This morning I see this wonderful video ECM-Its Similar to Logans Run from @ljseverson. Believe it or not I had this post in draft so I am pushing it out before it is ready because I now know for sure “they are coming for me.”
In 1976 there was a cheesy sci-fi movie followed by a short-lived TV series titled Logan’s Run. Recently I found myself gaining a new appreciation for it as I took stock of my true place in the Social Media universe.
Here is the synopsis: in a post apocalyptic Utopian society people live intellectually dim but peaceful lives inside a protective dome. The problem is it is resource limited and they need a form of population control so at the age of thirty everyone “ascends” in a glorious psuedo-religious ceremony that results in their death and environmentally responsible recycling.
This story was so packed with thinly veiled social commentary that it is hard to figure out just who wasn’t a bad guy. Logan as one of the state police is sent under cover to infiltrate the resistance who only want to live outside and grow old (the horror). Upon discovering his future as fertilizer Logan decides on a career change from jackbooted enforcer to fugitive freedom fighter struggling to spread the truth.
One of the central themes was what would happen if we really bought into the idea from the sixties counter culture that you shouldn’t trust anyone over thirty. Satirical or not, we still have this argument today in technology and it is playing over and over again like a broken record. (yet another reference most of you won’t be able to relate to)
When it comes to social media I am starting to feel a little like Logan as I ask
- Am I over the age limit for relevance for social media opinion and innovation
- Am I a fugitive from the process enforcers trying to get the word out that there is life outside the process dome while paradoxically fighting to stay alive while the younger crowd tries to recycle me – a fate they are doomed to experience themselves
- Should I just give up and become an advocate for the establishment and live out my days as an admin disabling accounts and denying access to feel important. After all rules were put in place for a reason.
Not only are my children convinced I have no idea what I am talking about but business leadership is equally enamored with what the cool kids today are doing and rushing to emulate it.
What began as superficial interaction is now embraced as groundbreaking communication for no other reason than the fact that everybody is doing it. Insert old tech reference here. Client Server, OOP, Agile, SOA, blah blah blah.
Texting, tweeting, and virtual relationships of Facebook substitute for real conversation, understanding of process and value of experience and somehow we assume these have business value. Maybe they do but asking the question in certain circles is the analyst’s equivalent to “Get Off My Lawn.”
Both sides of the argument devalue the other missing the point that real success is when new ideas are embraced and leveraged by the establishment to overcome competition. Experience and enthusiasm are not mutually exclusive.
The funniest thing to me is all of the recent college grads groaning about elder technologists haven’t noticed that in the remake of Logan’s Run (scheduled for release in 2012) – the age limit is lowered from 30 to 21 so even they are too old to be cool. I am just glad that thanks to my kids I have a stock of Chuck-E-Cheese tokens so I can buy off the new technology decision makers with a round of skeeball.