There’s a common French proverb: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” A similar common saying is that there’s nothing new under the sun.
Sure, humans are humans, and all the world over no matter how customs or traditions vary, people are more alike than they are different. But with today’s breakneck speed of technological change, do those proverbs still hold true?
Check out the Mindset List of the Class of 2018. It’s published each year by Beloit College. Originally created as a reminder to faculty to be wary of dated references, it became “a catalog of the rapidly changing perception of each new generation as they make an important transition.” It offers a glimpse into “the cultural touchstones and experiences that have shaped the worldview of students entering colleges and universities in the fall.”
If you’re one of “the olds” it’s a startling look at a very different worldview. If you’re an HR manager or a supervisor, it might give you a window into your upcoming new hires. Here are a few entries from this year’s list.
- “Good feedback” means getting 30 likes on your last Facebook post in a single afternoon.
- Attending schools outside their neighborhoods, they gather with friends on Skype, not in their local park.
- During their initial weeks of kindergarten, they were upset by endlessly repeated images of planes blasting into the World Trade Center.
- Since they binge-watch their favorite TV shows, they might like to binge-watch the video portions of their courses too.
- Female referees have always officiated NBA games.
- When they see wire-rimmed glasses, they think Harry Potter, not John Lennon.
Keep your eye out for a new list soon – plus, it is fun to surf past lists.
For another view of how life changes, BlazePress offers thirteen cartoons that sum up how the world has changed for the worse — a humorous but unflattering look at yesterday vs today, particularly in regard to the impact that technology has had on our lifestyle. Here’s a sampling.
