Digital native is a relatively new term for a relatively new phenomenon. "Digital native" refers to children, or young adults, in our society who display a cunning and adeptness with technology that the adults in our society lack. In short, a digital native is the three-year-old brat who can navigate their iPad the same way a master pianist navigates his piano. Digital natives are the maestros of modern technology. They have been born into the future, the digital age, hence the name "digital natives". They don't know of a world that isn't the digital age. Thus, they are the natives of the digital age. I'm sure you've gotten the point. Let's move on.
Now, these digital natives are really the first of their kind. Sure, computers as a mainstream technology have existed since the late 70's and early 80's and there were kids who made computing their lives (keep in mind that these kids were the original hackers), but most had lives outside of computing as well. Those kids could easily separate themselves from their computers since you couldn't fit those bulky machines into your back pocket. However, the children of today, roughly children born after 1995 are surrounded by portable technology that they can't help but take with them everywhere they go. In the 70's/80's, kids could easily make the distinction between the "real world" and their computer world. Today, the lines are far more blurred and it's just about impossible for those kids to get away from technology, even if they wanted to get away, that is.
I would like to point out that digital natives aren't particularly smarter than their counterparts one-hundred years ago. Children being...well...children, are incredibly adaptive and absorbent. They learn things at lightning fast speeds, often to the dismay of their parents. Since digital natives were born in the digital age, they naturally adapted to the age and the age's technology. The first generation of digital natives will, one day, come to struggle with technology. Just as their parents did.
However, there is something very misleading about the phrase "digital native". Now, it is true that these children are more adept at technology than their parents and grandparents. However, that says more about their parent's lack of knowledge of technology than it does about any ability a digital native may have. If you were to put any one digital native in front of a command prompt, he would likely be as lost as his ninety year old grandfather. These children are more adept than their parents and grandparents, but they are adept only in the relative sense of the word. Smartphone navigation and application manipulation may be a breeze to these natives, but that is really the extent of their knowledge. Of course, there are natives with exceptional knowledge and ability with computers (future hackers, perhaps), but they are in the minority of natives. The majority are only slightly more adept than their parents.
But this brings me to another point. These natives are exposed to information like no other generation before them. Does this mean that there will be a greater number of geniuses among them? That's a fascinating question, but I'm afraid it is for another post.
The point of this post isn't to bash digital natives or tear them down from their pedestals. Rather, its purpose is to bring our views of digital natives back down to earth. And we should encourage digital natives to keep practicing and refining their skills so that our civilization may progress. One day, we may need these natives to help in the fight against oppressive corporate overlords. One day, perhaps. Decades ago, it was predicted that civilization would need the technologically adept kids of the 70's and 80's. It appears the prediction was correct. I've got a feeling the children of today will play an even bigger role in the future. So three cheers for the digital natives and the future they are sure to usher in their wake.
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