PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
“In my day we were Switched On. Turned on, tuned in and dropped out, that was us. Your mother’s generation was just Wired.”
“Ha!”
“You stay out of this.”
“Right, Ma.”
“And I think your generation is Plugged In, what, with all of your Internet shenanigans and all.”
“Oh Grams, wires and plugging in is so 20th century! Sheeze, anything but Plugged In.”
“So, what is your generation?”
“Free floating!”
“Hmmm.”
“Her generation is just plain Disconnected.”
“Mooooom!”
“More Zombified, if you ask me.”
“Grams!”
“Perhaps they’re… Hello? Are you listening?”
“She’s texting a friend.”
“Zombified.”
“I agree, Ma, Zombified.”
***
Word count = 100
Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo © Dale Rogerson. Read more or join in by following the InLinkz “linky“.
Trent's World (the Blog) 
Yep, zombified….
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Exactly… at least some…
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There are good and bad things about everything it seems. We just have to choose wisely. Well done, Trent. :) — Suzanne
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The key is to chose wisely. And, of course, good natured generational squabbling like this too often its cliche as much as truth… Thanks.
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Great dialogue.
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Thanks
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The “phone zombie” thing is not necessarily a young generation phenomenon. People of all ages stop at the top of escalators, zigzag in pedestrian traffic, and bump into poles (that’s me by the way) while looking down at their phones. I do love the way we can keep in close contact with loved ones all over the world though. It’s all about moderation I guess. Sorry for the rant. Love the story, especially the dialogue, Trent!
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I agree – I know as many 40 or 50-somethigns addicted to phones as teens or twenty-somethings. That social media/phone addiction knows no age limit…. I also agree that it is great how easy it is to stay in touch, or meet new people, no matter were we are or how long it has been. Thanks.
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Progress gets ever faster, and the gap between generations becomes wider. It’s a real problem for industrial technologists, because they need to be specialists, which means spending leisure time keeping bang up-to-date, and then, abruptly, their field is no longer relevant and they’re out of work.
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That’s true, yet in some ways the technology is a generational equalizer – I see my siblings interacting with their millennial kids in a way that would have been impossible when I was that age. With a family full of scientists and engineers, the kids and adults speak the same techno-language and even listen to the same music! Some technologies do move so fast that nobody can keep up forever, but that’s why they created project/program managers and just plain managers. (Said the program manager whose “peeps” do all of the hard, technical work ;) ).
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Ah the good ‘ol generation gap. Reminds me of a discussion with my mom.
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I’ve seen a few generation gap conversations lately, and luckily they were all as light-hearted as this.
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I try to appear cool and modern with my devices, but I wish I didn’t feel I needed to! Now, what does this app do?
Click to read my tale
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I know the feeling, but for the most part have given up trying to appear cool. I often don’t even carry my phone with me any more.
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Wot! No phone! How do you survive? They’re one of the great inventions of our culture!
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…it is so odd to walk and not be looking down at my hands every two seconds… ;) It is almost sacrilege to leave it behind.
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Nor me!
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There is certainly a generation gap in terms of technology, which is moving in leaps and bounds. Present generation is zombified because of all the gadgets at their disposal or at their finger tips.
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There is a huge generation gap, though I know plenty of older adults that are also zombified….
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True. Addiction. Is spreading.
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I’m old-fashioned – and old – enough not to like this generation’s obsession with gadget connection.
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I agree, though I know a lot of people in all generations that are pretty obsessed with their phones and social media.
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I don’t know what you’d call my granddaughter’s generation. Utterly confused would be what first comes to mind.
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A lot in that generation are utterly confused. Of course mine wasn’t much better as kids, we were just different – half of my high school class was stoned or drunk half of the time. Of course, a lot of them are still confused – I’m embarrassed by how many voted for the orange monster.
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What a brilliant take, Trent!
I loved this… oh man… how things have changed – and not all for the better, eh?
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Thanks, Dale! No, not all changes have been for the better…
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Generation Z…ombie. Nice post, Trent!
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Ever wonder why they are generation Z? Now you know ;) Thanks. Actually, I forgot about that name until you pointed it out – thanks)
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This rings true… :-)
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I’ve been in one or two playful versions of this. On the plus side, the Wired generation has a magazine named after them.
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So true on all. Some day even wireless will be passe. It will be direct brain to brain interface. God help us all.
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I guess I am old fashioned, but I do not want a device connected to my brain. Orwell was mild compared to that. And think of hackers. No. Today’s generation may be Zombified (though I see as many people in older generations acting like Zombies), but that’s better than being a generation of drones controlled by the hive…
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So apt for many of today’s families gather. You portrayed at great scene.
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I’ve heard similar conversations, though, of course, it is all good-natured teasing. Thanks.
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I can see that catching on – the Zombie generation! Not that I’m completely innocent of doing the same!
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Unfortunately I think all generations, except the very oldest, have become the Zombie Generation! I know people in their 50s who are worse than any 20 year old out there…
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Ha ha – great dialogue. (And the new generation of ‘texters’ do come across as Zombified!) :)
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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I think some of them are phone zombies, but instead of eat8ing brains, their brains are being eaten. Thanks.
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Now, that was a good chuckle. I can just picture the scene… hey, wait… it highly resembles family meals when Mom and Gran were still here.
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If you couldn’t tell, I just got back from a family reunion ;) Actually, not that much generational squabbling, but the lines were there… (The reunion was in Ohio, but the opposite end of the state – by Lake Erie where I grew up) Thanks.
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Dear Trent,
I can hear the nattering between the generations. Ah the days of being tuned it, turned on and dropped out. Then reality hit and we had to grow up. Those of us who never trusted anyone over thirty are twice that. Sigh. Well done story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The times they are a changin… The funny thing is that as the Turned On Generation aged even the term “Generation Gap” went away. Once that great cultural shift occurred, there was no going back. Thanks.
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I agree with the “boss lady.” We were “hip” and knew it all. Now I know even less than I did then.
I do worry about people’s addiction to electronic devices and their loss of social skills. The generation gaps will always be with us. Great post, Trent.
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The “old generation” is never hip in the “new generation’s” eyes… Oh well, I guess i don’t need to be hip any more. Thanks Russell.
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