Part of being a marketing student in business school in 2015, was the requirement to have capacity and ability to curate content. This alone lured promising students to the business profession. For those students that had a special talent in media, networking, and judging; those students were the ones with the infamous ‘it’. If a professor of marketing were to share stars of their classes, they would likely mention the highly engaged students, because, well, marketing is driven by engagement. This is about talented individuals who were either never those students, or sometimes those students. This is important because whether or not you were engaged in high school or college, there is value created in lived experiences! (This is a positive!)
Potential and promise are pressuring words to tell someone, even more loaded when the description comes from an admirable adult. How someone chooses to spend their energy is clearly an individual choice worth making (As I’ve stated before, but I’m not perfect either haha and I digress). A choice as this, is not to be judged, or merely advised upon in a therapy session (those are great though!). Word choices when speaking with twenty somethings is powerful for those delicate twenty year old’s because it takes an enormous amount of energy to withhold cringing at the sight and sound of words like; consider, required, compliance, and even intimacy. The culture of this decade is not for anyone’s fixing but those who are living it. 🙂 Many times, the individuals who are in their twenties, are holding back from making decisions for fear of making the wrong choice. Just for sh*ts and giggles, these people withhold their abilities because why not? Let’s see how far the “adults” in society can stress the absolute f-bomb out, because their child does not have a significant other, real-adult job, or stable living environment. No person in their twenties deserves to think there is such an idea as a wrong choice or wrong decision in steps along their path. Education’s purpose is to guide a learner to create using their experiences, theory, and concepts to apply themselves in a life worth living.
Learning from mistakes can be quite challenging, but acknowledging a mistake is the largest, nastiest, thickest pill to swallow for a young person. Imagine growing up with hovering adults ready to say, “I told you so,” or “well it’s okay hunny.” Both statements are little slaps to the face, or what some call, love taps. Nothing like a good love tap! Pushing boundaries is okay, just not always appropriate. Simply put, there are many issues, conflicts, and problems in today’s society and all people are not perfect. An adventure awaits people of all ages. Be angry and be courageous. Be lonesome and perplexing. There are few more satisfying activities than winning a facilitated argument, but I’d be willing to put money on negotiating a new idea as the ultimate satisfaction. Negotiate to serve, my dear friend.
Thinking back to those folks in 2015, curating content, lovers of media students, identifying their purpose in life. What does it look like? Engaging human connection whilst profiting the business is a safe way to put it. The saturation of sales, advertising, story telling, the whole shebang for artists to celebrate creativity through business and technology is such a tease! Promising young creatives, have so many stories to mimic from Billy Eilish and Justin Bieber. The internet made it possible for artists to explore their creativity and gain a following large enough to profit from. Now, how do organizing systems continue when this profit of human engagement has taken control of so many lives. The number of young people diagnosed with, dealing with, and overcoming mental illness is staggering in the nation. How does all of this success bred by boomers lead to a positive life for everyone? One where people can discuss ideas and opinions without head shaking and eye-rolling? How can we be more forgiving?
Simon Sinek talks and walks the idea, start with why. Why do people buy things, ideas, or communities? Connection, but make it authentic and aesthetically pleasing. Hold the feelings of loneliness close, with English norms of equating depression with business success. Each artist pushing the boundary to reach a level of satisfaction that identifies further than promise and potential. This exceptional belief that purpose and passion dominate life is debilitating and harmful. (Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe in pinky promises) Think of artists as entertainers and identify the trend in bad outcomes; Robin Williams, Amy Winehouse, Paul Walker, Mac Miller, Cameron Boyce, Mark Salling, Aaron Hernadez, Adrian Peterson, Tiger Woods and Michael Phelps. Not only are these individuals notable for their success in their industries, but for their bad outcomes.
Is it safe to acknowledge, that mental health is not a commodity? Play to your audience, and it will all be worth it!! Promise loyalty and open-ness, above all else. Btw, the desert is cold and rough!!
Young people, old people, middle people, ya’ll we got this. Happy day learners and fools!! (Even if, it’s only a Monday) hehe gotta smile.