April 30, 2014
Updated every other Wednesday, “Thangachi’s Corner” is a bi-monthly feature that discusses relatable topics and issues relevant to the Canadian Tamil youth of today. For more information about this feature or to suggest a topic, feel free to e-mail us at blogs@ctya.org!
Written By: Keerthana Raveendran
I am a Millennial—a member of Generation Y.
Characterized by birthdays roughly between 1980 and 2000, Millennials are known for cultural tolerance, optimism, hyperawareness of global issues and of course—
Love of technology.
And we sure do love our technology. We are the generation that uses electronics like extensions of our own bodies. Nowadays, you would be hard-pressed to find someone between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five without a cellular phone. And even more noteworthy, most of these folks probably own additional electronics—a laptop, a tablet computer, perhaps even a music-playing device.
It didn’t quite bother me how much we rely on our devices until quite recently, having to constantly scold preteen kids to put away their phones before it goes in my desk for the rest of the school day, Mister
And these are children.
When I was a kid, cell phones were the size of a water bottle, robust, chunky and with an antenna for good measure. And they were solely for the use of adults.
It fascinates me that there is such a noticeable disparity between the past ten years of people. Somewhere along the line, technology production and subsequent use soared to the point in which it resulted in an entirely different lifestyle, even within the gap of a decade.
I remember being a kid and rushing through my homework in spring just so I could go to the park afterward and play with my friends. I remember not having a television for about a year in grade three, when I really started to write—back then, my desperation for a good story forced me to write my own.
I remember summers spent outdoors, and long car rides spent making up games with family, or otherwise laughing and bickering as all children do. We were left to entertain ourselves, and oddly enough, we were never bored.
Technology existed back then too. It wasn’t as prevalent or accessible as it is today, but it was there, and somehow, with slow dial-up internet and inconveniently heavy devices, we found a way to live our lives without becoming too dependent.
That technology is developing at a rapid rate is both a blessing and a curse. It is a miracle that we can find answers to questions in a matter of minutes, but it’s important to recognize that this convenience comes with a cost. Having become accustomed to immediate results, the newest generation of kids come with a new impatience with every task they face. Having been entertained at every turn, they struggle to engage creativity necessary to solve problems. Kids these days risk overstimulation; they can be both hyperactive and moody. And while with this new wave of selfies, they can be confident and narcissistic, habituation to indoors may leave them lazy to put what could be productive energy to use.
But technology has positive effects on the youth of today. Connection to the global landscape leaves Millennials with both an awareness of the events unfolding in the world around them and a sense of social justice to make a positive difference.
Technology is a wonderful resource, and we would be fools to forsake it forever. But perhaps a bit of temperance would do us some good. While after all of our conditioning, I don’t know that some of us could go a day without our phones, it is a significant realization not only that we once did, but that people around the world—past, present and future—do it every day.
And didn’t we all function fine?
About the Author:
Keerthana Raveendran, known by her flock as Thangachi, is an aspiring author whose motivation to write usually kicks in when she’s supposed to be occupied elsewhere. She is an avid procrastinator who sees potential novel ideas as movies in her head. Maybe one of these days they’ll make it onto the page. Thangachi is currently a Masters student studying English at York University.
Read More by Keerthana!
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Tags: Speak Out
