Let’s go back to 1969 - 1974 for a minute. (web 0.0) It was a different recession. Actually, two separate recessions side by side. The 69-70 recession was attributed to the Fed’s raising interest rates. The recession of 73 - 74 was blamed on OPEC for raising oil prices and the Vietnam War. It would appear we’re in a somewhat similar (yet more complicated) mess today.
As an emerging adult embracing my American dream, that was the world I entered into at 20 something.
Some of us here on AR recently have shown a little frustration about things and change. It is a challenge for sure to stay positive, an even bigger challenge to make things happen in this wacky unpredictable market. We’ve all revealed a little fear; we stumble on occasion trying to keep a positive attitude. We hurt (and rightfully so) when we see our associates get out of the business and/or lose their home. It cuts fearfully close when that happens to someone in our immediate family, with friends, clients, and coworkers. These things are far more serious than why someone stopped blogging.
As those of you who know me, my work in the Pacific Northwest is creating contemporary solutions for effective marketing. Many of you are making the effort to experiment with social media and internet technologies to build your business and are seeing results. You might not be having your best year, but you are getting business and it’s coming from places it never did before. You’ve begun your journey and I’m proud to be a part of it.
We live in such a rapidly changing landscape and none of us knows what the future holds. The only thing we do know is there’s more change coming. This is just the preamble. When the Clinton’s talked about the global village back in the 90’s and the bridge to the 21st Century, I don’t believe this is quite what they had in mind. In retrospect, I think they were a bit naive (and rightfully so). We don’t know what we don’t know.
Regardless, we are certainly in one big village now, and for the first time in history we’re personally wired in (with instant multi-media access) to almost every person (and/or group) on the entire planet. We don’t hook up with everyone, but we can. The cool thing about living in our free society is that as long as we pay our cable bill we can join in the conversation, and that’s changing with public WiFi spots.
We’re watching the birth of real time internet. It seems anything can happen anywhere in the world and we're there. This past few weeks we witnessed amazing events and the whole world spontaneously chimed in while they were happening. We shared opinions about the election in Iran, riots in China, and the death of Michael Jackson. This is like an awakening. This is a total shift in our collective behavior. We don’t watch the news, we’re there as it unfolds, we're a participant.
Father, Father... The sleeper has awakened!
Paul Atreides, Dune by Frank Herbert
TV and radio were all over these events, yet most went to their computers and flocked in mass to the internet to watch, respond, share, and converse about it. Ironically, TV and radio depended on technologies like twitter, text messaging, cell phones, and snatching amature videos from the web that were taken and uploaded by people who were there on the streets when it was happening. So many millions of us did that during and after Michael Jackson’s funeral that it slowed internet traffic on the entire www for hous and several networks crashed from the shear volume of people online.
Now it’s the recession of 2009 and a new generation of 20 something youth armed with their American dreams are emerging. They are the first generation that totally grew up in a hi-tech multimedia interactive environment. “Talk about a different world view!” I often think, “They may work with me someday, they might become my customer, and they could end up my competitor.”
This new generation, the first time homebuyers we hear about from the talking heads are said to be upwards of 60% of the market over the next couple of years. They've integrated technology into the fabric of their lives like no ever has. There’s an added dimension to their life experience. They process information differently than any generation has before them. Regardless of what technologies we use, what networks we hang out on, if we want to be successful with them we’d better learn how to talk to them, develop a relationship, and gain their trust.
We either embrace or resist this new age. It has new rules, a new paradigm, and a lot of new technology that influences how we interact with each other. Some of us are zealous and early adopters. Some of us resist change and hold out, perhaps with a virtual chip on our shoulder. (ha ha)...
A future worth having is going to be based on good relationships and community. It will be more about cooperation and inclusion and not defined through its exclusion.
These times hold great challenges and we’ll get through them.
Technology brings us an ever growing array of tools for solution, but it does not bring us any wisdom. That part is up to us. Anyway, it’s not about the technology, by itself it’s meaningless, but leveraging it to communicate, now that’s powerful.
“There go the people. I must follow them, for I am their leader.”
Alexandre Ledru-Rollin
We’re very fortunate here on Active Rain. It is an amazing community of talented people that converse, share, instigate debate, and generously lend a helping hand when asked. This in itself is a powerful means to discover what the future holds. The answers will reveal themselves if we keep talking and ask the questions.
“Together everyone achieves more. There are no limits to what we can accomplish together. I am more than I am but less than we are.”
Wally Amos
Reach out to people in other places. If we only hang out in the same old small town bar all the time and talk to the same people about the same things, never venture out, and feel all comfy about how agreeable we all are we’re going to miss out. Take what you are learning here and bring it to others in different communities. Talk with them and ask a lot of questions. Compare and share what you've learned here. Invite them to join us. Bring that experience back to the Rain and we’ll all be richer for it.
“We are the people we’ve been waiting for.”
Hopi Indian saying
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