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I'm a child of the '70s, but I remember well the "generation gap" that emerged in the '60s. Parents and churches alike weren't sure how to relate to or reach the bell-bottomed, longhaired, establishment-hating hippies of the '60s. "The man" just didn't get it. And "the man" was afraid of the current youth culture. Fear created the gap.
Don't remember that? Maybe this generation gap is more familiar: "Kids don't even know how to carry on a conversation; they're on their phones texting all the time." "All those video games are going to give kids ADD." Perhaps instead of calling this one a generation gap, we should call it a digital divide.
Do we need to fear? Absolutely, there are things to be cautious of. The World Wide Web is filled with things we'd never want our children exposed to. Yes, there's a place for guarded boundaries and protection.
Yet there are areas where we need to release our fears. In a recent conversation about this very issue, someone lamented that kids can take on false personas when they're online that might not be so healthy. A young man made this point: When we were young, we had to try on new looks (Mohawks, mini skirts, all-black, or whatever) in real time. Kids today, though, get to try on these personas in virtual time so they see if they feel right or not. It's a safe and temporary risk.
Another insight. Kids today are no longer linear learners as many of us are. Rather, they're networked learners. And being able to be on the computer, watch television, listen to their iPod playlists, and text their friends all at the same time enables their brains to multitask in ways their adult careers may require of them. So perhaps the digital divide creates opportunities for kids rather than obstacles. How will our educational settings adjust to these new learners?
The digital divide exists, but it doesn't have to create a generation gap. Fear separates; it always has and it always will. Instead of being afraid of what we don't understand, let's cross the digital divide. As with any foreign culture God would send us to as missionaries, we can learn kids' language and customs. We can seek understanding, ask questions, and become students of their culture.
I can think of nothing groovier than that!
email me at cyjones@cmmag.com
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