Chasing the Dragon's Tale

Here's a new twist on the concept of generational gaps in technology: even the current generation, immersed in technology, demonstrates that the pace of technology produces 'haves' and 'have nots' in terms of dealing with problems associated with technologies. Recent email attacks by the MyDoom virus reportedly have frustrated the technically savy when dealing with others who infected personal computers (and networks) by carelessly, inadvertently, or stupidly opening an executable file attached to an email. In a report by Amy Harmon, "New Digital Divide Pits the More Adept Against the 'dummies' ", published in the International Herald Tribune the gap is a source of frustration for both the pros and the newbies:

"The tension over MyDoom underscores a growing friction between technophiles and what they see as a breed of technophobe who want to enjoy the benefits of digital technology without making the effort to use it responsibly...Some in the techno camp imagine requiring a license to operate a computer, just as for driving a car. Others are calling for a punishment that fits a careless crime. People who click on virus attachments, for instance, could automatically be cut off by their Internet service providers until they proved that their machines had been disinfected. And some, tired of being treated like free help lines, are telling friends, relatives and random acquaintances to figure it out on their own. "

So, the Dragon can turn on its own 'tail' and create problems with the diffusion of technology. If there are intergenerational gaps in the diffusion of a technology as this article suggests, this is bound to have serious implications compounding the gaps between current and other/older generations.