Did you know that half of today’s seven-year-olds may live to be at least 100? That includes my seven-year-old son! One unique thing characterizes them and makes them different from any other generation who has ever lived on this planet since the dawn of settled human civilization. It’s tech savviness. These are members of Generation Alpha – the babies born between 2010 and 2024. It’s time to explain and explore just how digitally connected this youngest generation is.
They Grew Up With Digital Devices
Indeed, as any parent will tell you, members of Generation Alpha were exposed to digital and mobile devices as newborns. Far too many parents, myself included, have succumbed to the temptation of allowing their toddlers to watch cartoons on iPhones and other mobile/digital devices while eating baby food in their high chairs. So, they have been learning to use digital devices since before they knew how to talk.
Indeed, Generation Alpha may be the first generation ever to have grown up fully immersed in the digital world. What began as a means for parents to keep their youngsters entertained for a few precious moments was later enhanced when these youths entered school. There, they were initiated, and perhaps, some would say, bombarded with various realistic educational video games – Prodigy was one of them. These were addictive.
Some Things Haven’t Changed
To be sure, not all activities Generation Alpha partakes in are solely or even mostly digital. They still take piano lessons, play outside, do sports, and participate in many after-school activities that don’t involve digital devices. My son, for example, takes piano lessons and is learning to play the piano. He also participated in the art club after school and will do gym this summer.
To be fair, my son can also read physical books and is learning to write well using a pen or pencil and paper. And this is healthy since being completely immersed in the digital world 24/7 is not ideal for anyone.
Generation Alpha Still Learns in Far More Revolutionary Ways
That is, Generation Alpha learns in ways that are far different from any previous generation. They learn through and with the heavy usage of and reliance on technology. What is far more profound for this generation is that they have vast reams of information available at their fingertips thanks to the relentless and rapid global expansion of the Net.
The Future is Theirs
Indeed, 65% of them are expected to work in jobs and careers that don’t exist yet. They do have some daunting challenges ahead of them. For example, they will inherit a rapidly deteriorating and evolving economy of global capitalism. They will also face seemingly insurmountable environmental challenges and geopolitical crises.
However, this generational cohort is very creative, highly intelligent, innovative, and will be the best educated ever. Added to these facts is that they are digital natives. So, they will leverage all of these to successfully resolve these challenges with time.
They will live for much longer than any other generation of Homo Sapiens Sapiens on Earth ever has, mainly thanks to better sanitation, better hygiene, improved nutrition, and vastly improved healthcare.
Also, they will see rapid and revolutionary changes in how humans live. The pandemic and the events that transpired immediately afterwards were the catalyst that set that juggernaut in place. For example, middle and younger Generation Alpha members will see space colonization. Some of them may even travel around space or even live on Mars one day.
They will also live on a planet where AI capable of ML, smart cities and cars, personalized medicine, and green energy and technologies are widespread.
Technology Comes Naturally to Them
That makes sense since they are growing up in an age when so many advanced and immersive technologies are emerging and being deployed. That means, most of their activities will be either digital or virtual. For example, they enjoy building virtual cities through games like Minecraft. They also enjoy spending virtual currencies.
Technology Defines Generation Alpha
Indeed, it’s truly safe to say that technology defines Generation Alpha. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing since technology tends to encourage innovation and creativity. Generation Alpha will need all of these things along with intelligence and lots of knowledge, which they already have, to live in the rapidly evolving and increasingly unforgiving world order that’s emerging now.
