Digital Immigrant or Digital Native?

I really enjoyed the article by Marc Prensky, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.  However, I found myself half amused but also somewhat insulted as I technically fall into the 'immigrants' category, but consider myself more of a 'native'.  I have spent almost half my life surrounded by computers, digital music players, cell phones, the Internet and email.  I am able to listen to music and work at the same time, and can operate high tech photography equipment.  I have been known to phone to see if an email has been received from time to time - usually because there hasn't been a reply.   So although us 'older folk' were "socialised" differently from our kids, not all 'older folk' should be deposited into the same category.  What about those who are almost on the same page as our teenage kids and in some instances even more up to date?!

Prensky (2001) also mentions that bringing people physically into the office to see an interesting website or email instead of sending them the URL - is a common trait of an an immigrant.  My first reaction to that was "What if people want to share the experience and chat about it?"  Yes, they could comment via email, but what about face-to-face contact?  The "break down of society" is often mentioned as people interact more with 'computers' and computerised systems, and less with people on a daily basis.
While I believe computers are definitely the 'way forward' I feel strongly about human interaction too.

I guess it is all about getting balance.  I do agree that students are not the same as they used to be - how could they be though?  Times are changing at a faster pace than ever.   I think that teachers do need to adapt their practice to better provide for todays' students, but not at the expense of teaching good old things like manners, values and general knowledge.