Every August, Beloit College releases their Beloit College Mindset List. It is a fun list of things that have changed since the entering students were born. It’s always helpful for some perspective.
Here are a few items that caught my interest in terms of technology change:
2. They have always lived in cyberspace, addicted to a new generation of “electronic narcotics.”
9 They have never seen an airplane “ticket.”
15 Having grown up with MP3s and iPods, they never listen to music on the car radio and really have no use for radio at all.
18 Their folks have never gazed with pride on a new set of bound encyclopedias on the bookshelf.
29 They have had to incessantly remind their parents not to refer to their CDs and DVDs as “tapes.”
47 Before they purchase an assigned textbook, they will investigate whether it is available for rent or purchase as an e-book.
60 History has always had its own channel.
69 They watch television everywhere but on a television.
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Do you remember having to check before a trip that you got a heavy-stock paper for each leg of the trip? Oh, and triple check again that the ticket package is in your bags before leaving for the airport?
How many of you attend a church that still has a ‘tape ministry’?
I have essentially stopped buying printed books in the last 8 months.
How many incoming freshmen do you suppose keep a check register for their bank accounts? Probably not many. When you very rarely write a check and electronic transactions clear in, oh, a few seconds, why bother?
(h/t: Carpe Diem)