“Each new medium has to find its economic place by replacing or supplementing what is already available, and popular acceptance, and therefore economic success, can come only by convincing consumers that the new medium improves on the experience of older ones” (68).
I found this passage particularly interesting because of an article I read earlier this week for my psychology class. The article discussed a study that examined the way that elderly people perceived benefits and disadvantages of new technologies. Results of the study suggested that older generations who had no experience with cell phones and e-mail correspondence had trouble identifying the benefits of these technologies, and were resistant to adopting them as new and better ways to communicate with their family and friends. Bolter and Grusin’s statement above identifies this as an issue for all audiences of all generations—both experienced and inexperienced users. I think people of all ages often need some convincing about investing in and using new forms of technologies, particularly when people think that the current technology is sufficient for their wants and needs.
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