Why this is not a great time to be alive

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A few months ago, I wrote about why these are the best times to live in. But as I delved deeper into this, I realised that everything has a good and a bad side. And nothing can escape this rule of nature. Here is why I feel the times aren't that good either:

Information download is at an all time high

There are several choices to everything. Social media numbers are themselves staggering. Be it social media options, review sites, online shopping sites and apps, travel portals, scheduling apps and then reviews of everything that has already been reviewed. We are so inundated with so much information that it's just too much! It is harder than ever to convert information into knowledge or gain insights from all the fast paced information thrown at us. 

Everyone is an entrepreneur

While the times are conducive to being anything you want to, I feel that the start up space is getting too crowded. Every second person is an entrepreneur. The very freedom for anyone to start what you like is going against credibility and originality. I realised this when I was hunting for someone to manage my social media. Too many names, too many people offering the same services - no way to figure out the real experts. I had to go for the only way possible - spend money and see if it is worth it. It wasn't! 

'Unique' is a rare commodity

Do you blog? So do a million others. Are you an entrepreneur? So is your 20 yr old neighbour who works out of his garage. Are you an independent rock band? Another one will form in 2 minutes with 5 people from a college you never even heard of. There are more avenues to get you noticed but you aren’t unique. Anything that you can think of is more likely already not just explored but done to death. And attempts to flog the dead horse give rise to my next point.

Over marketing is the norm

What adds to the confusion is that it's no longer in fashion to call a spade a spade. There are fancy names to prove oneself unique from the others. Depending on who you are, you can choose to call it a shoveling instrument or a mud digger. And it sells! (I guess). I have come across  a mind reader, a idea chef (guess?), a human scientist (don't even ask!) and a happiness coach. I don’t know what any of that means. And with subjective professional vocabulary like this, it's hard to tell what people do. You may seem fancy, but how good are you at your job? 

Experience has diminished in value

Don’t get me wrong - I truly believe that nothing can ever beat experience. Someone who’s been there and done that will always have know better. But with the exposure that the internet and social media gives, someone a decade younger is more comfortable and equipped to deal with the new fangled technology and the fast paced world that we live in. Youngsters actually know certain things even better than the oldies. It’s a level playing field that way but experience no longer makes you exceptional. 

The peaceful times are over

With every passing day, the dream of ending the day with a quiet cuppa just like our parents did is a distant dream. We are so attached to our devices and the lure of the deluge of information they bring to us is so addictive that life is never going to be the same again. Adaptability is the key and we cannot afford to sit back and relax without the fear of being left out. 

There are a several other aspects that can be added that make these times not so great. This is my list. Would you like to add something to it?