Don’t trust anyone over
Author: will | Filed under: 2009, Barcamp, Dublin, Ireland, Irish, ageism, conference, stereotype, technology, thinkingWhile listening to Enda’s podcast of his interview with Clare FM, I realised something.
I’m old.
No, that’s not right.
I’m not young. I’m not a teenager.
This reaction wasn’t due to Teencamp Ireland, taking place in Film Base, Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin on Saturday (January 17 2009). No, I had planned to go and at least stick my head in. My reaction was from the presenter talking about teenagers and public opinion of them.
His reaction to how teenagers are “supposed to” act made me realise two thing. I haven’t done that stuff for years. Yes, I meet up with friends and hang around doing nothing, but now I require a roof, and maybe tea. And two, teenagers aren’t the problem. The generation gap is between those who think as adults and all the rules they think have to apply, and smart teenagers who take on the JFDI (Just Freaking Do It) attitude of getting stuff done.
Its not a generation gap, its an attitude gap. My shoes may be too tight, but I still dance. Badly and I need a rest afterwards, but I still dance. And I’m one of the more cautious ones. I haven’t had a brilliant idea to turn in to a new technology, or a new business to run. I was never a young technologist, despite my interest and love of all things techie. I’m only getting my head around the messy innards of running a business. I feel destined to be in the back room.
Getting things done. Done for others, but done.
Teencamp is an unconference for teenagers and technology. The notion of a BarCamp is easily understood. The focus here is on the teenagers getting together face to face about technology (I have no doubt that there will be a swapping of contact details so the conversation continue long afterwards). Its about people teaching their peers about how they do things. It’s about hanging out with others with the same interests. A normal BarCamp and a gaggle of teenagers hanging out share quite a few things.
So, can I call in? Be that embarrassing uncle. Find out if I can help… and then leave (I do want to ask the manga speaker a few questions about tracking down DVDs first).
An bhfuil cead agam dul isteach?
Will Knott
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Tags: Barcamp, conference, Generation gap, Teencamp, Teencamp Ireland, Temple Bar Dublin, Unconference
January 13th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Thanks for the awesome plug, I laughed my ass off reading your post and you are MORE than welcome to come to TCI. The advantage you have of being “old” is that you can tell us all about how easy we have it now…
“Back in [your] day [ye] had 9600 baud modems hooked up to the serial port on the back of your PC”
See ya there!
January 13th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
If I was in Dublin myself this Saturday I’d certainly be popping along. Looking forward to reports on how the day is run, what people take from it.
I’ll agree though, my days of hanging outside in the cold are long over. Any meet up requires somewhere warm, plenty of tea, maybe even a chair to sit on.
PodCamp last year did see an increase in the attendance of those U18, that can only be a good thing. Best of luck to those involved in the running of / delivery of TeenCamp this Saturday. First of more to come?
January 13th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I remember 28k and upgrading to 36k. PCs were sold with floppy drives, but double speed CD rom drives were the latest thing. And 100mb hard disks were unbelievably large.
And Windows 2.0! Oh the stories I could (but won’t) tell.
Actually I do have a story to tell. It will only take 5 mins, but it shows that the gap isn’t a generational one, but an attitude one.