Aka generation gap. I refer to the natural evolution of the species and why some feel that they ought to be clued in to the latest and greatest. In fact the use of the words 'latest and greatest' speaks to the fallacy. What is latest is mostly not the greatest. Sometimes it is just short lived. It is foolish.
Most people attach and associate with ideas that become self fulfilling prophecies and show high adoption and acceptance. Just because a billion people are doing something does not make it a must have or 'you are doomed if you do not' situation.
Most people though don't like to overthink instead relying on their peers to make decisions and follow. It is also helpful to be accepted in social circles. Commenting on pithy remarks on websites and liking others for every fart has started becoming the currency to trade favors.
There is also the culture of wanting to be 'in the know' and be 'out there'. Estelle Costanza (for those that remember), an aging 'separatee' from Queens, NY also wanted to be out there. I am not sure what is out there.
Sometimes being right here is the place to be.
Being resident in the valley it is almost blasphemous to not have subscribed to the smartest phones, watches and apps and to top it have complete ignorance of what, how and where of the jillions of mergers and appointments and websites. Not making purchases online is another ghastly concept that the valley types cannot compute and yet for someone like me it is perfectly normal to not get excited about. I am also cheap in that I find great joy to peruse the book sale at the library and buy used paperbacks for less than a dollar to read and not have to Kindle the Amazonian revenues.
People a generation ago did not fly as much as we do and yet they found something to be content with right in their own railway stations. That many of those stations have become cesspools since then is a different story but you did not have to try hard to be somewhere you did not have to.
The internet has certainly opened the horizons for large swaths of society and brought lot of good. It has democratized access to information for most of the world, which to me is the best achievement in the last 100 years. But especially in Silicon Valley there is a sense of entitlement amongst large chunks of public that forces everyone to get on board the startup train, be entrepreneurial, sign up for exotic gym memberships, eat organic, wear yoga pants, drive a German sedan or leave town.
I am content to not board a train I know nothing or something about and be left behind. Guess what - if everyone boards and leaves I will have the station all to myself.
Most people attach and associate with ideas that become self fulfilling prophecies and show high adoption and acceptance. Just because a billion people are doing something does not make it a must have or 'you are doomed if you do not' situation.
Most people though don't like to overthink instead relying on their peers to make decisions and follow. It is also helpful to be accepted in social circles. Commenting on pithy remarks on websites and liking others for every fart has started becoming the currency to trade favors.
There is also the culture of wanting to be 'in the know' and be 'out there'. Estelle Costanza (for those that remember), an aging 'separatee' from Queens, NY also wanted to be out there. I am not sure what is out there.
Sometimes being right here is the place to be.
Being resident in the valley it is almost blasphemous to not have subscribed to the smartest phones, watches and apps and to top it have complete ignorance of what, how and where of the jillions of mergers and appointments and websites. Not making purchases online is another ghastly concept that the valley types cannot compute and yet for someone like me it is perfectly normal to not get excited about. I am also cheap in that I find great joy to peruse the book sale at the library and buy used paperbacks for less than a dollar to read and not have to Kindle the Amazonian revenues.
People a generation ago did not fly as much as we do and yet they found something to be content with right in their own railway stations. That many of those stations have become cesspools since then is a different story but you did not have to try hard to be somewhere you did not have to.
The internet has certainly opened the horizons for large swaths of society and brought lot of good. It has democratized access to information for most of the world, which to me is the best achievement in the last 100 years. But especially in Silicon Valley there is a sense of entitlement amongst large chunks of public that forces everyone to get on board the startup train, be entrepreneurial, sign up for exotic gym memberships, eat organic, wear yoga pants, drive a German sedan or leave town.
I am content to not board a train I know nothing or something about and be left behind. Guess what - if everyone boards and leaves I will have the station all to myself.
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