Exposition-+Lit+Xian



“New technologies have created a situation rather unknown in human history wherein the young seem more knowledgeable than those older than them.” I agree with this statement to a small extent. These new technologies include the internet, wireless internet access, and technological applications in multimedia.

New technologies provide greater access to knowledge. With the internet being so accessible, information is easily available. People can get new updates and current knowledge quickly through the internet and wireless handheld devices. Development of fast communication tools also facilitates exchange of information. This convenient exchange of information aids the development of knowledge. The development of multimedia tools also allows for better and faster learning, contributing to a more effective learning environment. Therefore, new technologies contributed to better access to knowledge for its users.

The young are the most receptive to new technologies. It is undeniable that the young are the fastest to access new technologies and can quickly adapt themselves to make use of the latest technologies. The older generations, on the other hand would be relatively slower in using these new technologies. Thus the young are the fastest to make use of the new technologies to access knowledge, and this makes them more knowledgeable than their elders.

However, the young only seem more knowledgeable. The knowledge that the older generations possess are mainly contributed by experience, and as youths, the young lack real experience, that is important for knowledge to do with life, dealing with failures and faith. Merely learning off theories and facts does not make the young really more knowledgeable. With regards to knowledge that require experience to back up, the young might know the stuff, but they will not be able to understand them fully. New technologies do not change the fact that certain knowledge is acquired through experience. Hence, although new technologies provide the young with a better opportunity to acquire knowledge, technology cannot replace the actual process of life that the older generations have been through.

New technologies make knowledge more accessible, and thus the young, being the fastest users of new technologies would be able to benefit from this source of knowledge. However, new technologies cannot provide the experience behind the knowledge. Furthermore, the information provided by the internet, among other new technologies, may not be accurate, and this would result in wrong knowledge being acquired by gullible children. Besides, the older generations are also starting to use new technologies, as the Facebook phenomenon shows. Beginning as a college networking site, nearly half of its users now are adults above the age of 25. ([]) Hence, the benefits of new technologies are not limited to the young only. Therefore, to prematurely identify a watershed in human history whereby the young seem more knowledgeable than the old, would be a mistake.