Wednesday, September 10, 2008

You Gen-Y?

I have been attending a HR conference in KL these two days, being invited as one of the speakers. My 45-min presentation was quite uneventful – especially when I have a full room of hungry souls looking forward to the lunch break right after my session – though it is nice to know that some did enjoy my 45 minutes.

The one phrase that was uttered by practically every speaker – this one included, sadly – is “Gen-Y”. Much have been said about them and there is no stopping for more.

One of the speakers revealed that he uses internet tools to gauge the Gen-Y thinking and culture. He showed us websites where we can also take a peek, so to speak, into the world of the Gen-Y’s. Which sites you may ask – he came up with Facebook, Flickr, Digg, Wikipedia, Youtube and of course, blogs.

I was slightly incredulous – I am no Gen-Y, but I am in Facebook, Flickr/Photoblog/Stockxchange, Digg/Reddit, Wikipedia, Blogger and Youtube. How then can these sites show us anything in particular relating to the Gen-Y when we very well will meet people two or three times our age there? The internet has certainly been a paradigm shift to the world at large but certainly not limited just to the Gen-Y.

When we view stuff in these sites, they are full of people like us who want our voice to be heard. It doesn’t matter to us if it will only be to a small audience, or if anyone will agree with us. The matter of fact is that we get heard. Is that Gen-Y-ishly enough for you?

pearlie

2 comments:

  1. ... hmm you're definitely younger than your age ;p ... but i do think it is a dumb classification. the Gen-Y thing ... in fact if you didn't bring it up, I'll always think myself as Gen-X whatever that is :P

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  2. Dumb classification you say? But it does have some sense to it as well - as far as behaviour is concerned. Anyway I did not realise I am labelled Gen-X -- I always thought I am much older than that but more so, I hate to be labelled at all. Only one label I'd gladly wear, and honoured to - "child of God, bought and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ."

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