Pseudo-modernism is a terrible idea

Check out the Alan Kirby article that was posted earlier. It is the exact antithesis of what I hope this blog will be. Kirby, someone who is presumably over the age of 20, describes our generation (or at least the philosophy that governs our generation) from an outside perspective. For a moment disregard the content of Kirby's article (which I'll address later) and consider his perspective:

I am unsure as to when he was born, but there are several obvious indications that he is not a member of the current younger generation. Note his fixation on technology. Grownups tend to assume that, because today's youth has grown up with computers, the internets, video games, etc., and because we tend to have a certain aptitude using electronic devices, these are the only things that are important in our lives. They assume that technology defines our generation, when anyone within generation can easily explain that although technology plays an important role in our lives, and surely a more important role than past generations, there is much more to who we are and what we hope to accomplish.

This generation, or at least some of us, sees technology as a means to a variety of different ends. Pseudo-intellectualism is apparent in all generations, not just ours. It's a matter of ignoring the shitty TV shows, the superficiality of internet communication, and using the technology we have to do something real. There are a lot of problems that technology can help to solve. Take your pick.

Kirby suggests that technology is promotes superficiality and, in essence, stupidity. I agree, technology has plenty of negative effects on our behavior. But to say that it must have negative effects is an overstatement. Kirby doesn't have our perspective. He doesn't see that technology is only one part of our generation's definition. And there are people within this generation who can see the positive side of our relationship with technology, and will use it as part of a larger philosophy to hopefully come to a better end.

I'll talk more about that philosophy later.