Archive for the “Millennial Generation” Category

Normally, I watch Larry King Live on my TIVO.  But because I am in Portland working with a business friend and associate, I was forced to see Larry King Live on YouTube. I saw the interview of Carrie Prejean by Larry King and was stunned that she actually made herself look more of an idiot than she already had shown.

That interview was an embarrassment on so many levels. She had this annoying habit of clicking her fingernails on the interview desk during the beginning of the interview. She had no ability to make the distinction or counter Larry’s question as to her motive to dropping the lawsuit.

If she wanted to walk off the set, she should have left. Everyone would have been better off for it. Larry King is traditionally very polite and flattering to his guests.  If she can’t handle being interviewed with Larry, she can’t do it anywhere.

She is an idiot for not knowing why people continue to attack her.  It is because she continues to be a lightning rod and dredging the same crap up.  Even her so-called book seems to continue this.  The news had been calm for a few weeks until she decided to enflame the situation by filing a lawsuit against the pageant officials.

Fortunately, more hypocrisy was found of a secret solo-performance tape that shut her down.  Her lack of accountability is stunning. Her ability to distort the facts is stunning.  The fact that she claims she represents conservative women is embarrassing.  I know a lot of conservative women and none would ever behave like she does.

And I about laughed out loud when I her say about how much she accomplished in her 22-years.  Like what?  Parading around showing her body? Being unaccountable for anything bad that happened?  For being an intellectual midget? For continually seeking media attention, then complaining about it?

It is pretty rare for me to write a post of this kind about anyone but I had to vent somewhere.  Carrie Prejean is an idiot. She brought all this on herself and she deserves what she gets.  She needs to grow up. She is fooling very few people with her words.  They ring very hollow.

It isn’t often that I run into an online video that truly makes me stop and think.  Most online videos I see on YouTube are stupid, nonsensical, and just a lot of goofiness going on.  At best, I would say it is entertaining.  At worst, it is a waste of time and bandwidth.

However, in a phone conversation with my investor friend Joe, I was ranting and complaining how the quality of education both in the public and private sector is terrible.  How much of the real estate seminar industry was pretty sleazy and appealed to people’s ignorance.  And how so many people will suffer financially in their lives because of the mis-education and mis-information people accept as gospel.

I ranted on how people are not taught to think and not able to discern what is good information and what is bad.  Further, that the rate of change in our world would only reward those able to adapt, not people who clung to old ideas and notions of what the world SHOULD be like vs. accepting what the world IS.

In that spirit, Joe mentioned a video he had seen on YouTube.  It was referred to him by another person.  He told me to do a search on “shift happens”.  I got a chuckle out of that phrase but thought it was quite appropriate to what we were talking about.

Tonight, I finally had the opportunity to search “shift happens” on YouTube and I found related videos also entitled “Did You Know?”

I will not reveal the content of those videos but I will say, it made me speechless and it scared me.  It made me reflect on what I am doing today and what direction I am taking for the future.  And while I have not entirely figured out what I will do in the months and years to come, I do know that I cannot sit still.  I also know that I have to be prepared to leave people behind.

There will be people who will not accept the message of exponential change in the videos.  It will be too much for them to take.  They will either be paralyzed with fear unable to move or they will go into hiding being in denial that it will not affect them.  Either way, my feeling is that you have to ally, partner, and associate with those will want to move through the next waves of change or you will become a victim.

There is no way the government can save everybody.  There will be victims, many of them.  The strong, smart, and nimble will flourish unbelievably.  The weak, ignorant, and slow will find the future to be a depressing place.

The wealthy will continue to become wealthier.  The poor will become poorer.  25% of the middle-class will adapt and improve their lifestyles.  The other 75% will drop further down in their socio-economic ladder begging for assistance.

I believe at least half of the millennial-generation will continue to be dependent on their parents until they are age 30.  While they have the advantage of being technology-adaptable on their side, their poor work ethic, lack of professionalism, lack of discipline, and poor coping skills will hinder them.  But it is not entirely their fault.  The spoiled attitude of the millennial generation is a result of poor parenting skills of the baby-boom generation.  They pander to their children and do not have the emotional resolve to be strong parents.

Regardless of my observations of the millennial generation, I invite you to go check out the “Did You Know 2.0″ Video.  It is an excellent educational and thoughtful video.  It is well worth the 8 minutes out of your life to view it.

I am going to deviate a bit from what I normally write about…

Recently, I came to the conclusion that no matter how smart I get or how much I learn, there are going to be some things I will have to resign myself to “not getting” in this world. “Getting” meaning I cannot comprehend or make sense of it in my mind why people spend so much time and energy on.

Am I alone and in the minority when I say, I just don’t freaking get “MySpace” and “Facebook”?

Maybe I am just getting too old. I can create and launch websites. I can assemble and configure entire computer networks. I can do some light programming. I consider myself a Power User of computers, networks, and technology, in general. I love the Internet and use Instant Messaging, email, and upload/download all kinds of files. But why don’t I “get” MySpace and Facebook?

I have gone to the trouble of setting up a MySpace and Facebook page. I have gone through the motions of setting up half-way respectable personal pages. And there it sits and continues to sit, month after month.

I know I can reach out to others and “make more friends” or create a community. Is the reason why I don’t truly understand the benefits of Facebook and MySpace is because it is meant for the Millenial Generation? If so, the I will concede.

Personally, I think Facebook and MySpace has little practical application except for the fact that perhaps the Millenial Generation use it. But outside of that, what does it do for you aside from serving as a Personal Home Page? Is that what the big deal is? That the Millennial Generation so desperately want to connect with one another and show off all aspects of their embarrassing personal lives to the world? Perhaps they are places to indulge their exhibitionistic tendencies.

I have to tell you, the things people put up for the public to see is embarrassing and will carry some negative consequences if those individuals ever amount to anything in life. The fact that so many of those people don’t realize it shows their naivety.

One day maybe someone will teach me and show me the light regarding MySpace and Facebook. Aside from a few minutes of interesting diversion in looking up some people and learning about their personal lives, what is the big deal?