Generation Wars: Sticking It To the Olds

This is an off-subject post but you might find it interesting, even amusing.

Australia is a fascinating place – especially if you interested in the 50-plus market. So, whenever I see something with Australia in the title it gets that extra bit of attention.

I have just read an article by Ryan Heath (author of: Please just F* Off). Marketing lesson number one. It got my attention, ten out of ten.

Anyway, Ryan Heath has that street fighting style of writing that works on the basis of don’t worry about the logic read the invective.

Having said that he does have some interesting stuff to say and I found myself agreeing with many of his gripes. Pity he had to dilute his arguments with the daft photo.

Basically he feels that the inventiveness and freshness of a society is driven by youthful drive and vigour and that this is (will be) swamped by a society where power is in the hands of older people.

Unfortunately he thinks that a stream of short snappy “deep and meaningful” statements aggregates to expressing an argument. For example:

We are the first post-Politically Correct generation — opposed to prejudice and self-appointed cultural police alike. We've been to IKEA more often than we've been to church. We are income rich and asset poor, immersed in a culture of debt and the victims of 'Property Apartheid.'

We are the most educated, skilled generation yet. We want conversations, not lectures. We don't look to State power to accomplish an agenda — we're skeptical of government and would rather do it ourselves where we can.

When the essence of a generation is diversity, a single label is always going to leave out the majority. In that sense we are label-proof — the banal and generic 'Generation Y' means nothing to any of the people I know.

After reading the article and going to his web site I thought I would buy the book. I then read details of his background and these chilling words:

Now I live in London and have the absolute privilege of working for the Cabinet Office (UK) as a speechwriter and communications adviser. It's hard to believe - given the Australian system - but that means I am totally independent of the Labour Government.

Once I had recovered from a fit of spluttering,“Is this guy mad” and a range of other statements, all containing numerous *******s, I was left trying to remember the saying about the young being easily impressed and blind to the truth. For none UK readers, the politicisation, of the civil service, by our Labour Government, is one of its worst legacies. That is not a party political view, it is a fact.
Dick Stroud