lacking "facetime". Kind of odd I would be discussing this the same day one of my brethren says to me, "Is it possible I don't know you all that well?" I told him honestly, it's not only possible it's true. The advent of technology may put our personal private information at risk for identity theft, but it also allows us to hide who we truly are in some degree. I can tweet about anything, and onlookers would actually believe that what they read is gospel and that is who I truly am. I could update my Facebook profile pictures with only pics of me smiling, indicating I am a happy young man when nothing could be further from the truth (not me specifically, no swandiving for me). I could text you about how I partied hard last night, but truth is if you saw me as I made that bald-headed lie (Martin reference #moretofollow) you would know I did not do anything but drink tea and read a book.
Nevertheless, let our generation not concede defeat. We may lack "facetime" but we are much more connected than our parents generation. I can, and have, planned to go to Hooters or to the mall and within 15 minutes am able to find several friends in the area to join me. I can have several people work on my resume simultaneously. I can find out about networking events with a simple point-and-click. I can have a best friend, who I only see twice a year, and still we know more about each other's lives than the old lady up the street getting 10x as much facetime (nosey ass Ms. Jared).
Additionally, our generation makes "facetime" when we need it. If I want to see my friend in L.A. I will bbm her some dates, while looking up prices on my laptop, subsequently book the trip and forward her my itinerary while she looks up new restaurants for us to check out. If I haven't hung out with my boys in a minute, I will conference text them: "This Friday @ Kings Street Fridays in VA. Imma hold down 3 seats". Truth be told we are the generation of multi-taskers. Some dangerous such as texting and driving, some productive like finding out about a networking event and inviting 5 people via Facebook, and some for "entertainment" like when I tweeted about a lame venue I was at and was instructed to go to a more popping (fun) place. I like that...I will take that. Granted most people reading this may have said I did not know both ears were pierced, and some may be scratching their head like "What scars!?". The main point is if they wanted to see it they have several methods to contact me and arrange a meeting, OR in the much more likely alternative we have to the old school's "facetime", I could snap a picture and send it to them all on my phone; within one minute they will see two ear piercings and scars. Facetime on demand when we want it, 24/7 multiple methods of connection when we need it. I think new school should get this one.
posted by K. Jobe | 22:30
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home