Ashton Kutcher, who has been a fan and active user of Twitter for some time now, made a bet with CNN. Kutcher bet that he would reach 1 million followers before CNN. In a video, Ashton promises that he will donate 1 million dollars to a charity organization if he reaches his goal before CNN. Larry King has accepted his challenge.
Early this morning, Kutcher reached one million followers and even posted a video, filmed by a friend, which documented this special moment. Oprah has also begun using Twitter. In fact, she even spoke about Twitter during her show.
What does all this have to do with Generation Y? Everything.
These days, communication is instantaneous. We live in a time of urgency, and perhaps Baby Boomers aren’t prepared for this, and all that it implies. Everything happens so fast, that new generations can’t even imagine writing letters.
When I give talks, I like to bring in a pile of hand written letters. The young audience members stare at me, wondering what on earth those “things” are.
Mail isn’t used to deliver letters anymore. Letters just don’t fit into this generation’s mindset. Yet, today, the generation of “ink” coexists with the generation who declares a challenge via Twitter, and in less than 24 hours, is already up for a new challenge, as the previous challenge becomes old news.
All this Twitter talk brings me back to watching the first man set foot on the moon. I remember being struck with awe and enthusiasm, as my first television set allowed me to watch this magical event.
I think that for the new generations, this new world of instantaneous information flow, to which Twitter belongs, must be sort of like watching man set foot on the moon.
We are living in a time of great transformation and change. Ashton wisely summed it up, when he proclaimed the words, “It’s a media revolution.”
I understand this media revolution. I understand that sooner or later, our children grow up. They inevitably fly past us in business and in life.
And I think that although we have to deal with these innovations and life revolutions, we also need to count on youth’s contributions, to improve society.
I want to see us, our hands linked together, our baggage shifted and still moving, standing barefoot. Living together.
Twitter alone won’t propel us forward. It’s only together that we can truly move.
Perhaps the old Brazilian saying “A single swallow will not make summer,” has never rung so true. Masses are transforming the world.
So, I propose this to the different generations:
Let’s get to know each other better?
