The Fam Bam

The three people I chose to interview were my grandfather whose 85 years young, my father whose 47 years young and my younger brother who just turned 21. I chose to select all male family members because they all shared a lot of things in common. The men in are family get together and talk often. The topics range from sports to politics during these all male conversations. I figured since the three of them were all well educated on these topics that they talk about they must have researched these topic using some kind of technology, newspaper or book.

I thought it best if I interviewed my grandfather first. Grandpa James is really getting up there in age but will talk your ear off, which is a good thing. I gave him a call and asked him a few question about technology in general. I thought it be best if I beat around the bush a little bit because I had already had an assumption about his beliefs of the internet. I started the interview by asking question pertaining to the presidential election and how he felt things were going. As the conversation continued I begin to ask him questions on how did he come up with these beliefs and views. I felt the time was now for me to throw the question about internet usage at him. Grandpa James said he although he has a computer, brand new by the way, he has no use for it. He claimed that he receive all his information from newspapers or the five o’clock news. He went to provide reasoning into why he has no use for the internet. Gramps explained that growing up there was no internet or television. There were only radios and newspapers. So these two methods were what he was accustomed to. Gramps acknowledged that internet may be a good researching tool for some yet he feels no need for it.

My next victim was my little brother. I thought I’d pick him second because it would be a good follow up to my grandfather. My little brother was total opposite of gramps regarding internet usage. If gramps was far right, my little brother was defiantly far left on the idea of internet usages. I started my interview with Dom, my little brother, by asking him how many hours a day does he used the internet. He had trouble figuring it out so I thought I’d rephrased the question. I asked him how many hours a day does he go without the internet. He replied quickly, “Only when I’m sleeping.” This was not surprising to me because Dom has always been a computer freak. He has access to the internet at all times. He has the internet on his mobile phone, on his laptop and has a desktop in his computer; the kid even takes his computer with him to the restroom with him. His reasoning for being so obsess with the internet was simple, everything was there. He explained that technology has made it easy for him to research topics that he was interested in. He also explained that the internet is a great way of networking.
My last victim was my father. Pops was boring. When asked about the internet, he basically said there was no need for it but it’s a good tool to have. What the hell does this mean? He explained that things can be researched in other ways yet the internet provides a faster way of receiving information. Pops really clarified his beliefs to me but I was confused, if a task can be completed faster wouldn’t everyone prefer to do it that way? Pops is old fashion so he responded in a typical old fashion way, “It’s not how fast you get something completed, its what you get out of it.” Boring.

After conducting these interviews I think it is well known that technology is taking over. The younger generation are more involved and up with the latest technology and the older generation view some technology such as internet usage as pointless. I think Gramps explained it best when he talked about what he was accustomed and why he was accustomed to these things. As seen in the interviews my little brother can’t stay away from the internet. My father stands in the middle on the topic of internet. He recognizes that it is a tool that can be used but he chooses not to use it often. My grandfather completely stays away from it. If I was to go out on a limp, I would make the argument that technology is being created for younger generations because it is growing just as they are.