Have you ever felt like the world was suddenly didn't look like the place you had grown accustomed to? At some point in every one's life you suddenly realize that the prevalent concerns of society have shifted. Some people long for the good ole' days, but at the end of the day this is never productive. As my grandfather told me once, "My whole life I have felt like I was living in the good ole' days." He embraced change at least enough to recognize that there was no use in looking back and wishing things hadn't changed. That is what happens, right? Things change. The good news is that the times seem to be moving more toward the Golden Rule than away from it, despite what you may hear about in the news.
I read a quote recently, which I thought was incredibly insightful from an interview with Tom Peters in Reason Magazine. He talks about what he calls the 'false-nostalgia-for-shitty-jobs-phenomenon'. He says, "Oh for the halcyon days when I could sit on the 37th floor of the General Motors Tower passing memorandums from the left side of the desk to the right side of the desk for 43 years. It’s just total shit. It really is. Life was not as glorious as imagined.” I like to think that the jobs that we have today are not as good as the ones that we will have in 10 years in this country. Are the jobs we lose due to the failure of GM worth saving when the new jobs created as a result are better? Not where I stand, but then I am not working there.
I think that were are at such a moment in time where a new Age is ushered in and things are suddenly different. The shift from the Information Age to the next thing has started. I'm not sure what to call it yet, but here's a few thoughts and some names that I like:
Freedom Age
The Information Age seems to be alive and strong. An IBM report states that the amount of digital information available in the world will double every every 11 hours by the year 2010. That is an impressive fact that is hard to get your mind around. With this ever growing amount of information, the amount of choices that each and every person has grows at an increasing pace. The choices that people in the developed world have are exposing people to new ways of thinking and living like never before in history. It isn't that people are less inclined now to follow the crowd, there are just a lot more crowds. When you look at the failures of socialist governments and ideals around the world, where there is a striving to make sure everything is fair and that no one gets more than someone else, regardless of their contribution to the world, I think that there is a case these days to argue that no matter what governments do or don't do, the world is becoming an increasingly free place to be. And I like that.
Green Age
Have you noticed how many older people are now using reusable shopping bags? The very segment of our population resistant to change seems to be embracing sustainable living (at least a little). A large part of the last presidential election revolved around alternative energy and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. What large corporation isn't spending boatloads of money to "green" up their image? There is an entire segment of our economy emerging as you read this that came out of nowhere to meet the demand for a more sustainable society. The impact is everywhere and it will continue to grow until it is business as usual. When I say business as usual, I don't mean that eventually no one will really think about it. This movement has forced its way into the board room and become a part of business in a way that touches all the other aspects and it is not going away. The green movement has not only brought in a desire to portray an environmentally friendly image, but is promoting innovation in more ways than any other cause in recent years. The greening of business has been to good to the bottom line for it to be a passing fad. While it is and will continue to be a part of business, the effect that it has in our personal lives and in our homes is increasing and this will certainly continue. Elementary schools are getting involved and young people around the country are growing up feeling a sense of ownership in our environment. And this is not just for the tree-hugger types. Maybe this is just one part of the new age, but it is a significant aspect.
Entrepreneur Age
No longer can we sit back and depend on someone else to ensure that we are taken care of. Your company and the government are not the saviors you may be hoping for. For example, medicare will not provide enough money to put your aging parents in a clean nursing home facility that you really feel comfortable with. It will pay for it, but it won't be something that anyone really deserves when they are in the twilight of their life. This is just an example of how that type of assistance is just not cutting the mustard and each of us needs to consider how we will take responsibility for our own lives and future. If you are really planning on government money to cover the shortfalls in your retirement fund, I would think again. The number of people who realize this and are taking their future in their own hands is increasing every day. An unprecedented number of people will start their own business in the next five years and our economy is moving into what is already being called the "Network Economy". Many of these people are boomers who are not able to retire fully, but definitely want to shift gears and retire from their job of 40 years. This move will usher in an age of entrepreneurship like we have never seen. Many of these businesses will have one or two employees and will be relationship based businesses. Large corporations will follow suit with an increasing shift from the traditional business model of product distribution to a network marketing business model. This shift will increase business efficiency and increase the wealth of millions of people. The Internet will also play a role, but this movement will really bring people closer together and bring back the day when people really knew the butcher, baker, and candlestick maker. In five years, you will buy many products and services from people you know personally that you are now buying from an impersonal business. Maybe you will be a part of this movement yourself.
Giving Age
Brad and Angelina and the loads of celebrities that are taking global causes and making them sexy have done something that will change the future of this world. Giving money and time to help other people has never looked so good. It has become the past time of the rich and famous. What better way to make something popular than to have good looking famous people doing it. This trend has even make it into main stream advertising. Can you think of a large company that is not promoting some cause or at least trying to portray themselves as a company who cares about the earth and people who are hurting? If you think about it, companies advertise to make more money and to appeal to people's base desires. It says something good about people that these companies are appealing to our built-in desire to help others. Through the Internet, it has become easy for anyone to set up a website to raise money for some specific cause and actually volunteer and participate. Look for this trend to continue through hard times, as well. The Huffington Post reported that "Contributions to American charities have increased during 39 of the past 40 years in today's dollars, and a change in the tax laws - not the stock market crash - can be blamed for the drop in 1987, said Melissa Brown, associate director of research for The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Between 69 and 72 percent of people give routinely." In hard times, people actually give more money (as a percentage of income) than when they are not hurting themselves financially. When people feel some of the pain themselves, they can more easily feel the pain of others. Another trend that will become more a part of our culture in a permanent way.
Whatever you call it, I like it and the future looks green. Green both financially and environmentally. Who cares what happens in the economy in the near future, times are changing and for the better. Join a network marketing company and get ahead of the curve. Take it from me, you'll be glad you did. The future looks good - bring it on!
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