When I was a young boy I woke up each morning wondering whether I would play with my friends, build a billycart or play “Cowboys and Indians”. In Summer from around the age of ten I was allow to walk to Centre Road , Bentleigh, get on the bus (we knew all the drivers) and go to the Brighton Baths for the day. As long as I was home for dinner all was well. I look back at that simple carefree life and realise that is where I learnt my parents’ values, their moral code and my ability to make MY decisions.
In the early eighties computers started appearing. What miraculous machines they were, enabling us to be more productive and learn about the world. Then along came the 2000’s with the invention of the smartphone. What a truly amazing advancement, it allowed instant knowledge (Google) and instant communication to our friends. Alas, it seems to have gone too far and now the use of modern technology appears to control many people’s lives. Social media has become addictive to a proportion of society, and too often today’s young people’s values seem to come from these inanimate objects and their peer groups. I think the technological advancements during my life time are truly fantastic, I just regret how a few greedy global companies have used it to manipulate so many people’s lives with social media. I would like to see a bit of a reset with social media, but somehow that seems a fair way off.
I believe that our generation is the luckiest of all. We were born into a simple uncomplicated era and have seen the greatest technological advancements of any generation. We have even seen a man land on the moon. We should be very thankful.
Michael Simmons President July 2024
