Old People Like Me and Technology

No, can't be! I just read Jay Deragon's blog post on the eMarketer report Boomers' Online Attitude.

Where is Rick Outzen, editor of the Independent News (online and hard copy)? I want him to read this article about boomers having the largest slice of online. I even wrote a letter to the editor of that lovely Pensacola area newspaper my thoughts and observations on this because I was tired of seeing text that basically was saying that those over 40 or maybe even over 30 are over the hill, useless, and not one bit innovative, and that we all need to spend our efforts encouraging the young and letting them grow the future.

Ok, so I've done my time and am still doing it. ;-)

I was a teacher for 17 years, a mom for 26, and I've spent many an hour working with young people in my profession. I don't mind, but hey, let's give credit to all. In fact, I know a young man named Max Arnold who is looking for a job, and he is the one cool enough to talk about Senior Citizens and VoIP at eComm 2008 here on Youtube. I gave him the idea during a discussion at eComm, and he flew with it.

From the synapsis on eMarketer... "Younger boomers (ages 44 to 53) act more like Gen X online. They watch more video online than older boomers and are avid texters. They participate in social networks—though not with the fervor of their children. All boomers, however, prefer e-mail to instant messaging."

Among my global circle of friends, partners, clients, suppliers, family who are sometimes more than one of those nouns in one, most are early and curious adopters of new technologies. My Facebook network always amazes me. I learn so much from them, and most are age 30 - 60, no joke! I should do a full analysis of this sometime.

I am considered a boomer and I prefer IM to e-mail any day and do participate in a couple social networks many minutes per day as a tool to help myself accomplish my philosophical, professional, intellectual and personal goals, way more than my 26 year old son does. Work is play. Play is work. Both are challenging and technology helps both to be so.

Ok, back to work!



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