How many times have we heard someone talk about the future of media and they immediately use their child as an example of what we all will experience in the future.
“My daughter will only use a touch screen.” ” My son doesn’t know the difference between the tv and his itouch. He just wants video where and when he wants it.” “My child is addicted to netflix” “My child is…. fill in the blank with a reason why we all should believe the future is what an infant/pre-teen/tween is experiencing and enjoys.
I can’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.
Think about your own childhood . Do you still use ANY of the same devices ? Still have that casette player ? Still burning those CDs ? That walkman that wowed your parents, still wowing anyone? You still carrying your boom box on your shoulder like Radio Raheem ?
Of course not.
If you think that the tech your young kids are using today are any reflection on what will be used in the future, even in the near future, you are mistaken. It’s also short changing the intellect of every kid 18 and under. You don’t think they can come up with something better ?
That’s not to say that watching our kids use technology that didn’t exist when we were kids isn’t adorable. It is. And of course each of our kids is smarter and more aware of the future than any other kid in the world. Obviously.
THe reality is that we do not live in the world we were born into. Things change.
Getting caught up on some RSS feed reading and just wanted to drop a note thanking you for the most excellent Radio Raheem reference. A pleasant surprise this morning.
Comment by Jim Gross (@jgross68) -
Mark, I wrote an article addressing this too, called “The Extinction of a Species” about how rapidly we lose inventions that were once so great…and still are. Too bad we cannot keep the old while welcoming the new too. I am just a few yrs younger than you and well remember some of the great things that are now in a distant era. Thanks for reminding me! -Your entrepreneur disciple
Comment by Deb Killion -
ourchampionships.com and ourchampionship.com for $199,000 ($100,000 for College, $99,000 for Bank) to Mr. Mark Cuban. For Dallas Mavericks Everywhere!
Comment by dylanisreddy -
Hi Mr. Cuban, I agree with your view on technology and the way it changes so fast and unpredictably… but what if you could predict some of its changes? maybe I can interest you in a serious project in the mobile technology and prepaid telecom industry? I am partnered with a true mobile device/tech inventor and original design/equipment manufacturer (20 yrs experience), as well as a billing and mobile virtual network enabler and operator (15 yrs experience) with full mobile-commerce integration (all proprietary software), and we have put together a consortium of already successful industry companies with already 1.5M end users committed (netting over $1 per each per month). We will provide them with a unique mobile device with a proprietary interface that will allow them to choose their prepaid carrier plan (plus other offerings) on a monthly recurring basis with ease and at the best market prices. We have been internally funded up to now, but are looking to close a Series A round of financing and are looking for a unique investor that can help us close the loop on this venture. We have put together a complete plan we can share with you at your request.
Thank you in advance.
Nicolas Oppel.
Comment by Number OneFan -
@Nicolas please contact alex@hmgmusic.com
Comment by Alex Roberts -
Basically 20 websites for $20.
Comment by dylanisreddy -
So I got 20 more domains for $1 a piece. Whatsup? 8034458206.
Comment by dylanisreddy -
Ibarth.org
Ibarths.org
Twitter.com/DylanIsReddy
I guess you could say “I Barth” this IDEA. There is a NEED for children with parents globally.
803445820?
3+2+1=?
Comment by dylanisreddy -
99 Domains!
TWITTER.com/DylanIsReddy
FACEBOOK.com/dylanjreddy
Comment by dylanisreddy -
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Radio Raheem. Yes! “Two times, two times.”
Comment by Mark Thompson -
Mark, When you want to advance your own presence in “New Media”, hit me up on linked in. Trust me, we could do some amazing things – especially for your sports venues and user experience. At R/GA, we are regularly agency of the year and we could do some incredible things together…
Comment by Mick McConnell -
We all change as we get older too. Just because teenagers don’t wash their sheets doesn’t mean P&G is going to go out of business.
Comment by bjdraw -
The wave of the future is now and now keeps on a changing….I have no idea what people will be doing 10 or 20 years from now but I do agree MC, they will not be using what folks are using today, tech-wise.
Thanks for sharing!
Comment by Ryan Biddulph (@RyanBiddulph) -
Just read this article, a really good topic. Don’t suppose I could entice one Mr. Cuban to be a one-time guest speaker for, even a few minutes at my online summer #K201 class this month? It is your alma mater… and best of all no traveling! I could just send you a url and next thing you know you’re teaching my students at IU about this topic! @stoneciu
Comment by Cindy Stone -
Qu’est-ce qu’un walkman?
Comment by Laz Pujol (@lazpujol) -
Pingback: Mark Cuban: The Dumbest Words In New Media | That Eric Alper
Come on Mr. Cuban, teens get the down wind of the latest greatest cool stuff and that is why they are reliable ‘early indicators’
.
Comment by Steven Chayer -
Except TV. Pretty much the same technology. Just better quality.
Comment by Michael Prassel -
Definitely good points, but where I think it falls down is in some of the overall behavior, rather than the specific devices.
For example, I theorize that the younger you are the more likely you are to get information along with entertainment in video form. I came to this conclusion when I tried to help my son hack Minecraft’s JS container to add in new features (a legit and legal hack). I searched for step-by-step instructions on how to do this simple task and found nothing – in text form. But there were hundreds of video tutorials on how to do it.
Minecraft is predominantly a 12-24 male phenomenon. Thus I intuited – and subsequently saw the behavior reinforced while watching my son – that the younger you are the more you’re likely to consume information in video form.
Will that change over time? I don’t think so. But we’ll see.
jim louderback
Comment by Jim Louderback -
Fair points but at the same time, what we have now hints at what may come down the line. The boom box and Walkman made music mobile. Music has be one even more mobile right? So I think there’s a bit of a reflection but I agree that we should be looking forward and not at today’s “toys.”
Comment by Samson Adepoju -
In relation to kids and tech, I think kids just have it so easy these days. I kind of wish they poured more effort into research like diving into piles of books or card catalogues for quality information/knowledge rather than turn to the Internet and Wikipedia. They expect that everything online is from credible sources. =/
Comment by Gail Monique Mallo -
Understatement Mark:)
Comment by regeneratingalife -
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if that so, things change… What would you think the world will be in 10 years from now? And how we can take advantage of it to get a piece of the future market? Answer Mark.
Comment by Jared Tham -
Couple with this the parent who tells you the amusing story of their toddler attempting swipe, pinch and close gestures on a magazine or book.
Comment by James Barnes -
Mark, I agree with you. One should adapt to change, but there are the onces that are afraid of change. I feel that you should embrace change. With technology, change is great, but again it depends on those that want the ease of information at ones fingertips. Case in point, ipads now in business are used for presentations vs a laptop or computer.
Comment by homarn -
It was just posted that the average American has two friends. Technology allows for access to information but it is also cuttting people off and out of family and society. I hope our children and our children’s children realize that facebook and twitter or the next thing that is invented do not garner depth of feeling and relationships of meaning. These occur face to face. So what ever is next to speed us up on the race to be faster and faster lets hope it is not something to bring that number of “real” friends to one!
Comment by Deborah J Scarpa -
I still use a Super-8 camera made around 1980, and BetacamSP equipment from the mid 90’s.
Comment by alexlogic -
I’ve had this debate in past as well and simple tell people that, society doesn’t adapt to technology, rather technology forces society to adapt to it. Once people realize this by looking around they see it is true.
Comment by billbairdloopster -
I agree, but I would note that some people would make that statement while noting that children adopt new technologies and discard older technologies much faster than older people…it’s a good market indicator which technologies are already past their shelf-life.
Comment by Dennis Hussey (@dfhussey) -
Agree with you 100% Mark. Bad marketing techniques. You mention casette player – how about 8-track tapes. lol
Comment by WebEmergence (@WebEmergence) -
Absolutely true, change is the only constant
Comment by Kush -
yeah, there is a big market for social media gurus and futurists to tell us all about whats next….
This is the thing:
Even if someone knows the future of products and services there is really no way to know HOW it will all be used.
The other thing is there are deterministic situations the brain likes to experience….we design for those things, all the time….dead skin cells fall off my hands and new ones are born. We have to create and destroy ourselves to keep living…product design and tech are similar, things live and die, so we can live….the products always change, but the effects are usually the same….theres lots of examples out there for this kind of thing….
The thing about kids is there are a percentage of them who are oracles and clairvoyants who do know the future in their heart but are unaware of their intuition.
they get cradled into systems and programs and cultural apps and that kills them.
But most of them break out of it. Altucher is an obvious example…
Comment by Todd Andelin -
Mark, I think you’re absolutely right. Things are constantly changing. But, I do believe that children today rely more on technology than ever. And I think this is a problem because it is ruining the development of important social skills that are critical to learn in the younger years of your life.
Comment by Ashley Johnsen (@ashley_johnsen) -
It’s funny, I think that I (approaching 50) am more technical than quite a few of the teens and early twenties somethings I meet. I can say this because I work in higher ed and deal with this age group on a daily basis.
Yes, they are familiar with the current toys of the period, but a deep technical background isn’t there. Perhaps it comes from the shallowness of the current education system we have in the US presently.
Things do change and that change will come from all directions…
Comment by Mike Martel -
Things change. Those that are stubborn to keep up will fall behind. The world is like a flock of birds where they play follow the leader. See mobile phones, tablets, and, maybe, eyewares.
Comment by Will Vinci Tran -
I disagree. what the kids use and enjoy today may not be around in the near future, but it inspires the ideas of tomorrow. in a way it is a window into the future of tech. an 8 track inspired someone to make a more condensed version so the cassete came along. then someone was inspired to make it even more condensed and easier to have more info and better quality so we got cd’s. that led to dvds and soon to itunes and other sharing medias. . .the tech of today may be short lived but its the youth using it today that are inspired to improve and eventually make todays tech obsolete. so the statement is not all that dumb. We all have to crawl before we run and todays tech is basically the crawling to tomorrows run.
Comment by Rob MacCormack -
Lego stood the test of time of my childhood and is now infiltrating my kids time significantly. The same could be said for paint, crayons, etc – the common theme obviously being they all allow one to express the inner workings of one’s mind. I wonder what other types of products have been created recently that would have the same kind of staying power? MineCraft might have a shot, though it’s tough to say…
Comment by Aaron Jones (@aaronjones) -
True, it won’t be the same.
But it can be a representation of what’s to come. What we used when we were kids was another step in the path of innovation.
The walkman made it possible to carry music around with you anywhere. True, we’re not using the walkman anymore, but we are still carrying our music around with us.
What kids use today isn’t exactly what they’ll use in the future, but it’s certainly a representation of trends that we may see continue for a long time.
Comment by David Spinks (@DavidSpinks) -
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I know you questioned whether or not to leave that bit in about Radio Raheem – – questioning whether or not people would “get it”. Well, rest assured, I got it. So message well-received and your points were all valid. Go Warriors! (Sorry)
Comment by Steven Cacciaroni (@SteveCacciaroni) -
Yes and no…. Sure, the Walkman is dead tech, but the actual cassettes were only medium, the real change was carrying your own musical score around that only you could hear, isolating you from the sounds around you. That is now so normal as to be unworthy of comment, but it drove my elders *nuts*.
In our generation, only a handful used computers at home, and you really had to get “close to the metal” to use them. A generation later, everyone had computers but most didn’t know much about how they worked, now computers are ubiquitous and completely ignored at the low levels except for specialists. Things change, but looking at the way kids use them, for whom they have always just been part of the environment, does tell you important things about where the tech is going.
My 4 year old lives in a world where entertainment is always available, the only reason she can’t consume whatever media she wants whenever she wants is because her parents forgot some critical piece of tech to make it work (and she’s now taking charge of that herself). That is different in an important way, while the interface is a mere triviality of implementation (she mastered touch screens much earlier than using a remote to manipulate a cursor, but that probably isn’t important).
–Dave
Comment by Dave Rickey -
What got us here will not take us there.
Comment by Cory Boatright -
Also interesting to think about the other side of this spectrum. Seniors.
I hypothesize that technology will be a gift for the elderly. Today’s elderly experience community through a small circle of neighbors, infrequent visits from either family or caretakers, and sadly through one-way mediums like television, radio, or books. And that last set is what will experience the greatest shift because the channels that seniors of the future will use to pass time will actually talk back.
Even today, there are quite a few folks in their seventies who are using the basic functions of Facebook. It seems highly likely that in ten or twenty years, there will be nothing unusual about an octogenarian commenting on (something like, but mor futurey) a Reddit thread or submitting a comment on YouTube (or something similar to it depending on how the internet evolves). The internet has fundamentally changed our ability to share our voice. Today the elderly consume information and relay their reactions to a small feedback loop local to them and maybe over the phone to a small circle interesting in hearing them out. Tomorrow, the feedback loop becomes wider and and will last longer because their voice can echo across the planet.
Comment by Len Kendall (@LenKendall) -
Things do change, but the reality is the world we are born into is/and will always be a “watermark” across the ever ‘changing’ picture of that individuals life. The picture may morph, but the ‘watermark’ will persist, even as it fades. That’s the inspiration for innovation and change at its core. You’ve made a bigger / better point than the title of your article on this one mark 😉 I’d argue that many if not all of the greatest innovators who’ve ever lived were driven to be creative, to innovate because of the reality of the world into which they were born.
Comment by Marc San Pedro -
Adding to that, it is hilarious that people generally think kids/teenagers have an innate understanding of technology. Teens are all total idiots when it comes to tech, the only difference between a 15 year old and a 65 year old is the teenager isn’t afraid of technology and is willing to stumble a few times to figure a new gadget out. Even the younger tech “genius” teens I talk with are generally ignorant (who isn’t when they are young?) and all they have over older programmers/engineers is less of an egoic identity holding them back from challenging established ideas.
Comment by Cary (@x101998) -
One thing is certain, one something is created, just like man, it has to evolve, adapt, and change, lest it die from humans to machines, brands, products and electronics. Exponential change is amongst us, I agree Mark!!!
Comment by Nye Lavalle -
Well, Mark, some of us audiophiles still have LPs because they sound better than anything that has followed!
Comment by Sanford Gray Thatcher -
Despite the nostalgia I feel toward my Super Nintendo with the video game cartridges I had to blow out or watching movie on VHS, I agree with what you have said. Although technological advancements have been on high gear for the past decade, what is your opinion on product innovation possibly plateauing? It is kind of evident in the mobile phone market where everyone has mastered the touch screen, and now everyone is simply trying to one up their competition with a 4.7 inch screen vs a 4.8 inch.
Comment by Daniel Edwards (@DannyE6) -
Somewhat true Mark, but a walkman when i was young is the same as it is now – it pays music. What has changed is the way that we choose, call up, purchase and skip through this music. The idea and concept doesn’t change. I think what parents get caught up in is that they are shocked on how the means of doing the same thing has changed.
Comment by Michael Lis -
People just can’t seem to grasp the notion that the only constant thing in this world is change.
Comment by cdrbedlam -
Mark I should have written this for u! http://youtu.be/TkG3vt21tbU
Comment by Chickie Farella -
But… but… children are our future!
Comment by Jerry Stevens (@jerrystevens) -
So true; but you forgot to mention 8-tracks, Mark. Some of us are old enough to remember when we thought those were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Ka-klunks and all. 🙂
Comment by Kevin McCarthy -
So true, all of it.
Comment by Dave Smart (@Dave_Smart) -
Again, please stop sending!
Michael E. Douroux
Comment by Michael E. Douroux -