C. Marcellus Griffin Blogpost 10- Something to Think About

Everyone in my life knows that I struggle with technology: whether it is connecting the wires of the VCR (DVR), clearing paper jams from a copy machine, or having the patience to keep up with the newest video game or social media sites.  It's a fact- something in my body causes technology to repel against my wishes.

Honestly, I have used this as an excuse for having family members do technical stuff for me around the house, and for the most part, this has served me well.  However, now that I am enrolled in a educational technology course, I am beginning to see the value of improving my technical skill set, and I must admit that I have made significant growth in this area within a relatively short amount of time.

That said, Friday nights are oftentimes regarded as movie night in my house, but it's not quite the picnic you might imagine.    If we are not going out for dinner or something special, I usually want to watch a movie with everyone, but they would rather partake in their video games, which they are not allowed to play during the week.  So movie night usually goes something like this:

I ask my family, "who wants to come up stairs and watch a movie with me?"  I get no response, as my four kids play video games two feet away from me downstairs. Next, I say something like, "that's okay... I guess I'll just go upstairs and watch a sad movie and cry myself to sleep".  Before I can take my fifth step toward my room, my daughter and youngest son give-in with military precision: "Okay dad, I'll watch a movie with you."  Strangely, my wife and two older sons are unaffected, as they continue waste away on the computer or video games.

Anyway, last night, my son, daughter and I watched a movie entitled "Parental Guidance" that really made me think deeply about the significance of technology in my life.  In the beginning of this movie, Artie Decker (Billy Crystal) is fired as an announcer for the Fresno Grizzlies baseball team because he is not up on new technology and doesn't know how to use it. Artie is disappointed because he loved the job.  As an explanation for firing Artie, his boss asks him in quick succession: " Do you have any friends on Facebook?  What was your last post? What was your last update? Have you 'poked' anybody?  Has anyone 'poked' you? Do you know what a 'tweet' is?  Do you 'hash tag'?  Do you play AngryBirds?  Who's your favorite Angrybird? Everybody has a favorite Angrybird!  How many apps do you have?  Everybody has apps! Artie, we need announcers that 'tweet'..

Since Artie's response to all of his boss's questions was either "What??" or "No".  His boss concluded.. "Sorry, my minds made up. (You're fired.)

Though I fell asleep long before the movie ended (as I oftentimes do)  the message of the beginning of this movie resonated clearly:  "The world is changing, and if you don't change with it, you will get left behind."  

I can't wait to ask my kids how the movie ended.

-C. Marcellus Griffin