The impact of technology on the means of communication and on the way of thinking of generations.

Technology not only has brought forth a revolutionary transformation in the way we communicate with each other but also is rapidly and deeply changing our habits of thinking. As we progress through the information age, various technological devices such as the television, smart phones, and personal computers have come and established themselves in our everyday lives. Thanks to the technology revolution, especially with the invention of the Internet, information is more accessible than ever before, and communication between people around the world is far easier and more effective. In this context, the environment has gradually affected each generation. Each generation has its own communication styles and unique preferences. The changes in our environment can be reflected upon by comparing different generations. The seniors who were born before the end of the Second World War prefer direct communication via the traditional media which includes the printed newspapers, television and radio. They usually share and promote the social, political and emotional values derived from their experience; Baby boomers born 1946-1964 had television in their infancy, most have computers and use the internet as well as mobile phones, they prefer to printing hard copy and they are not generally social networking users; The term generation X was first used in the novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture ((1991) by Douglas Coupland. This generation born 1965-1981 is good investigators. They regard the internet as the primary tool and they rely heavily on it for research. They love interactive connection with their friend and social groups. Television is popular and well utilized, but selectively in terms of program choice; the generation Y, first appeared in an August 1993 Ad Age editorial which was recognized as separate from Generation X. It is also called the millennial generation which appeared in Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation (2000) by William Strauss and Neil Howe. This generation, born 1980-1995, is very technical and comfortable with various groups. They have a complex and strongly tribal social structure built on their social networks. They are very good multi-task operators and favor communications through e-mail and text messaging over face-to-face interaction. E-mail, laptops, netbooks, smart phones and other expertise devices will assist Generation Y to work remotely and stay engaged entirely; the generation Z who was born since 1995 live in a life with computers, the internet and mobile phones. They are often called Digital Natives who breathe and function interfaced with technology. They are used to instant satisfaction and action with everything. The web-based information could result in poor summarization and integration skills as they are used to information overload. They are more complicated and appear older that their age and they are more experienced, aware of brands, marketing and online choices. They have highly developed multi-tasking skills and can move quickly from one task to another, putting more emphasis on speed than accuracy. They expect everything to be delivered online including most software. In the 21st century, the world has never been as easily accessible and as hyper linked interconnected. On the one hand, each new generation has benefited from the technological evolution of previous generations; on the other hand, sometimes the communication barrier is a result of the intergeneration gap. In my opinion, new technology will increasingly promote over time the interaction of generations in a more effective, faster, easier way. What we need to do is acknowledge, understand and respect the differences of each generation in order to adapt advantageously to the new digital world.