When in doubt, reboot!
In honor of our first ‘Digital President’, it’s time to reboot.
I began my career working at a technology company straight out of college. I remember some words of wisdom there that proved to cure many ailments, “When in doubt, reboot.”
Those words came back to me today while thinking about where the Digital industry is now and where it has the ability to take us. Unless you live under a rock, there’s no denying the power of Digital – thank you President Obama. In this new reality of bank failures, soaring unemployment rates, and abysmal health-care, those of us still fortunate enough to be gainfully employed need to promote some goodwill. So to my earlier point… I think there’s a need for a proverbial “re-boot” in the Digital space. And we have a responsibility, being predominant digital social influencers, to do our part to perform this reboot.
Nobody would ever classify me as an “eternal optimist”, maybe a not-so-jaded realist at best. However, knowing the power of this medium, don’t we know how pervasive negativity can fester and spread?
Emo-tweeting, is killing me…. let’s reboot it!
Criticism as a primary form of communication…. let’s reboot it!
Blogging, Tweeting, and IMing thoughts that we would never say in person…. let’s reboot it!
Fixating on the inconsequential things, instead of counting our blessings…. let’s reboot it!
We are contributing to the most influential, permeating mood-changing mechanism ever created. I realize it is much easier (and dare I say, trendier) to jump on the negative bandwagon, but I guarantee there are those out there who are far worse off than us right now. I urge us all to use our influence to promote positivity. Who knows, maybe we can be the tipping point.
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Acts7…
To quote you “However, knowing the power of this medium, don’t we know how pervasive negativity can fester and spread?”
What I just don’t get is why didn’t this start with Bush? I’ll tell you why. People are lazy. Yeah thats right.
“Man things really suck I hate all the decisions President A is making Im going to mock him till he leaves.”
Enter President B. He’s had no oportunity to make decisions good or bad. Suddenly. Hey let’s all loop “Shiny Happy People” by REM.
What I’m saying is… I hope you really mean it about “being positive”. But what’s going to happen the moment President B makes his first mistake?
Its easy to be positive when things are going great. But what about if things tank? Thats when people should have been supportive. Knowing their president for better or worse is still the president. If for no other reason than knowing that by February 20, 2009 President A was out of office.
So I would like to challenge you to keep your words throughout. And when times gets equally tough for President B. That you will remember these same words. And not throw him to the dogs as many did with President A.
Thanks for listening.
Brian…
I think President Obama reminds us of the philosophical vision of America — a vision that has always been rooted in optimism.
While we might disagree on the best ways to get there or the priorities of the journey, Obama reminds us that we are all striving for the same ideal. The promise of Obama’s presidency is not that everyone will agree with him all the time — or that “Shiny Happy People” will become the new national anthem, but rather, that it marks the beginning of a meaningful dialog where we can acknowledge both sides of the partisan divide as colleagues who disagree versus enemies.
As we climb the mountain towards a more perfect union, the only way to look is up. I think we can all be optimistic about that.