
The big "oh yeah" realization that seems to be going around these days is the decentralization of information. Any one with a laptop can do what I am doing now, upload information for others to soak up. It will be far easier to fill your mind than fill your pocket book in the future. (Unfortunately it will likely continue becoming easier than ever to empty both to boot). The fallout from this brave new reality is that the grunt work for white-collar services is out-sourceable.
Globalization in the 1990s changed the nature of the nation's economy as manufacturing jobs fled abroad to low-wage, skilled and motivated workers. The prospect of the same process overtaking much of the service industry rich nations like ours have come to rely upon is unsettling.
Many people's first reaction is to raise barriers. With the prospect of so much change coming on so quickly it’s only natural to want to stop the flood. I believe that the recent interest in immigration was manifestation of these anxieties though it proved a poor substitute for open discussion of the tectonic changes occurring in global economics and politics. Trying to erect barriers to put our economy and society into a static stability would be disastrous for the nation as well as each individual. As call centers and IT "information supply-chain management"- type works move to
Historians have never praised a society for erecting barriers and trying to shut out the outside world. Open societies that engage with their neighbors, learn, compete and improve grow to be robust, dynamic and resilient. Isolationism breeds brittle, inefficient and decadent stasis. The first hoarse coughs of a decaying nation originate in the impulse to "keep things the way they were, because we were strong then."
Out of challenge and adversity should come inspiration and success. We must recognize the rise of
This realization, to me, is something that is fundamentally missing from the
A young person in
So travel the world, learn languages, become proficient within another culture, explore the boundaries of a scientific field, or new ways to apply old knowledge. It is a daunting task. But it is one with literally limitless potential for growth through challenge, learning and teaching. And
Two things always baffle me. First, when people know what they want to do with their lives. To have one's life already written seems to take all of the fun out of living. Life becomes a series of tasks to achieve a set ends. The second is when people don't have anything they want to do after school. Rather than asking a good question and exploring it, they want an easy answer. It’s not the answer that's important, it’s exploring the question.
Most college graduates are uniquely positioned in that if they put some effort into it, they can go anywhere and do anything. It is your obligation to yourself and others to do so. There is no such thing as wasting time as long as you keep learning from your experiences.
It's the power to write the next chapter, change the world, blaze a trail, find yourself, and love humanity. It's enlightenment and purpose. It’s the obligation to be unique and define yourself thoughtfully. To not be excited by that opportunity is unimaginable.
It's always scary to let go, even when you know can't hold on forever. But scarier still is the prospect of trying to survive statically.
Managing such a monumental adaptation is a task that could never be done well enough. But the vision still inspires. I believe that most people do not see and that is why they are scared.
THERE IS NO END TO LEARNING.
No comments:
Post a Comment