It is true that the infrastructure of our society now favors the use of computers and hand-held devices. This is apparent in the dearth of conveniences such as pay phones, physical maps or phone books. One can still find pay phones at gas stations, buy physical maps at tourist stands or periodically receive free phone books, but this is not the way the new generations prefer to navigate the world. For older generations, the lack of well-known conveniences can be startling and can put them out of touch with the world.
For example, newspaper classifieds are not frequently used by young people these days. If a millennial wants to sell his TV, he typically goes online to sites such as Craigslist or uses a Yahoo or Facebook group meant for such transactions. The baby boomer who wants to sell her TV would be more likely to call the newspaper to place an ad in the printed edition. But would she reach the greatest audience this way? If all of the younger folks—who are surely looking for all kinds of bargains until they are financially stable—don’t look at the printed advertisements, our hypothetical baby boomer will have a difficult time selling her TV.
One could argue that not knowing how to read a physical map or use a pay phone is a disadvantage as well. After all, smart phones are only useful as long as their batteries hold a charge. The fast-paced transition to a technology-based society has left both sides of the generational gap with deficits in skills and knowledge.
But to say that a person without knowledge of computers is handicapped is a bit of a stretch. It is possible to live a full and happy life without being saturated with technology. It is only a disadvantage when technical skills are absolutely necessary, with no alternative option, and even then it’s easy to find help. But isn’t that the same with any kind of skill? Where is the line drawn between unskilled and handicapped? It’s a disservice to people classified as handicapped under legal terms to bandy the term around.
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