I decided to begin a blog as a way to participate in the digital environment. I am acutely aware that there is a tremendous amount of information available, and also want very much to interact with the world (perhaps better described as the “new world) in a current way. As the mother of two teens – (members of Gen Y or the Net Generation) I see their comfort and understanding of technology, and see it as imperative to stay current myself. I have stopped asking my daughter why she texts her friends instead of calling them to talk, realizing that she does both, each offering a different type of “conversation”. My paradigm needs to shift. Communication is not better the old way or the new way, it is simply different either way.
Regardless of the tools we use, it is still communication, and my belief has always been that we need to share ourselves with others, and that we work best as a community when we are doing just that. So why not share even more – tweets, facebook, blogs – web 2.0 gives us various tools to dialogue, rant, influence, listen, discern, consider, act…. This can be good!
I think it is also important to enter in to these environments with integrity, and while I know that we each have our unique view of ethics and values I hope we can have these dialogues and reflect on our differences respectfully. The new technology offers a wide variety of ways to communicate, many of which are extremely useful. Using the technology as an enhancement to the personal, is a huge opportunity.
Suggested reading: “Grown up Digital” – excellent look a the Gen Y group and their influence
