Us versus Them
When I was young, I would go visit Memaw and Grandpa on the farm and stay for the entire summer. When I was around 10 or 11, Grandpa decided that it was time for me to learn how to drive machinery so he showed me how to drive the riding lawnmower and the tractor. When I was about 14, he showed me how to drive a stick shift car, which is a manual transmission. He took me out on the roads in his truck and I learned how to drive a stick shift. To this day, I’m grateful that I know how to drive all different types of farm equipment and I even taught Joe how to drive a stick shift. I figured, that way, when Joe and I are the old married couple on Amazing Race, we can drive any type of car!
I’ve talked a little bit about this before because of conversations that I’ve had with my friends, but I just read a recent article comparing the younger generations to the older generations. The comparison was how they don’t know the things that we know. If you haven’t already guessed, “we” is my generation–Generation X.
The article brought up how each generation was different–some good and some bad ways. I agreed with some of the things in the article but I didn’t agree with everything. I think no matter what your age, you need to keep learning. Maybe the younger generations do need to learn some of the old ways. But I think it’s much more important that all of us keep learning the new ways. Let’s go through a few examples.
Phones
Phones are a big part of our lives and they always have been since they were invented. But, of course, there’s been a huge evolution when it comes to the phones. Yes, I grew up with a rotary phone first (a phone that has a dial on it and you need to put your finger in it and rotate it to dial the number). Then came the push button phones and then came the cell phones. Do I think the younger generation needs to know how to use a rotary phone? I absolutely do not. The younger generation will not have to be taught how to use a push button phone either because it is pretty much self-explanatory. But the article talked about how the older generation still have landlines and that this was a good thing. I disagree. I think it’s a waste of money. Why do I need to have two phones with two different phone numbers? Why would I need a phone that I can’t answer whenever I want because it’s in my house and I’m at the grocery store? Also, I know a few people who still have landlines and it seems their only calls are telemarketers. No thank you!
The article also talked about how the older generation likes to talk on the phone. They like to call people and talk to them more than they like to text. Maybe but most of the older people I know usually like to text instead of calling. I’m very ok with that because personally, I don’t like to talk on the phone. I would rather text somebody because then they can answer when they’re ready and text back. Then I can answer when I’m ready. I do talk on the phone when I think that I have something important to say or something that is a lot to say or if it’s something I need to know right now. But even in my family, if you’re going to call somebody, you usually text first and say “hey, is this a good time to talk?” And “it is a nonemergency!” One of my daughters doesn’t like to talk on the phone either but she does video chat us every evening. I don’t mind that. It’s actually good to see her and she likes to show us things that are in her apartment or what her cat is doing. I hope the older generation does a lot more video chatting too. It’s a nice way to see people, especially if they live very far away.
If you are the older generation (X or Baby Boomers) and do not text or video chat, then you are missing out and not learning new ways. If you want to stay in contact with your children and grandchildren, you will learn how to text at least. It couldn’t be any simpler.
Navigation
Of course the article brings up once again that the younger generation doesn’t know how to read paper maps. Do I think that this is a necessity? Well, maybe. If you are like Joe and I and want to compete on the Amazing Race, you have to know how to read a paper map. You are not allowed cell phones on Amazing Race. However, you also need to know how to read maps on a cell phone. So this goes both ways–younger generations need to know about paper maps and older generations need to know how to navigate on their phones. Also, what if you are somewhere and there is no cell reception for your GPS? Paper maps would be very handy at that time. But the problem is that a lot of times when our GPS is not working, we don’t have a paper map of exactly where we’re at. Not unless we know we’re going into an area where there’s no GPS like in the mountains or in a country that has no cell reception. But I don’t think this happens very often. So what is the solution? As always, learn–just in case.
Cursive writing and clocks
Another thing the article suggested is that the younger generation doesn’t have the skill of reading cursive writing. I don’t agree. I think that almost anybody can decipher cursive writing. It’s not that unusual compared to some people’s printed handwriting. I don’t think the younger generation can write in cursive because they haven’t been taught. I think that’s OK. I really have a hard time coming up with a situation where cursive writing would be a necessity. Even your “signature” can be your printed name.
The article and my friends have discussed how the younger generation has a difficult time reading an analog clock. It’s hard for them to be able to look at the two hands on the clock and say it’s 10: 15 or it’s 8:30 or it’s a quarter till the hour. Again, I think that they would be able to decipher an analog clock if they needed to. Will they have the terms that we had when we were young like “half past” or “quarter to”? No, but they are not necessary. I think that if they had a clock on a wall and they had to figure out what time it was, they would be able to figure it out. Most of the clocks nowadays are digital, but I still see people sometimes wearing a wristwatch (usually as an accessory) but it has an analog clock on it. I think that they would be able to tell the time if they needed to.
Ironing, newspapers, and the news
This article talked about how the younger generation doesn’t iron their clothes so they’re clothes are not nice and crisp. I don’t agree. Yes, I own an iron. No, I do not use it. Most of our clothes are “wrinkle free” or we use the Downey Wrinkle Release which I think works wonders. We also have clothes dryers that you can put a setting on to help get rid of the wrinkles. We also have clothes steamers. They work beautifully on everything from t-shirts to wedding dresses. We don’t need an iron and an ironing board. I think those days are over.
Newspapers are something for the older generation. Most young generations do not feel the need to have a newspaper in their hands to read every morning. However, us old folks grew up that way. It’s almost like nostalgia for us. In fact, there was a time where two newspapers were delivered every day, one in the morning and one in the evening! Then they went to the one in the evening and everybody thought “Oh no! How are we going to survive?” But we did and now newspapers are usually delivered in the morning. Does a younger generation need to have a newspaper in their hand? Absolutely not. Yes, I do subscribe to the newspaper because Joe and I enjoy it but it is expensive. I remember when the Chicago Sun-Times was 35￠. It is not that anymore. I think it’s $1.50 per issue.
But I do think the younger generations need to understand the news every day whether they read it online, watch it on TV, or stream it. I understand how they don’t watch the news every single night like us older generations, but they do need to be informed of what’s going on in the world and the weather in some form.
However they get their news, it needs to be news that is reputable. Not just something that someone posted on X. It needs to come from a reliable news source such as maybe one of the networks on TV: ABC, NBC, or CBS. Maybe a reputable newspaper source like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, or a newspaper from their hometown. For example, I live in Chicago and we have two newspapers: Sun-Times and the Tribune. I feel that both of them are pretty trustworthy.
Checks and cash
This younger generation does not write checks. They don’t need to and I understand why. It was another form of payment when I was growing up when credit cards weren't a big thing and there was no such thing as a debit card. But when debit cards took over, then the writing of the checks seemed to fade away. Yes, I still write checks but very few. I write a check when they are going to charge me extra for using my credit card. Don’t get me wrong. I understand why companies charge the fee to use the credit card because the credit card companies charge that fee. My issue is with the credit card company charging a fee in the first place. They’re getting all their interest. Why do they need to charge a fee? I don’t like to pay fees. I think that’s a waste of money. So when I’m getting my license plate sticker from the Secretary of State’s office and they say you could either use a credit card and be charged 3% more or you can do a digital check, I will always do a digital check. I also physically write out checks because I vacation in a little country town and they prefer that I write a check. They don’t always have credit card scanners. But these situations are so few, I totally understand why writing checks is getting to be a thing of the past.
I do think the younger generation needs to always have cash on them. I will tell you that there have been a lot of incidents where I have gone to a gas station and all of their systems are down and you can only pay with cash. Or I’ve gone to a little restaurant and they only take cash. Cash is still currency, a good currency, and it’s still a currency that experts say you need to have on hand in case of any type of emergency. When there’s an emergency, things shut down like banks and I have full memory of 9/11 and how for the first few days nothing was opened, even ATMs. It is always a good idea to have cash on hand. I think that is a huge life necessity.
Greeting cards in the snail mail
This is one of my things. I love sending birthday cards and some anniversary cards to my family and friends on their special occasion. It is just something I really enjoy doing. I don’t always remember to text them on their birthday or to wish them a happy birthday on social media or to call them on their birthday. But I always try to remember to send the card in the snail mail and hopefully it is there slightly before or on their birthday or anniversary. It is a process. But I love picking out the card that especially goes with that person that I think that they will really enjoy it. I like addressing the envelope. Yes, I spend money on stamps and that’s OK with me. And then I like to test my memory to make sure that I mail it in a timely fashion. Usually people will text me and say thank you for my birthday card, which is very sweet. Sometimes I have to remind the younger generation to check their mailbox to see if they got the snail mail because that’s just something that they just don’t do. Most of their correspondence is digital, so getting something in this snail mail is a little something different for them. But I enjoy doing it and I do think people get a slight kick out of getting something in the mail that’s fun.
As you can guess, I don’t always think the “old ways” are better or need to be learned by the newer generations. I may still do some of these old ways, but that is just for me. I think most of the old things have been replaced by better versions. However, I think we all need to keep learning. Younger people, learn some of the old ways for times when technology may not be working. Older people, we need to keep learning the new, better versions. We may not always use it, but we should know about it and use it when dealing with younger people. Technology is huge and we need to learn all about it. Do you use ChatGPT? You should! But that is for another time….
Blog Website: https://www.lifelessonsfrommemaw.com/
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