They call my generation Baby Boomers, but when it comes to technology, we should be referred to as the ’Tweener Generation.
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I don’t recall my mom and dad ever using a computer or the internet for anything in their entire lives. By contrast, my children and grandchildren use internet technology for virtually everything, and their lives are intricately entwined within it.
I am the transition group. I know a little about computers, but in many ways I still cling to the past. I can send an email or a text message, I can surf the Internet, I can order a pair of pants from an online store, I can order food from an app — but that’s about the extent of my cyber expertise.
And that’s just fine with me. Beyond those basic tasks, I have a lingering distrust of the cyber world. I’m hesitant to do any banking or bill paying online, and I put little credibility in anything I read on various social media platforms, unless it comes from a friend. Even then, one can’t be sure if the message really is from a friend, or a scammer pretending to be someone you know!
For me, the Internet world lacks authenticity — it pretends to be a source for knowledge and guidance about everything. And it’s right there at your fingertips, instant answers to all your questions. What could be more convenient?
The easy access and quick, definitive responses can seduce us into trusting it with personal information that was never meant to be public. Exactly who is providing these answers, and what is their agenda? Is their knowledge authentic or does it come with ulterior motives?
‘Ultimate example of authenticity’
I worry about our younger folks. They have surrendered their privacy to computer services and enterprises with little or no verification of veracity. Many would consider it old-fashioned to use the Bible to seek answers. Yet God’s book endures as the ultimate example of authenticity. In Psalm 119 David writes, “Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws.”
When I recently explained my concerns to a young woman she told me I was just being afraid of what I don’t understand.
She’s right. We all should be.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Ken Lass is a retired Birmingham television news and sports anchor and an award-winning columnist for numerous publications and websites.
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