Senator John McCain admitted the other day he doesn’t know how to log into a computer and get on the Internet. His aides, in fact, need to call up web pages for him.
Is this really a big deal? I would argue it is.
The Internet is an integral part of American society now. It is a major social network as well as a popular information source. It also drives a significant portion of our economy. And its role is only going to get bigger.
If the Arizona senator wants to be president of the United States, he needs to get hooked into the electronic age. I don’t care how old you are, if you are not familiar with the Internet, you shouldn’t be running the country.
This holds true for Baby Boomers as we enter our retirement years. Our generation seems to know its way around the Internet. There are plenty of web pages devoted to Baby Boomers and virtually everyone I know in my age group sends e-mails. This is a good thing.
I would encourage Boomers to continue this trend. We’ve always been a curious generation that likes to keep up the latest technology. It is vital we do so when it comes to computers.
I wouldn’t expect my peers to know as much about electronic gadgets as the younger generations. They grew up with these devices and are going to be more familiar with them. But we should know the basics and be able to at least understand the significance of them.
This came to mind the other day when I was invited by a colleague in the television news business to join a group she had formed on Facebook. I’ve never had an interest in this electronic social network. Nonetheless, I thought it would be a good idea to at least find out what this world was all about. So, I signed up. I understand now what “friends” are in this community. I know how to write on someone’s “wall.” I can edit my profile, including the attachment of a few photos. I don’t plan to spend a lot of time on Facebook, but now I have some vague notion what it is.
Baby Boomers should explore sites like these as well as be aware of how podcasts and webcasts work. This is the future and if we want to be part of it, we need to get with it.
And we should do so not begrudgingly. Because it’s something we have to do to keep up.
We should do it with an open mind and with a fascination as well as an appreciation of what the younger generations are doing. We would have certainly appreciated that attitude when we were young.
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When you turn 50, you still have 10,000 productive days ahead. The question for Baby Boomers is... How are we going to live them?
About Me
- My book, "10,000 Days: A Call to Arms for the Baby Boom Generation" is now on sale on amazon.com.
- DAVID MILLS, producer and writer for CBS 5’s Weekend Early Edition, is the former president of the Northern California Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He is a 30-year veteran of the news business. Dave ran track and cross country in high school and college. He revived his athletic desire in July 2007, when he completed his first triathlon – a “sprint distance” in Pleasanton. He plans to compete in more triathlons over the next few years. He has two beautiful daughters, one future baseball Hall-of-Fame grandson, and lives in Walnut Creek, Calif. with his marvelous wife, Mary, who has worked as a pre-school teacher since 1989. Although he turned 50 in 2004, Dave believes his best years are still ahead. He's living his next 10,000 days to the fullest. Dave is also working on a book, “10,000 Days: A Call to Arms for the Baby Boom Generation.” In it, he urges Baby Boomers to make the most of their next 10,000 days. Dave certainly plans to do so.
"A Call to Arms"
Do you feel what I feel?
Is there something eating away at you? Something gnawing at your consciousness? A restlessness trickling through your soul as you venture through the middle ages?
I think I’ve figured out what it is.
Remember when we were young? The Baby Boomers were going to change the world. Make it a better place. Remember?
It didn’t quite turn out that way, did it? Somewhere along the path of life, we became sidetracked. We got jobs. We had families. We assumed mortgages.
That was all fine. But it wasn’t what we envisioned.
That’s what’s bothering us as we chug into our fifth, sixth and seventh decades.
We didn’t create a greater society for the generations behind us. Disappointing, isn’t it?
Now, what do we do? Throw up our hands? Slink into retirement? Shrink into oblivion?
Not hardly.
Baby Boomers, we need to reawaken. Find the spirit that evoked thought and action 40 years ago. Rekindle the internal flame that is still burning like a tiny pilot light in many of us.
This phase of our lives is not our swan song. It is our call to arms.
There are 78 million of us Baby Boomers. The largest generation in
It’s time we grow up and step up. Take charge of our society. Be the force we said we were going to be four decades ago.
Our golden years can be our best years.
We can steer our nation on a better course. By being activists, mentors and family leaders.
We still have 30 productive years ahead of us. That’s 10,000 days. Plenty of time.
Our final chapter hasn’t been written, my fellow Boomers. What will our legacy be?
What we did when we were young… or what we did when we were old.
Must See Sites
- 10,000 Days
- Baby Boomer Headquarters
- Baby Boomer Magazine
- Baby Boomers Life Change
- Boom J
- Boomer Capsule
- Boomer Insight
- Boomer Net
- Boomer Rater
- Boomer Town
- Boomers International
- Generation Jones
- Green Seniors
- Growing Bolder
- Quality of Life Association
- Retirement Life Matters
- Second Act Living
- The Boomer Chronicles
- The Boomer Initiative
Boomer-Worthy Articles
Volunteer Listing
© 2007, David Mills. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of David Mills. For more information, please contact us at: info@10000boomer.com.
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