A recent Mad Men binge jolted me into noticing the stark contrast between that era’s deliberate pace and today’s frictionless digital churn. The show captures a world where communication was clunky, effortful, and therefore meaningful. Every choice carried weight because every action required intention. Society was tightly codified yet simultaneously breaking free from its own constraints.
The 1960s and 70s were decades of structural upheaval—arguably the prelude to today’s landscape of constant noise and algorithmic distraction. Watching the show reminded me of the privileged vantage point of Generation Jones, the cohort that straddled the analog and silicon worlds and quietly pioneered the generalist mindset.
The muscle of cognitive patience
My childhood unfolded without instant updates. We had a handful of TV channels, one morning newspaper, and limited toys—yet endless room for imagination.
We mastered the art of waiting. Without nonstop feeds, the absence of instant gratification created space for reflection. Waiting wasn’t passive; it was training. We built cognitive patience—a mental filter that helped us distinguish what mattered from what merely demanded attention. We learned the difference between the promise of convenience and the illusion of immediacy.
Driven by change, not defined by it
In 1963, the world’s population was expanding faster than at any point in history. Today, our digital ecosystem expands just as rapidly, yet paradoxically funnels us into narrow preference silos shaped by algorithms.
As a writer immersed in technology, I resist being boxed in by those constraints. I see how speed can blur clarity. My analog roots remind me that the most effective communication isn’t the quickest—it’s the message that survives a moment of pause.
Remembering life before computers helps me treat technology as a tool rather than an identity. I track innovation to understand how it connects our past, persuades our present, and programs our future—without letting it overwrite who I am.
Keeping a real-world perspective
While the world is intoxicated by AI’s promise, my generation remains cautiously optimistic. We’re the ones who ask, “But how does this help in real life?”
We’re not stuck in the past, nor are we cynical about what’s ahead. We’re the levers in the middle—able to accelerate with technology while staying grounded in the common sense distilled from the analog age.
As the Kurzweilian tempo becomes the modern mantra, the real treasure isn’t access—it’s agency. The most overlooked skill today isn’t knowing how to use the hardware; it’s knowing how to pause, listen, reflect, and preserve the humanity that technology is racing past.
autom8 