In a recent interview with Larry King,
world-renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, argued that the biggest
threat to humanity isn't nuclear war or the rise of artificial intelligence,
it's human greed and stupidity:
"Humanity needs to collaborate and change our assumptions of
wealth and possessions if it is to tackle challenges like climate change,
disease, food production and overpopulation."
These words are disconcerting to say the least
and serve as a rather shocking and worrying indictment of the direction in
which humanity may be currently headed. However, thankfully there is one
generation who appear to not only share his concerns, but are actively trying
to find a solution to a problem that, if ignored, could have catastrophic
implications for us all.
Millennials & The Culture of Sharing
Success used to be defined by the house that you lived in, the car
that you had on your driveway and the money that you had in your pocket.
However, Millennials, having seen the financial achievements of the Baby Boomer
generation, have realised that monetary success alone isn't the answer. As this
quote from Forbes demonstrates, “Money is important and they [Millennials] do
enjoy making it, however, they long to be part of something bigger than
themselves”, Generation Y recognise that there must be a more meaningful and purposeful motivator for success than wealth and
possessions alone.
Indeed, the concept of ownership has changed dramatically over the
last decade, with an increasing number of young people now choosing to take
advantage of the internet’s 'sharing economy'. This digital economy allows them
to rent or borrow physical resources such as cars, electrical appliances and/or
recreational goods, and frees them from the 'burdens' of ownership. Daniel
Arthurson, founder and CEO of Xercion observes that, "Gone are the days of
self-serving ownership -- community sharing and mass enjoyment are the
"now" trends."
It is perhaps unsurprising then that Hawking, one of the world’s
leading thinkers, should also choose to comment on people’s changing attitudes
towards ownership in his recent interview:
"People are starting to question the value of pure wealth ... is
knowledge or experience more important than money? Can possessions stand in the
way of fulfilment? Can we truly own anything, or are we just transient
custodians?"
In longing to be part of something bigger than themselves, Generation
Y are daring to ask the same questions - if money and possessions aren't the
key to happiness and fulfilment then what exactly is? It appears that by being
more socially conscious and responsible than any generation that has gone
before, Millennials may be one step closer to finding an answer to this
question. They understand that if they wish to be the instigators of positive
change, then this can only be achieved by holding themselves and others
accountable. Ghandi once said that we 'should be the change that we wish to see
in the world' - Generation Y are embracing this philosophy, and they are
inspiring the innovators, leading thinkers and entrepreneurs of our time, as
well as the next generation, to do the same.
Focusing on People as well as Profit
Perhaps it could be attributed to the wisdom of youth, but Millennials
recognise that money is and can be used as a powerful force for good, and that
it can be utilised to create real positive change in society. However, when
businesses work with the singular objective of maximising their profit margins
and fail to consider their social impact, the pursuit of money becomes blind
and the highest of ideals can all-too-quickly descend into greed and avarice.
As the gap between rich and poor only seems to grow wider, the need to
find an 'antidote' to the insidious nature of greed has never been greater.
Generation Y understand that we must start taking a top-down approach to
business, in order to create a world where the monetary success of a company
will no longer be of benefit to the few rather than the many. Of course those
at the top should be able to enjoy the fruits of their hard work and effort,
but so too should the employees working within the company, the community in
which it was founded and society as a whole.
In other words, big business should be expected to reinvest in the
social infrastructure of the communities that made them, and to set up
charitable initiatives that benefit the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in
our societies. Over time, this will create a 'drip-down' or 'domino' effect
that will ultimately enable individuals and communities to thrive. Millennials
don't only expect, but they demand that this Utopian vision,
which many dismiss as being the folly of youth and naivety, become a tangible
reality.
Because while those
belonging to the older generation may have little belief that our society can
ever change, Generation Y refuse to compromise their ideals. They know
that if we change our attitudes towards wealth, hold each other accountable and
resolve to conduct business in an ethical and socially responsible way, then we
can, and more importantly must, create a better and fairer world for everyone.
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