Posted on Monday, 15th February 2010 by Frank

Generation Y has been labeled as the “tech savy generation”.  I am apart of this generation as many others are and we are also labeled as the generation that is highly active on the internet.  However, has Generation Y lost the ability to communicate in a healthy manner when it comes to relationships?  Since Valentine’s Day just passed, I thought this was an appropriate post to get us thinking.  My generation tends to do a lot of communicating via text, instant messaging, and Facebook.  None of those require face to face communication.  Are we hiding behind technology as a way to run our relationships and the way we get to know someone?

My Dad who is apart of Generation X mentioned to me that my generation really doesn’t know how to communicate especially when it comes to someone that you are interested in.  He believes that we hide behind our text messaging and computers to work out problems and talk about things.  He feels we have lost the ability to talk over the phone or face to face.  I have to agree and say he is absolutely right.  We are dependent on technology to run our lives.  What would we do without our cell phones and computers?  Better yet, what if our cell phones couldn’t text and could still only make phone calls?  Would Generation Y be alright with this?  Generation X we know can handle this perfectly fine.  They know how to communicate and talk and it’s a big reason why they don’t understand our generation.  Can you blame them?

When it comes to relationships, technology shouldn’t be a means to work things out. Well, I shouldn’t put it in that harsh of terms, but we shouldn’t be so dependent on it and should try to do more of an old phenomenon called talking!  I agree with my Dad and feel my generation really has lost a step when it comes to engaging with people. We can talk fine if it involves IM, texting, and status updates.  Although, can we carry a conversation anymore?  Some can, but the maturity isn’t there for everyone to put down the devices and do things old school.

I understand we live in a technology based world.  I appreciate it and love it myself, but take a step back.  You must understand that the world wasn’t always focused on the latest and greatest in technology.  Things use to be handled the way Generation X remembers and which is why the frown upon Generation Y sometimes.  I’m not going to sit here and knock my generation because I like being apart of it, but I can’t help but consider the way we handle things.  Relationships I felt were a big cause for concern because ever since technology took control over our lives, we’ve lost the ability to talk things out properly.

How do you feel?  You may think I am completely wrong, but tell me why I am.  Why would Generation X look down upon Generation Y.  They seem to have good reasons to back it up.  Although, times (and technology) are always changing, so has the way handle relationships changed as well?

Further reading:

Web 3.0 – The Next Generation Of The Web

Where Would We Be Had Technology Not Advanced?

Is Technology Reaching All Generations?

Are Social Networks And Technology Putting An End To Verbal Communication?

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Tags: computers, conversations, generation x, generation y, hiding, interaction, relationships, Technology
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