By Abdullah Qureshi
Life was much easier when Apple and Black Berry were just fruits, believe our old generation!
When we talk about generation gap, a lot of questions comes to mind. Do everything is affected with the change of time – the age, the culture, mannerism, morality and thinking? Why there is a clash between two generations? Do fleeting time gets this change? Who changes minds of new and old generation and widens this gap?
Let’s have a closer look on the oldies and millennials – who seem like standing on opposite poles having contrasting outlooks and lifestyles.
Oldy goldies aren’t generally familiarized enough with the technology. They like to perform their daily tasks bare-handedly without any programmed device. The older generation had nothing to do with the media because they only experienced real life happenings with no computer, television or phones back then people were still keeping in touch and spending time with each other there is no mobile phone at that time people use to write letters for communication. if we talk about food they use to eat simple but pure things. On the other hand, the 21st century generation is being faced with tense situation due to competition and race in life. New generation believe much in brand, fast food, fast transport, fast communication over cellular phones or internet, hobbies are surfing Facebook, tweeter etc. there is a lot of difference of clothes or faction. Old generation often claim that they cannot understand young people the young generation claim that they are misunderstood by the older people
This accumulation of difference, difficulties and ideas between people born in different time periods causes conflict and complicates communication creating a gap.
According to an English writer George Orwell “Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than that the one that comes after it”
Technology is an important factor in social change. Difference of opinions, tastes, beliefs and other social and cultural norms that exist between older and younger age groups. These gaps are often widened by technological advances. There are many reasons behind the generation gap like parents do not treat their kids as their age, difference between their ideas, unnecessary worry of the parents about their kids, parents do not aware about the modern world. The people of old generation strictly follow their traditional culture or political culture they give vote to the same person their father vote for. On the other side the young generation attracted to the fascinating shows on TV, or in films. They learn a lot of things from TV. Everything that they learn is not healthy for them. This creates most of the problems. Our children are becoming immoral for which the past generation is also equally responsible. That’s why today the teenagers are generally rude, lazy and ill-behaved. But old generation don’t want to understand the modern views The present generation is running very fast after money, matter, lust, modernity and excessive exposure in every field of life. The beliefs and considerations have been completely changed today TV, Movie, Bollywood and Hollywood are the trend setters of our society.
In Pakistan the population of the country whose major portion is consisted of youth is more obsessed with the use of social media (Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp etc.), talk shows, and virtual realities. The rapid technological changes in the last two decades had brought about drastic changes in Pakistani
society and its people’s life style. The abuse of technology, which is getting common these days, has made human life more risky, more dangerous. There is lack of communication between parents and their children’s.
Life was much easier when Apple and Black Berry were just fruits, believes our old generation.
The question is how we can reduce the generation gap and the answer is, there is a need of proper guidance for the young generation which alone can prevent them from going on the wrong path. The people of old generation also can develop some understanding with the modern ideas. They have to develop the relation of friendship with the young generation. Parents should compromise with the situation and they must tackle the young minds delicately and wisely. No doubt the world is changing fast and change in our life style is automatic which can’t be completely avoided.
Someday the old and new must enjoy the role-play game, as this would help them understand each other in a better way and their way.
The writer is a student of BS Mass Communication at Lahore Leads University. He can be reached at: [email protected]