by Lindsay Foster

Let us go back in time…15 years ago. It’s 1996 and we are optimistic about the future, but we have no idea what it is going to bring. We do know that technology will be changing, but we never could imagine that with the increase of the technology, our American lexicon will be forever changed.

In 1996, I was eleven years old and being in the middle school, we were becoming very familiar with computers and the advances in technology. In 1996, “facebook” was probably associated with someone who was constantly reading. “Twitter” would be an insult! “You Tube” would probably mean your personal television. “Blackberry” would refer to the berries that you pick, and certainly not a cell phone. “Blu-ray” would probably be some foreign type of fish. “MySpace” meant your personal dwelling.

Also in 1996, I remember every other commercial it seemed the advertisement would be for a collect call provider. Now, it seems nonexistent. Those who had cellular phones were only able to make and receive calls. Texting didn’t exist; therefore, the road ways seemed a little safer. I remember walking into a store, and it was full of cassette tapes and VHS tapes. CDs were popular, but tapes still seemed the more prominent music media.

DVDs were just coming on the scene.

Now, I think about today and how technology has improved the world. I do think that with the use of the Internet today, it is wonderful that our military can use email and video chat. I love the fact that, as a student, I could cut down on a lot of research from book to book to the electronic search. It is also wonderful of our conveniences.

But also, I think of the disadvantages of modern day technology. I love living in a small town where “everyone knows you and you know them”. I love knowing that you do have friends and neighbors who would come at your beckon call. I often say that our interpersonal communications are being killed by modern technological conveniences. I also often think of the economy. How many businesses are losing money due to technological processes?

When speaking about our high tech world, the only word that seems consistent is change. Some is for the better, and some is not. I love hearing stories from generations to generations. I love to hear from my parents and their siblings and peers of walking to school, one room schoolhouses and in school, it was pencil and paper or a typewriter.

I love hearing from my cousins who grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s about how things were. I also love to hear from my cousins and friends who are a little older or my age about how changes have occurred in the past 15 years. One difference between my Dad and I is what we can tell what year something was by looking at an item. My Dad can look at a classic car and tell what year it was. I’m able to look at a television or picture from the past ten years and just by the cell phone the person is using what year or years they cover. Ten years ago, we had the Nokia’s and it seemed that my peers and I was all too anxious to have our ringer to be Take Me out to the Ball Game. As the years progressed, the phones got smaller. In the mid 2000s, flip phones and “razr” phones were the rage. Now, it seems like we are looking more for a computer than a phone. It seems like a cell phone is used for every reason, a computer, Internet search, weather report, even a stereo for our favorite tunes. It just doesn’t seem that a cell phone is used for verbal communication.

What will the next 15 years bring? What new words will be added to our dictionary? Only time will tell.

Lindsay Foster