The iGeneration

When dad was growing up (and before), if his generation wanted something, they built it, repaired it and/or rebuilt it until it simply wore out. Starting with his generation and into mine, we could buy things, but we would repair them. Beginning with my generation, and now fully grown in the current one, complex expensive electronic equipment is considered disposable, not worth repairing.

Thus, students today are very good at using technology and scientific instrumentation, but most have absolutely zero ability in troubleshooting problems and no interest in learning it. In their minds, it is easier just to throw it away and buy something new.

They are very proficient and learn new technology quickly, but primarily as users, not tinkerers, or shade tree electrical engineers. Granted, the technology is geared to be very user friendly, and this is good. Yet, it seems to stifle curiosity about the man behind the curtain.

Blackbox Lifestyle

Tech types refer to any device that is so highly complex the user can only use it and not service it as a “blackbox.” They are often simple to use but their inner workings are a complete mystery to the user. Much of our American lifestyle is highly dependent upon such blackboxes—so much so that when they malfunction, it is easier and cheaper to throw them away and buy another than to troubleshoot and repair them, even when they cost hundreds of dollars—a concept unthinkable 50 years ago, and a sin 30 years ago. Your cell phone, blu-ray player, and so on are considered disposable by many people.

Many stories in science fiction center around some advanced civilization that has stagnated and is withering away because they are completely dependent upon technology built by their ancestors, but no one remains who understands it or is able to repair it as it wears out.

It has been a concern of mine for many years that our society is moving strongly towards this kind of scenario, and I found out last week that I’m not the only one.