Discussion on:

Millions of Germans 'fear' the web

I'm not that sure German mature audience interviewed is completely wrong, since also if not necessary scary, a "tool" that kids and teens simply define "fun" should not interest so much adult audience, at least not automatically or as a measure of nothing particularly interesting. I prefere to consider a lot of other Web based opportunities to be lost by an entire generation as a potential risk, mostly a cultural one, but when the social network bubble will blow maybe we'll be able to consider more carefully that the Web is social since the first hyperlink has been created, and that, as a my humble contribution, social bookmarking was already there before facebook and, lucky us, will surely survive it. So, maybe, mature germans are just waiting for a better scenario and that the public discussion regarding the biggest cultural revolution since Gutenberg move from what we "like" and where we spend the night to something more interesting...

One of the things I find about Germans in general is their separation of tasks and issues along gender and age lines. To this day, my elder German relatives tell me that the Coke I'm drinking is a child's drink...and because I do the cooking, that that is woman's work. So I get derided by my relatives about being so different! Germans love to categorize things...and there are things that only certain people do and others will never do...This is a distinct culture thing. So, if the internet is for the "younger folk" then that's a child's game and not to be used by the older folk...simple as that!