How we went from a Generation of Love to a Generation of Screens

How Technology has changed our Generation of Eighties Babies

It wasn’t too long ago that the eighties and nineties happened. I remember those days well, because I grew up in the nineties, and slightly in the eighties as well, as I was born on the edge of both. Being a child born from a mother who loved the eighties with the utmost of passions, meant that I spent many nights and days listening to the songs of the eighties, and watching the many movie classics of that time.

Growing up like that isn’t a bad thing. It gave me a love for both the songs of the eighties and the nineties.

It also made me remember the things that came with it, like Arcades where you could go and play games for a quarter, the luxuriousness of the Cinemas, the neon signs, the big hair, and the bold make-up. Those generations also had something that we have somehow lost with the rise of technology.

The Act of Togetherness

The eighties and nineties were a generation that gave a certain emphasis to the power of love and most importantly the act of friendship. In the eighties and nineties, they always showed groups of friends that had been together for years.

This was of course the generations where children used to bike to other children's houses and cause havoc whether that was from listening to music together, watching movies, or playing games whether they were video, interactive, or even board games.

We didn’t need social media in those times. Their social media was actually going out with their friends. Something that seems to have gone as the invention of technology has given more and more people watching their screens or choosing to stay home and catch the latest release on Netflix over actually going out.

While some aspects of technology have improved relations like What's App that allows you to call out to people in different countries through the internet or make video calls to a bunch of people. Or even Facebook and Instagram that allows you to connect to people you may have known from High School.

For me, I don’t like the idea that there are now generations of children who will immediately have phones or tablets. That their idea of fun will center around watching tv or playing video games. While we did have those things in the eighties and nineties there was more emphasis on being outside, walking in nature, playing huge rounds of basketball or soccer in the nearest park. Of night festivals that end in elaborate firework displays.

That idea of togetherness, of closeness, didn’t come out of screens. It came from making lasting friends in and out of school. Of getting to know your neighbors through house parties and BBQs. Of long extended trips to beaches and forest campsites, of bonfires and companionship.

With the Pandemic everything around us is changing. At the moment if it weren’t for the screens of our lives, we would have no idea what is going on in the outside world. Or no way to be able to work for a living. Gone are the office settings are the world, all the office workers working from home.

Remote learning, becoming the new normal for students around the world. Screens are slowly taking over the entire world. Friendships and families being kept apart for the safety of all. For those who actually follow the rules in any case. You could argue that without screens we would have been a lot worse for wear. While this is true, does it necessarily mean that we should be on the screens for so long during the day? Technological advances, help the world move, even in times where they can’t always be a good thing.

In these tough times, with things changing so much. hopefully, the new generation being born during covid times will eventually be allowed to face this uncertain world, without being afraid of other people. Or perhaps this pandemic will be the start of a bigger crisis and a generation of introverts that they a foot apart from everyone.