The Kids Are All Right
The other night I spoke about social media to a group of folks of my generation (the original Baby Boomers). We are what is known as “Digital Immigrants,” because we were born prior to the invention of the Internet. “Digital Natives” are those who never owned a manual typewriter, rotary dial phone, or punch cards.
Clearly, many other differences exist between these generations. Mine was raised in a spirit of “command and control.” We feared our bosses. We stayed at jobs for at least a year or two before moving on. We treated our elders with respect (most of the time).
My generation has, in some ways, affected the work outlook of this current Boomer generation. We gave our kids choices. Everyone got a trophy during sports events. (Here’s a great book on that concept!) The Internet facilitated immediate gratification. Mark Zuckerberg gave hope to every 20-something that he or she could be a billionaire just by harnessing technology.
Many of my fellow Boomers shake their heads sadly about “these kids today” and mourn the lack of the same work ethic we were raised with. And yet, I have recently had the pleasure of working with several young people who prove that one cannot damn an entire generation. Their fearlessness, technical expertise, flexibility, and social consciousness has really impressed me. Just as my generation can’t be damned as lazy pot-smoking dirty hippies, Digital Natives cannot all be damned! So, here’s a shout-out to:
Lindsay Brown : An eco-conscious blogger who is teaching her peers about saving the planet
Sean Gallagher : A very talented videographer who promises he will get me a ticket to Sundance someday when he strikes it big with one of his documentaries
Justin May: Who I trusted to cut my hair this week at Paulo’s Atelier, and who blew me away with his technical prowess and (more important), his customer service ethic
And my own “right hand” Christian Burns , who never complains when he doesn’t “get a trophy.”
I have learned so much from each of them – about technology and life views — proving that only by crossing the generational divide can we all innovate and prosper.
Is there something you miss? A change you’ve been ruminating about? Contact me at nancys@theonswitch.com (or mail me a letter). I’ll happily entertain ideas for future columns!
Nancy A. Shenker has lived in Westchester for 22 years (40% of her life). Her business, theONswitch marketing, located in Yonkers, specializes in combining traditional time-tested marketing strategies with new media (including social media). She works with businesses nationally (and, thanks to technology, can sometimes even work in her pajamas). She is also the CEO of a new publishing venture, nunumedia and just launched a series of business comic books.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.