Generation Z - It's Not Your Grandpa's Laptop

Julian, my 12 year old son, had an interesting thought today. He and his brother just started GenZLink, an agency helping organizations seeking to inspire and connect with Generation Z. I asked him if he would write up his thoughts. I usually find the boys more inspiring than anyone I know, so I figured maybe someone else might also. Who knows? He says…

The kids of today are different from the kids before us. A very big difference is the new technology, mostly computers and other digital devices. Adults and kids have very different views of computers. Adults in the modern age got computers when they were older, so their memories of computers are using them for boring, lonely 'work.' My generation uses computers for fun and games with friends; creating happy memories all the time. We also use them for creative expression.  

My generation and the generations before us grew up with different kinds of ways to entertain ourselves and connect to the world. Members of my generation entertain ourselves by playing on our computers or other devices, whereas the generations before entertained themselves by watching TV, drawing, playing games, etc. When my generation looks at a computer, they think of good times and freedom - just like how the generation before us waited for their favorite TV characters’ next episode and thought of good times, common thoughts, and freedom.

Today’s adults used to have common characters like Samantha, Darrin, and Tabitha on "Bewitched," or Gilligan, The Skipper, and Thurston Howell on "Gilligan’s Island." The kids nowadays all know about Steve from Minecraft, Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach from Mario, and at least a few Pokemon characters. 

Cars (maybe a family station wagon), bikes, landlines, and the newspaper used to be the connection to humanity for the kids before my generation. They used to ride to places, like a mall, to socialize and hang out with friends. They wanted to read the newspaper because it connected them to the rest of the world. Now, computers are a major connection to humanity. Kids today socialize by Skyping their friends and playing games together. Friends get together with their laptops - playing or making games or apps. It’s not all as unhealthy as it sounds, though. We also play games where we exercise: Think Wii Sports and Wipeout on the Wii. And, we don't leave home without our Fitbits; which connect back to our laptops or phones.

Computers are changing how kids do everything. My generation uses computers to do everything the generation before us used to do and more.

Frankly, even this collaborative post - it’s a ‘family memory,’ clearly something I couldn’t have done on two separate laptops at a kitchen table on Google Drive when I was 12 years old in 1977. We’re even looking up (and bantering) about appropriate grammar usage together to get this written.  And, now we’re battling out the right image. We’ve decided that ‘cats sell,’ and we’ve even started talking about the 'Cute cat theory of digital activism.'  We figure this cat and mouse image will inspire your eyeballs, and it’s in memory of our now lost Muffin.  

If this post was boring, we humbly apologize. If you are inspired to share some inter-generational digital moments, we appreciate it and maybe someone else will too.  Thank you.  

Written in collaboration with Julian and his Dad (me). Julian is the co-Founder of GenZLink.  Dan is the President and CEO of CaseStack, a Board Member ofThe Center for Retailing Excellence, and the author of Collaborate: The Art of We.