I rabbit trailed a bit online tonight. It's a fun exercise to do. Basically, if you're reading a topic online, say, an article about Michael Phelps and his training regimen on the Butterfly, look up the Butterfly stroke in Wikipedia. Learn the history of it. Then read about the swimmer who invented the stroke. So on and so forth. An hour later, you've stumbled across the Soviet Union's plan for US invasion and world domination.
No, not really, but that's kinda what happens with rabbit trails.
I was reading a poll result and wanted to know what "Mosaics" are. Turns out they are the young generation, Generation Y or Generation Echo- the kids of boomers. Reading further, I thought of the typical stereotypes associated with generations, particularly Gen X (me). A shiftless, loners, apathetic, low loyalty generation that supposedly has no future. Economically, Gen Xers are making less than generations before them, the first time in history a generation is not better off. Gen Xers are left with cleaning up the mistakes of the past (which generation hasn't?).
Some of this is ironic, considering I remember reading about Gen X a long time ago. It was a doomed generation from the get-go according to the "experts". Baby boomers led the charge in technology achievements. Apple, Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Sun, etc, started in the 70s and 80s as technology made advancements.
If you look at the computer applications we use daily: Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, Amazon.com, Twitter, MySpace... all Gen Xer founded/led. A generation that grew up alone (we're also the latchkey generation), watching TV and cartoons, we've suddenly created a virtual neighborhood where we can make friends across the world.
Look at us now, world. We're leading the charge to connect to millions. We define who and what comes into our lives, and we decide when. We have so much information available and are connected so well that we are an honest generation. If a leader falters, there is no hiding it. If an athlete cheats, news is out before a statement can be made. We've built such a network that soon instantaneous won't be fast enough. Secrets can't be hid. If they are, they will destroy the trust of millions.
Of course, in true Gen X fashion, it will be forgotten shortly. Like if you're still reading this, you're likely not a Gen Xer. 'Cause we got short attention spans from watching TV in short bursts on MTV, ESPN, or whatever. Rabbit trail... I don't agree with MTV claiming people don't want music videos... ESPN still shows sports! I don't see a reality show on Making the Yankees! Crap, that's prolly all up in Steinbrenner's office now. Or maybe it's now "Manipulated TV" instead of Music Television.
No comments:
Post a Comment