Technology relativity

I've been exchanging a couple e-mails with my cousin to get hints at what types of gifts I might buy for her kids this year. It's getting more challenging as they grow older. Long, long ago I figured that when they reached the age of twelve that I'd have to change strategies. Well, that time has arrived for one of them. Even last year, I didn't really send him toys.

My cousin was asking about seeing photos from my trip. I told her I had created an album in Facebook. I had also mentioned talking to another cousin while connecting with each other through LinkedIn. Here was her response the next day:

"I'm so out of it - I have no idea how to text message, I've never logged into Facebook, and I just heard about LinkedIn last month. Yet here I am, a firmware developer working in a [tech-related] company."

I couldn't help laugh at this comment. She's in her mid-forties, but I would have naturally expected her to be familiar with at least some of the stuff for two reasons: 1) she's in technology and you'd think that such information would filter through her company, and 2) having kids that are nearing middle school would keep them abreast of coming fads and interests.

It's still difficult for me to understand how younger generations rely on these formats more than live voice or face-to-face communications. The more I use them, however, I find that I appreciate the conveniences a little more. I would never label myself as cutting edge, but I at least am aware of these modern technologies and have used all three mentioned. Certainly, I'm ahead of my non-technology industry friends. Part of me wonders how much my familiarity is partially due to living in a techie area that is known for cutting edge innovations. Another part of me wonders how much of a dinosaur I will become in ten years as I fall behind in technology.