All Teched Out

I’m with stupid? November 6, 2008

A few months ago, my boyfriend referred to a URL as an e-mail address. And he wasn’t joking. 

There he was, paper and pen in hand, asking me to write down the “e-mail address” of the Web site for him. 

And there I was, biting my tongue while seriously questioning the future of our relationship.

Though I understand that there are different levels of innovation adoption, how can someone not know the difference between an e-mail address and a Web address? Come on. It’s 2008.

But the incident got me thinking. Am I a latent techno-elitist? Do I assume everyone is well-versed with online technology by now and look down on technological laggards? 

Absolutely not. I’ve just been programmed from an earlier age how to maneuver on the computer. Therefore, when I began using the Internet at age 12, I was more interested in finding out what the Web had to offer. 

In fact, looking back at my elementary years, my school had a hi-tech computer lab where everyone mastered touch-typing skills and basic computer skills. By the 4th grade, most of my peers and I were typing on blank keyboards because we had met all of our accuracy and WPM goals. 

It just goes to show that technology adoption may be easier for people who are exposed to the medium at an earlier age. Many people don’t embrace technology and are unwilling to learn new skills because of their fear of the unknown. 

It could be as simple as building computer labs at elementary schools to let students become familiarized with the computer and Web from an earlier age. 

But of course that’s easier said than done considering the current economy.. And that’s a whole other can of worms to be discussed.