Digital Divides are not only between generations: They also exist between SES, communities, and demographics

Technologies and their influences on human behaviors and opportunities

What is a Digital Native?

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Generation Differences: Generation X, Y, and Z and BabyBoomers, or should we say Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

What is the in-between, the Generation Xers, or Xennials?

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I mean seriously, why is the in-between associated with an “X?” Is Robert Capa, the person that coined the term, according to Pew Research, saying that people like me don’t matter. Wait, but I do matter. This term seems to evolve with society, as it was first associated with young adults in the 1950s, now it is associated with individuals that are between digital natives, those born before the 1980s and digital immigrants, those born before 1964, so where does that leave me, somewhere in between and I am still not telling you my age. Its somewhere in-between.

What is a Digital Immigrant?

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Hey, I was not born before 1964, but I have some close friends who were. Even my lifelong partner was born in this non-digital era. One who is not tech-savvy at all. He does what he needs to do to run a business, but when it comes to bells and whistles of technology, it is like running in slow motion in a sprinting relay race. The situation escalates and becomes argumentative, situations that I particularly try to void but when you have someone that constantly challenges your knowledge you cannot help but defend yourself. Yes, this may lead to outbursts and unreconcilable disputes that last for hours to days only for one to come and say that I literally don’t understand. Why in the world are you willing to challenge a person on something that you lack knowledge in? It begets me. It pierces my skins, drawing blood. Knowing my passion for technology and psychology, I ask myself why do I even bother, but it is necessary as the entire premise is to show how digital immigrants refuse to engage in emerging technologies even with they attribute to dignity, independence, and social enrichment. I ponder over and over in my head of why I even bothered. I have to develop a higher level of patience, particularly when it comes to teaching and when my technological skills are being challenged or at the forefront of the situation. Being in technology for over 20. years, I have learned to develop a level of patience. I have learned the ins and outs when it comes to client discernment.

The Digital Divide between Millennials and Premillennial Cohorts

Look, as people get older, they face various debilitating situations, those physically and mentally and in various cause they don’t want to use emerging technolgoes because of they age related degradations. Given that, these frailty conditions does not allow for certain interactions, even if it means maintaining dignity, social wealth, and independence. Even if it means sustaining a healthy well-being and optimistic attitude or disposition. Older adults fall at the lower end of the digital scale, while younger generations top the charts. Is this because younger generations were born into a digital era where technology is more sophisticated than ever? Probably so. It is also because technology has become all they know when it comes to communicating, socializing themselves, and just being part of society. Younger generations are much more tech-savvy than most older generations. They are able to navigate and maneuver different apparatuses with little to no effort. They are able to figure out things on the fit and have the patience to do so. They are the one that possess the latest and greatest tools, even if it comes from their dads wallet or their mothers pocketbook.

Why have the younger generation adopted and adapted to emerging technologies, when the older generations were the first generation to gain accessibility

Digital Divide Among Personification and Life Selectives and Preferences

Why does my life choices or my personal choice deem me inaccessible to various technologies or opportunities. Just because I have not taken advantage of the educational opportunities that I was afforded does not mean that you have to slam the doors in my face, tell me no, leave me out in the dark, or throw me to the wolves. I did not take advantage of the academic upcoming because I did not want to have student debt hanging over my head for the rest of my life, knowing good as well, that even if I got a degree, my opportunities would still be limited or scarcity.

When I made the necessary choices, in some cases, those that may go against what society consider “illegal” then you wan to send your goons to through me in jail. Look, I did nothing to no one and only did what I needed to do to keep my lights on and food on the table. MY life choices have not caused harm to anyone, as I am a person that keeps to myself. I didn’t say anything when you were running around committing perjury or skimming funds off the top of what was supposed to be money to assist people like me. No one said anything when you took bribes, but lets not get off topic. I wish to focus on the situation at hand and be a voice for the persons that are voiceless and choiceless.

Digital inequities and disparities are not preferential, as they have been selectives by persons living outside of rural and impoverished communities. People in poor neighborhoods want the same technological advantages of these persons living in the inner cities. Just as they want justice and equality when it comes to treatment and police brutality, they also want equality when technology is concerned. They don’t want to be the overlooked group that continues to have life sucked out of them or be denied opportunities that most of them deserve. Some are highly educated, but because we live in a shifty and unequal society, their desire to be better is not acknowledged and continued to be shutdown, even by the least experiences or biased hiring managers. We need to do better. Everyone. We all need to join hands and sing a kumbaya song even if it means doing so with our eyes closed. Maybe hiring managers should conduct interviews with blindfolds, maybe it will change the dynamics of hiring. May Internet Service Providers, and Technology manufacturers and designers, should incorporate a diverse audience into their methodology, that was certain groups are not let out, regardless of their ability to purchase and sustain the equipment.

Why does being poor cause digitalization designers and companies to turn their backs persons facing impecunious situations?

Just because you are not economically or financially stable, does not mean that you should be subjected to ridicule and isolation, especially where technological accessibility and usability are concerned. Being poor in various cases, mean that a person has not been given the same opportunities as others. These being academically, professionally, socioeconomically, or what have you. They may not have a certain level of education to be considered what society terms “educated.” They may not have the same financial worth of what society considers “financially stable.” Most people in this world are living from paycheck to paycheck and with millions of layoffs and furloughs handing over our heads, most of us are living from pillar to post. Not knowing where out next meals is going to come from or how we are going to pay the bills that we do have. In 2020, most people have started to realize that living and breathing is not free, as all things come with a price tag. A high price tag. A price that that may result in death.

Helping Our Children Means Helping Their Future

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Again, being from a the lower end of the economic spectrum does not means that a person have to be at the lower end of the digital or opportunities for betterment of self. We live in a technologically-driven world where all societies conform to technology use norms and behaviors. People who live in urban and suburban communities are provided with robust technology accessibility where broadband connections are stable and trustworthy, while those persons in impoverished and poor communities fall short and continue to be underserved and underrepresented in all facets of life. Things have to get better, especially given that we live in a society where our who nation is technology driven. We heavily rely on technology for education, social engagement, professional affiliations, and so forth. Live is already a struggle for most, and those who feel as though they are privileged may beg the differ. People in destitute and impecunious situations want better for themselves and their children, but it is society that continues to hold them back, thus denying them access to life changing chances. The digital divide among younger generations are not that that wide by it exists academically for sure. The same goes for those persons who have home broadband connections. almost all young adults own or use smartphones or cell phones but there are still some that do not, irrespective to their country. The digital divide is hurting older generations in these rural communal spaces and places solely because of their potential lack of support and their untrustworthiness or uncomfortableness in using digital apparatuses. Other nonuse are related to age related frailties and metal and physical debilitations. Again, inaccessibility to physical material and resources are an ultimate cause.

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If one was to make changes and do what IS necessary then we all can live among smart streets and in smartphone home. This does not mean that all of our household appliances should be based on smart technology. This means that placing dependable broadband and WiFi connections in all rural areas, will increase their chances to partake in various life changing opportunities for the betterment of themselves, academically, professional, and economically. Children will acquire quality education and teachers will be provided with some of the necessary tools needed to keep students engaged and academically present. Lives can change where technology is concerned. The digital gap should not be this wide and steadily increasing, when technology have become all the we know and all that most people depend on when it comes to getting an education, for financial wealth and health, for employment and healthcare opportunities. It would suffice to say that we challenge the internet services providers, but if they are not making a profit, then they want no parts. Our children and elderly deserve better. Our digital divides needed to be bridged and it all starts with equitable internet access and broadband connectivities, not only for urbaner and suburbaners, but for ruralers as well.

by Au’Pearce