The Productive Pessimist

  For the youngest members of the workforce, the idea that the internet could 'end' is an impossible consideration - like trying to imagine the life your family might be living if you'd never come along. For the oldest members of the workforce, there may be a bit of nostalgia for "the way things used to be", tempered with an acknowledgement, perhaps grudging, that the internet has made possible things that couldn't even be imagined when they first started their careers. For the mid-career Millennials, the idea that the internet might stop existing is an intriguing proposition, which comes presented with all sides of the possibility clearly visible. The good, the bad, the ugly and sublime. So, what suggests we might be entering 'The End of the Internet'? Firstly, simple timing.  It's been over 40yrs since the internet was first developed, in its first iteration (January 1st 1983). It's been just over 25yrs since the first social media platform l...

  A-Level results day (15th August 2024) has, in recent years, become overwhelmed with social media posts proclaiming that "results don't matter!" and shouting as loudly as possible about business success stories who "weren't academically successful, but are now doing way  better than that person in their class who got straight As!" This bandwagon may have started as a genuine desire to offer comfort to teenagers who were shattered by their first encounter with a particularly harsh reality: that hard work doesn't always guarantee the results you want, or need.  However, it's now become nothing more than a particularly toxic stage for adults to centre themselves and their achievements - "Hey, look at me, kids, I f--ked up completely in school, because I thought it was stupid and boring, and I'm doing okay!" This does harm on several levels: 1. It takes away the pride and sense of achievement which are the foundations of self-esteem and s...