It’s a question we are often asked everytime we recommend to soon-to-be seniors that they must embrace digital. Here’s what Dr Bhaskar Das has to say on the issue, in the June 2 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…
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Q. There’s is a perception that only under-35s possess digital skills and the meta mindset. What does someone older do to ensure that not all above-35s are considered irrelevant?
A. The assertion as mentioned in the question is a typical stereotype that are influenced by heuristics. There are examples galore to contradict the same. It may be a reality that the younger generation’s proclivity towards anything tech is natural as they are born in the midst of it. The older generation have to learn it. But with the ease of tech usage, affordability and expansion of bandwidth have reduced the so-called digital divide. Hence irrelevance is a state of mind. If one is always open to be in sync with time, one can remain relevant. One needn’t be a coder or program-writer or an algorithm-formulator. They require robust knowledge. And at an advanced age , one may not get an appropriate job as organisations would prefer younger audience for such tasks. But there are so many soft skills that require non–tech capabilities. One can acquire that and remain relevant. Non-familiarity with high tech knowledge can be an excuse to eschew new age learning imperatives.