Digital literate? New beginnings require new perspectives.
As we experience the awesome unfolding of a new world, there has been a lot of talk about what literacy means in this rolling digital realm. Furthermore, can digital literacy save the world?
Most of these talks about digital literacy are not sexy, so I want my simple share of the pie too. For me, digital literacy is simply knowing what online tools to use and how to use them. Rather than wasting my time and yours debating on what the official definition should be, I think it’s more appropriate to start getting my folks to care and to engage.
The number one reward is it saves me money
There are a bunch of coupon codes, shopping sites offering different deals daily, and mobile apps. But the consumer within me is better than just getting the best product. I look for the one with the best price as well. Throw in the ubiquitous free shipping, and this incentive alone can make those digital immigrants wish they’d been born today.
More than just the money, the digital saves me a much more important commodity: my valued time
Juggling a demanding career creating strategies and advice, several speaking gigs, a dalmatian grand-Dane, book-writing, a family, and a house. I think it’s impossible without the internet. I literally can’t stand using up my time on shopping anymore. It has never been my “thing” but I would rather use 30 minutes looking over the entire clothing catalog at asos.co.uk instead of going to the local H & M and look 100.000 different items of clothes.
I also learn faster using the web. I can still vividly remember the time during my primary school years. My teacher used to encourage the class to read books with the dictionary right next to us. If there were words we did not understand, we could easily consult the 10-pound dictionary. Now, I don’t exactly remember the time when I last opened my dictionary. I simply go to an online dictionary to look up for the definition with an audio clip on how I should pronounce the word. Isn’t this awesome?
The digital allows me to connect to a wide variety of people
However, when social media took off, a lot of people criticized it for its negative effects on real relationships. I refuse to share the burden. That’s total bullshit because I firmly believe social media is an awesome platform to start or maintain a relationship that I should nurture in the real world.
I can influence the world
I’ve been using the wonders of the web to spread my revolution about business unusual. I’m lucky to meet people as passionate as I am who share this same ideal of instigating profound change in small doses around the business world. In a sense, I am blessed to be able to use the internet to exchange exciting ideas and at the same time tell my compelling story.
If you look at these things. Some of our ancestors were killed to speak their minds, let alone save the world on a small scale. Amazing isn’t it?
How about you, rockers? How digitally literate are you? How are you making digital literacy saving your world, bit by bit?
Being digitally literate has its own perks in our lives. On the other hand, we also have to be cautious about how we use our personal information online. Read more about my article: Is Secrecy The New Digital Revolution?