Eight ‘Things’ Teenagers These Days Don’t Know How to Use
(Lafayette, Louisiana) - We are often critical of the younger generations when it comes to doing things, and here are six things that they probably cannot use.
Technology is constantly changing, and at times it can be overwhelming, but there was a time when things were much simpler and slower.
I recently watched a video about things from the 90s, and I saw an old phone in it. Immediately, it reminded me of when I showed my son, who was 5 or 6 years old then, an old landline phone at my parents' house. He looked at it with a confused look on his face, and then he asked me, "Where are the apps on it?"
So, I thought we'd look at a few things from the past that teens today probably have never seen or used before. Dare I ask, do you still know how to use any of the ones below?
The Old Television
Televisions now are all "smart" and so easy to use. However, that wasn't always the case. Remember when TVs didn't have remotes, and you had to get up each time you wanted to change the channel or adjust the volume?
I'd venture to say some in the younger generation would struggle with this one, or they'd just keep it off and not have to worry about getting up and down so often.
Old Videorecorders
The hand-held videorecorder. Before every cell phone had a camera, the only way to record moments was with a camera like this. And yes, there was a tape inserted into the camera.
I would pay decent money to see a teenager try to use this device.
A Road Map
We were recently talking about maps and how difficult they were to use while traveling. Now, with GPS on your phone, maps are nearly obsolete. Parents, do you think your teens or young adults could use a map if they needed to?
Before GPS, road trips required much more planning.
The CD or Cassette Walkman
One of my favorite pieces of technology in the 1990s was the Walkman. You could play your favorite songs or albums anytime, but it did require some effort. Again, with music at everyone's fingertips, there's not much work into hearing your favorites.
Like with the video recorder, I'd love to hand one of these to a teenager and wish them luck hearing their favorites.
An Old Radio
And then there's the old-school radio. In the digital age, you don't dial into your favorite radio station; you set it and forget it. Back in the day, each time you wanted to change the station, you had to adjust the knob and carefully dial in the frequency you wanted.
The younger generation doesn't know what they're missing by not having to sit in front of one of these.
A VCR
The VCR was a piece of technology that made you and your family feel like you were always at the movies. However, at times they were difficult to work with.
If you had to adjust the tracking on one of these, you know it could be tedious. Plus, if you wanted to record your favorite program, setting this device up wasn't easy. Now, kids these days hit one button and record their favorite program.
A Rotary Phone
The rotary phone is a classic, and no, it had no apps. Can you still hear that sound when you were dialing a friend's number on this?
Also, you either had to memorize or write down the contact numbers you used most. Today, we have all of the contacts stored away, and with the press of a button, you are dialed in.
If you have one of these, I encourage you to take it out and quiz your kids. It may be the best comedy "show" you see.
The Library
And lastly, the library. Sure, some kids these days may still use the library at school, but navigating through a library is much easier now thanks to computers.
Do you recall having to use the library card catalog system to find a book in the library you were in? It wasn't the most difficult thing to use, but it also wasn't the easiest.
One of the most difficult courses I took in college was Library Science, and it required us to navigate through a massive selection of books. I don't know if my kids or any others could find a book these days using the system we used in the 80s or 90s.
