Most of us were born around the second half of
the 80's. We were born and raised in important times. Times of changes –
economical and geo-political. Times of huge capitalisation, emergance of
'turbo-capitalism' and, finally, a big financial crush of 2008. Times of
digitalization, productifying of information, and, to see the big picture –
becoming and information society.
The latter means a lot, it influences or lives on so many levels, and on an everyday basis. One one hand – it's great! We have digital products that make our lives so much easier. We have new and more efficient means of communication. We have informatized means of production – it's more efficient, makes human work easier, maybe even safer. Perfect! We can participate in social media, create profiles, not only for fun, but for a future employment opportunity. We can share our interests and get to know other people's ones, we can reach out for information at any time, we can show the world our skills and be noticed, even build a career of it. We can meet future spouses, lovers or friends, we can do virtually anything.
The latter means a lot, it influences or lives on so many levels, and on an everyday basis. One one hand – it's great! We have digital products that make our lives so much easier. We have new and more efficient means of communication. We have informatized means of production – it's more efficient, makes human work easier, maybe even safer. Perfect! We can participate in social media, create profiles, not only for fun, but for a future employment opportunity. We can share our interests and get to know other people's ones, we can reach out for information at any time, we can show the world our skills and be noticed, even build a career of it. We can meet future spouses, lovers or friends, we can do virtually anything.
That all sounds great.
What about the downsides? What about the
growing threats included? We gained so many new ways of hurting people. We are
increasing production, thus hurting the environment – all in the name of
hyperconsumption of useless or completely unnecessary products with an often
pre-determined short life-span (smartphone producers are not even hiding the
fact, that their phones can fall apart when your subscription contract with the
service provider ends after 2 years, you can always get a new device with the
new contract!).
Needless to say – we are being constantly
watched by governments and companies, privacy is literally a long - forgotten
concept. Is it good or bad? Does it help preventing terrorist attacks, or does
it give new tools for further invigilation, both political and
marketing-oriented? It is kind of scary how internet advertising works,
sometimes seeming like if they're reading our minds.
We live in times, where everything is becoming
a product. It seems each element of our reality is shortly going to be
monetized.
I have a feeling we were born inbetween
generations, if generations can be at all identified as a social category
nowadays. We were too late for Generation X. We seem to be somewhere drifting
towards Generation Y, which is part of the big digital revolution. I am not
sure though, if I want to be part of that generation. It seems we got lost in
the thicket of adverts and marketing. We have become a product and a target at
the same time. We hand over tools to those, who then create our needs, and it
seems there's no end to this. But I guess time will tell :).
Do you think you belong to any of the
generations recognized nowadays by sociologists?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Z
Do you think digitalization has more upsides or downsides? Or maybe you categorically think it's positive/negative?
Do you think digitalization has more upsides or downsides? Or maybe you categorically think it's positive/negative?
Did you hear about Gen X? Do you know some of
the important cultural pieces of this generation? (f.i. 'Fight Club' both the
movie and the book by Chuck Palahniuk, 'Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated
Culture' by Douglas Coupland, the movies of Kevin Smith or Richard Linklater)?
Any thoughts ;)
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ReplyDeleteI must admit - very difficult topic. I am not so much familiar with all this X-Y-Z generations thing. But what I know it is inevitable that every past generation looks at the future one and sees deepening corruption and profligacy. It was very nicely shown in a movie Midnight in Paris where main character (by some weird coincidence) moves in time to the 20's (his favourite decade, where for him people are well dressed, refined and well mannered). He meets there a lady who experiences the same weird time traveling, but she is moving to her favourite decade - which is 1890, when for her all the people were well mannered and refined... So as we can see life comes full circle. I myself experience the same feelings, I already do not quite understand teenager's behaviour and it's just 10 years difference!
ReplyDeleteThanka for you comment and the comparison! It is indeed true, that we tend to be sentimental, it's like with places we visit - at first you wonder if it would be great to live there, but then you realise everyday life might ruin that notion of newness and unusualness :)
DeleteThanks*
DeleteDo you think you belong to any of the generations recognized nowadays by sociologists?
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennials
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Z
It seems to me that I don't belong in one hundred percent to one of the groups. Rather I combine some of the characteristics of each generation...
Do you think digitalization has more upsides or downsides? Or maybe you categorically think it's positive/negative?
Everything has its pros and cons. It's hard to judge whether it is more positive or negative. Certainly digitization allows us to more easily find themselves in these days and greatly simplifies our lives. But unfortunately sometimes it separate us from other people... It absorbs us too much. But this is an individual matter of each of us to organize it as best we can.
Did you hear about Gen X? Do you know some of the important cultural pieces of this generation? (f.i. 'Fight Club' both the movie and the book by Chuck Palahniuk, 'Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture' by Douglas Coupland, the movies of Kevin Smith or Richard Linklater)?
Of course I heard about Generation X. "Fight Club" is one of my favourites movies. Note that many of the contemporary movies, books and songs are hits even today! They are often the model and find followers.
It's nice to know people still appreciate films such as 'Fight club'. For me it's a masterpiece and a great comment on hyperconsuptionism and the way corporate trends shape our everyday life.
DeleteI agree, as in the article, that modern technologies have their ups and downs. I think it's up to us, people, how we use them. Us, or rather our governments.
X Y Z… and what will be next?? Rules of the alphabet are
ReplyDeleteruthless . 'Z' at the end . What happens then ? Cyclicality of the world suggests us that the new generation will be .. ' A' , that is ... to Analog ? It seems that the development of new technologies for 10-20 years will put their economic activity “at the wall “. Today we are sparing , replaced by computer programs, drones , robots, machines. “Analog generation" will perhaps develop it (which is now forgotten in the education system) like soft skills , such as creativity, communication skills , initiative , time management , working in a group. Or maybe they are going to live in the time of the next big boom ? Maybe the world will change so that the problems of unemployment will be resolved once and for all ? May. Regardless of how we will call the next generation , let them find themselves in the labor market . Someone finally has to work on for our pensions ...
1. Do you think you belong to any of the generations recognized nowadays by sociologists?
ReplyDeleteI have the impression that the so-called scientists threw everyone and everything into one bag. As if the fact that they make a totally pointless classification of people was not enough appalling. People are so diverse and convincing concerning the existence of generations of Y, Z etc. reminds me of insistent attempt to control the cultural and social chaos that we see every day. I do not understand this division of generations, although I must admit that some of the insights the authors are right. I do not identify with any of these generations. Maybe it is only my wish to not be thrown into the same bag as the others.
2. Do you think digitalization has more upsides or downsides? Or maybe you categorically think it's positive/negative?
I personally think that digitization is positive. Since computers and the Internet came into our life, nothing is the same. Our life is much easier and more convenient. It is easier for us to communicate, move through unknown places, we have easy access to information, it is easier for us to purchase products. I realize that there are also a plenty bad sites, but I think that the good ones is more.
3. Did you hear about Gen X? Do you know some of the important cultural pieces of this generation? (f.i. 'Fight Club' both the movie and the book by Chuck Palahniuk, 'Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture' by Douglas Coupland, the movies of Kevin Smith or Richard Linklater)?
Yes, I heard about Generation X. The only movie that I associate with this generation is polish movie “Cześć Tereska”. The film is about teenage girl who falls into bad company. She starts with them steal, lie and drink alcohol. She is humiliated by peers and she becomes more aggressive, which ultimately pushes her to the murder.
Thank you Klaudia for this comment!
DeleteI agree, that people are diverse and classifications might work against reconition of individuality. Nevertheless, these categories I mentioned are rather a way of 'classification' based on common characteristics of people born in a given place at a given time. It is not denying individuality, unless on of the characteristics acutally is 'denying individuality' ;)
I am glad you see mostly the positive side of the digital revolution. I hope you are right and, in the end, the upsides will be more noticable (and that evil robots will not destroy humanity).
With Gen X in our cultural context it's a bit difficult. Generation X rather relates to the Western socities (and in the time of this generation's developement, Poland wasn't part of the Western world). Generation X has it's roots in hyper-consumption, in shopping malls in the US in the 80's and making a (rather decent) living by doing 'slacker' jobs in McDonald's etc. till your fourties. Also TV - X is the first Generation brought up by television (because their yuppie parents were too busy working late).
Difficult topic I must say, but it's good to have these as well. For me it's all about background - social, financial, political circumstances, which creates each generation - more than age they live in. Of course it can be seen in western countries - the change in approach to live, new believes, different attitude, but if we compare a child from small African village with a child from New York. Their age won't make a difference. I know it's an extreme example, but it's proving my point. Or more advanced test - a child from catholic, patriarchal family from Poland vs. a child from atheist single-parent home. They may live in the same flat, go to the same school, but have completely different goals, views. One can be touch by technological development more than other. I do not like to generalize anything.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that change, in my opinion, are customs, society and what's cool. If you compare fashion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4z90wlwYs8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaSkMWVlFUU
(If someone would wear something like 1915, they might be considered overdressed, for them, many youngsters from 2015 would look like prostitutes). The same goes with hair styles and beauty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOyVvpXRX6w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-tJ5erxh4Y
Or any other parts of life. I used to spend every free moment on the pitch and I rushed home to watch Dragon Ball or Pokemon, right now youngsters have different ways of spending time and like to publish everything on Facebook or Instagram. I think that in the future everything will change, but differently in each part of world. In my school hip-hop culture was very popular, when we grew up, my friends were into punk rock, right now there are... To be honest? I don't know. Last time I checked there was High School Musical and Beliebers phase, later there was One Direction and Miley Cirus for youngsters and new hip-hop style with slick trousers.
Everything change when you grow up - many things become shit (http://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes/s15e07-youre-getting-old), then you have new friends, new job and you might reorganize your goals. We make our own generation, which cannot be classified in any way or form.
And as for "Generation X" - my first association:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s70h5BKCHxE and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X_(comics)
Thanks for the comment.
DeleteOf course you're right regarding the wide background. It's a simplification I made in this rather short text, that Generation X sticks to a time period - certainly, a time period in that sense is strictly connected by influences of that time, mostly economical. So the Gen-x, as the kids of the post-war baby-boom generation, were the first generation to be disappointed by the qualities and conditions of the US in the 80's and 90's, unlike their parents, who had clearly marked goals and examples of great prosperity from home (the first TV's and home appliances in the 50's - how promissing those times must have been).
Yes, we grow up and it had always been better when poeople were "young". I am pretty sure it's the naiveness we had in our days of youth ;)
You've presented a very tough problem and I think that there is no way to say clearly if digitalisation is good or bad. What is more, the real problem is not in the digital products or technologies but the way we use them. Thanks to Internet we can communicate to everybody in the world. Isn’t that amazing? But we end up with giving likes under kitties photos and insulting everybody who has a different opinion (so called haters). We can buy almost everything in online shops but we are monitored and our preferences are sold to advertisers. There always will be positive and negative aspects.
ReplyDeleteI believe we have the same opinion on the topic then. It seems the problem is always in us - humans :(
Delete1. Do you think you belong to any of the generations recognized nowadays by sociologists?
ReplyDeleteI think that if I consider timeframes I belong to the Y generation. I would argue with @Klaudia or @Maciej cause they don't belong to any generation.
Generation is a name for the timeframe we were born in. That timeframes describes conditions in which grew up. I belong to a group of people who could see the development of commercial computer technology. My generation can remember when connected to the Internet using phones and how it was when Internet didn't exist.
Generation Z coulndn't imagine living without Internet, FB, Instagram etc. They wonder what people did when there was no Internet. When making a generational division scientists keep in mind the behaviour of people from the given generation when at work.
My generation treats bosses like an equal coworker but with a wider expertise. We look in a long-term perspective and establish our business with willingness.
2. Do you think digitalization has more upsides or downsides? Or maybe you categorically think it's positive/negative?
Personally I think that digitalization has more positive ascpects. We can communicate faster between each other. We have wider access to the information and knowledge. I think digitalization simplifies our lives.
3. Did you hear about Gen X? Do you know some of the important cultural pieces of this generation? (f.i. 'Fight Club' both the movie and the book by Chuck Palahniuk, 'Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture' by Douglas Coupland, the movies of Kevin Smith or Richard Linklater)?
I haven't ever heard about cultural pieces of generation X, because I weren't seen these movies and books.
As you said - people managed to live without internet. At the same time, by not having that much possibilities of acquiring information in real-time etc. people were more 'wise', don't you think? Nowadays everyone is an expert with knowledge based on wiki and google, but when put out of context, we don't seem to have any knowledge. It's possible, that we have the possibility to adapt more easily, which might make up for the lack of wisdom?
DeleteI must agree with Jakub, this is a really difficult topic. It’s really hard to say which generation we belong to. Maybe Anna is right and we were born between generations and because of this we don’t belong to any of them. We are in the middle but too far from them.
ReplyDeleteBased on your article, it appears that we have great opportunities to do a lot of different things.
ReplyDeleteSo what opportunities will have future generations?
Of course, we will not know that. One thing is certain, with the development of technology going development of humanity, but whether we need to group people on some generations? How do in that case called a "generation" of people from the days of ancient Egypt? Generation "A", "B"?
I agree with you and also do not want to be categorized in this way as "user" of world around us.
ancient Egypt falls into the historical category and I don't think anyone would even bother to think about that :) I suppose it's only the modern world that can be described by these caterogies, since sociology and other human-centered sciences are in development for around 100-150 years.
DeleteIt's not about calling things names or putting everyone into categories, for me it's rather about finding something common that would help understanding or at least describing the social reality that surrounds us.
It's seems so complicated presented by you but come on... Let's stop making life so complicated, life is simple as it is and there is no need to make it complex. Seriously there are several rules on which the whole universe runs and there is nothing more important than that. WE decide whether we spend money here, spend money there, or not spend money at all, the thing is that in today's world people have weak minds and they are unable to resist all those temptations around. As long as you practice meditation and other forms of mindfulness you will be able to be assertive and decide to how your life unfolds. No tricks, no business plan, no rocket science, no advertising, no conspiracy, no invigilation. It's all in you already and YOU choose what to do with that.
ReplyDeleteof course! I agree. But we need to face the fact you stated: people have weak minds and they are unable to resist all those temptations.
DeleteWhat I find problematic is that all the trends and developement of markets goes the opposite direction. I think without raising awarneness about general social consciousness it is impossible to shape a society of people who will be happy without the whole hyper-consumptionist, monetary, corporate environment-destroying... stuff.
I think that this digitization has way more upsides than downsides. Advantages of this has already been mentioned. I personally wouldn't like live in the past where you would have to go to the library to get any peace of useful information. Today you can just use Google or Wikipedia and you have access to most of the information the internet can provide.
ReplyDeleteI did hear some things about the Generation X but I didn't really care about it. Also I don't know many pieces that raise a subject of that generation. Although, I do appreciate the "Fight Club". "The Truman Show" is also great film that is actually more relevant today than it was at the day of its release.
That's right, we have more ease in getting information, but information is also of lower quality :)
DeleteImportant and very actual topic Ania, thank you for a presentation. I'd like to say a few words about digitalization subject, becouse that problem is the nearest to me :).
ReplyDeleteI think that technology really improves our live and gives a lot of new opportunities. Let's look at communication development.
We can easily talk, and see on live our friends and family members on skype, lastly on facebook too. That is an powerful tool, but we can use it wisely. A world is full of unfair people, I mean hackers. We should share personal information in a thoughtful way if we wanna avoid be cheated.
thanks for the comment! Glad to hear you experience the positive effects of the digital era ;)
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