In this tech world, old dogs need new tricks

Learning new technology skills evokes different experiences depending on the era one was born.

These experiences can broadly be categorised into three groups. The first group was born in the era when technology had already permeated the world.

Members of this group don’t know a time when everyone didn’t have a phone in their pocket or when the word “website” meant a spider’s food trap.

The second group was born before computing technology became common but were young enough to learn the skills and become pioneers.

The third group is the generation that had already established careers by the time computer technology became a necessity both at home and in the office.

Many in this group find technology unreasonably disruptive — a complex calculus to solve. To them, keeping up with new computer skills is akin to teaching an old dog new tricks.

The first and third group are the subject of this article. The experiences of these two groups are embodied in the lives of two putative athletes — a record-shattering golfer, Tiger Woods and a tennis titan, Roger Federer.

For Tiger, right from his toddler days, golfing was his thing. By seven months of age, Tiger’s father had decided that his son was going into career golfing. He bought his son a toy putter as his main play thing.

His father — his main coach — tutored Tiger the basics of golfing. At age eight, Tiger went out to play with his father and beat him.

These early winnings and assiduous coaching became the bedrock on which Tiger built a history-altering golfing career.

Tiger epitomises the group of computer technology natives to whom technology is their native language.

Tech toys were their pacifiers when they were toddlers. They know no world without gadgets, computers and apps.

Then there is Roger Federer. Roger played squash with his father on Sundays.

He dabbled in skiing, table tennis and soccer. His first love was soccer, where he spent a great deal of time playing, even when his friends, who would later become his competitors, had moved to tennis.

Roger’s father encouraged him to sample a wide range of sports. By the time Roger ventured into tennis, he was much older and with eclectic sporting skills under his belt.

In his mid-30s, the age at which many athletes hang their boots, Roger was still far from retirement.

He came to tennis late and made smashing success.

These two athletes underscore that, although there are many people who are born into their careers like Tiger, there are many others — the Roger Federers — who cast their net wide, only to find their right lane later in life — and make a cachet career.

Age should not be a disincentive for learning new tech skills. There is wisdom in the old saying, “no one is too old to learn or too young to teach”.