The 21st quintessential American is highly adaptable in an ever-changing, technology based world. Most Americans are comfortable with computer generated procedures compared to the 20th century American. People were intimidated by the possibilities of mainframe computers and had only a glimpse of the power they held. The average 21st century American is computer literate and understands that technology requires continuous learning.
Children in the 21st century display great aptitude for learning computer based games and they communicate more with texting instead of calling like 20th century children used to do. Children also have more problems communicating now, due to the fact that texting doesn’t develop communication skills like talking face to face. People of the 20th century would have laughed at you if you would have told them that there would be very few pay phones left around the United States in the 21st century. Cell phones have eliminated the need for these artifacts.
Dating has become more distant for many 21st century Americans because frequent texting, web cams, and email don’t build much intimacy. One the other hand, these things have enhanced long distance relationships with friends and families by being able to send pictures and videos immediately to people overseas.
The 21st century American is probably a little spoiled from having everything faster and easier, whether it be fast food, internet shopping, electronic banking, printing pictures from digital cameras or ordering movies on demand or via internet. Americans have come a long way from using outhouses to modern day no-touch faucets and auto-flushing toilets that use motion sensors. Most 21st century Americans are patriotic, proud of all the luxuries found in the United States and still intent on living the American dream!
Technology has, in fact, become a large part of what it means to be American today. But there is still a very large percentage of people who lack access to what has become common (if not staple) technologies: personal computers, internet, cell phones, etc. What happens to the people on the have-not side of the digital divide? What are their chances of living out "the American dream?"
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