A few days ago I led a workshop on digital and mobile media use
with a group of people who were grandparents and parents of
older children. One thing that generated a great deal of
discussion involved texting. According to these older family
members, the way young people communicate via text is shaping
the ways that the older people in their lives are able – or, in
less positive terms, forced – to communicate with them. And the
older generation has mixed feelings about this. I heard stories
like those of the grandfather who said, “I try to call my
grandson but his voice message system is full so I can’t even
leave a message.” Older people see this lack of availability as
an affront or a lack of civility. They know that the younger
generation is constantly connected and thus they sense that they
are a lower priority than those who are in their grandchildren’s
(or their children’s) immediate peer circles. They assume that
phone calls from peers are answered, and phone calls from older
family members are ignored