The Language of My Generation

In history, languages are created and left behind. Which ones to we hold onto in order to preserve them and their meaning? Which ones do we let go or forget in order to make room for new ones?

I wonder.



ipod, iphone, ipad, icloud (whatever that is), twitter, facebook, email, gmail, ymail, fumail (ok, I made that last one up)...the list goes on and on.

Generally, this is the language of my generation.

I once needed to share a very important big of information with my family and decided to email them all. What's the big deal? Apparently that was NOT ok with my adult family members who felt I should have picked up the phone and called every one of them to share the information. I thought "are you kidding me? Who the heck talks on the phone anymore?". I certainly do not prefer to talk on the phone unless I really, REALLY have to do so. And even when I really, REALLY have to, I prefer not to.

But I'm beginning to get a bit worried.

After spending the last 6 years working with children in various capacities (most recently, with the middle school youth group at Vineyard Columbus), I'm beginning to worry about how the next generation is communicating.

Don't get me wrong, I speak the language of iphone, email, blogs, and facebook (haven't ventured to twitter quite yet), but I am also able to hold a conversation, communicating freely in person. I actually prefer spending time with people over all the above mentioned.

My concern for the next generation lies in the fact that they are falling away from that ability to clearly communicate outside of the above mentioned.

Example: I am friends with a middle schooler on facebook who often expresses copious amounts of emotions and feelings via facebook status update. I don't have a problem with that. But when I see this middle schooler in person (or any other middle schooler in general) on any given Saturday or Sunday, they don't seem to have the ability to clearly communicate their feelings face to face or hold a conversation (at their own cognitive level). That is a HUGE problem.

It is easier to hide behind a computer screen or smart phone. It is easy to create a false sense of deep intimacy that way as well.

I try to keep up, but at times I cannot keep up with the information super highway. I'll be the one going 55mph in the slow lane as the next generation speeds up along side of me with their middle finger protruding from the passenger side window.