Genychat | There From Here

#GenYChat 6/15/11: @CoachJennie Discusses Living Audaciously

June 15, 2011 By Chanelle Schneider Leave a Comment

“Who would have thought the kids would start taking over so soon? Or that they would even want to? They were supposed to be slackers, cynics, drifters. But don’t be fooled by their famous pose of repose. Lately, more and more of them are prowling tirelessly for the better deal, hunting down opportunities that will free them from the career imprisonment that confined their parents. They are flocking to technology start-ups, founding small businesses and even taking up causes–all in their own way. They are making waves on the Web, making movies in and out of Hollywood, making money, spending money.”

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The article goes on to say: “Slapped with the label Generation X, they’ve turned the tag into a badge of honor. They are X-citing, X-igent, X-pansive. They’re the next big thing. Boomers, beware! It’s payback time.”

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Thought that was about Generation Y, didn’t you? Stepping back into the archives of Time magazine will show that each generation is described in much the same way. Each generation is lazier than those prior; each generation is more dedicated to living the lives their parents didn’t live; and, each generation is wont to cast off the stereotypes put on them by previous generations.

The proliferation of these stereotypes causes the eye-rolling, the *sighs*, and the “get off my lawn” mentality that prevent healthy communication. When we are trying to determine who we will become in life, the people we should speak with are those that have been there. Jennie Mustafa-Julock (@CoachJennie on Twitter) understands how healthy communication can spur ambition. The Audacity Coach, Jennie helps people who “…know what [they] want, but this ain’t it.”

Jennie, often a participant, will be serving as guest host in tonight’s #GenYChat. We will discuss the following questions:

Q1. What do you want to be when you “grow up”? Is that what you do now? #genychat

Q2. What’s your top-secret/so-not-telling/seriously-don’t-make-me-say-it AUDACIOUS DREAM? #genychat

Q3. Is having an AUDACIOUS DREAM an example of #GenY entitlement? If so, is that okay? #genychat

Q4. If money/time/family pressure/gravitational forces were NO object, how would you achieve your DREAM? #genychat

Q5. If your friends or family provide support along the way, do they get a say in your choices? Why or why not? #genychat

Q6. What excuses do people make that sabotage their DREAMS? #genychat

Q7. Which is scarier: Fear of Success or Fear of Failure? Why? #genychat

Q8. How do you push through the procrastination + fear to actualize your DREAM? #genychat

Q9. How can you show that you are ready + willing to do whatever-it-takes to achieve your dream? #genychat

How to Participate in #GenYChat on Twitter

If you haven’t participated in the chat before, but have insights to share, please do the following to participate:

If using Twitter.com:

Type “#genychat” into the search field
Reply and ReTweet but add “#genychat” onto your tweets in order for everyone participating to see your tweets

If using TweetChat:

Sign in through OAuth. (note: Please read this information about using OAuth to give third party applications access to your account)
Type “genychat” into the search field (The “#” is already provided)
Click Go
Reply and ReTweet. TweetChat puts the hashtag in for you so you don’t have to

If using TweetDeck:

Click the + symbol to add a column
Type “#genychat” into the search field. A column will appear as the last column in your TweetDeck
Using the left arrow button, move it next to your Mentions column to better see and respond to your replies while in the chat
Click the Settings button
Click on the Twitter tab
Click on Auto include hashtags when replying
Click Save settings
Reply and ReTweet. TweetDeck puts the hashtag in for you so you don’t have to. (Note: You still have to add “#genychat” onto your own tweets in order for everyone participating to see your tweets)

#GenYChat begins at 9pm ET! Get in early for introductions and mingling. See you there!

Filed Under: GenYChat Topics, Random Thought Of The Day Tagged With: career, failure, family, fear, GenY, genychat, get a job, get there from here, help, job search, linkedin, middle class, motivation, my passion, parents, success

One Drink Stands: How Do You Date in the Digital Age?

April 12, 2011 By Chanelle Schneider Leave a Comment

MTV Skins Episode

Would Baby Boomers (ages 47-65) balk at the sexual mores of Generation Y (ages 18-30)? Baby Boomers who came of age during the Summer of Love in 1967 expressed a desire to shed the traditions of their parents and freely love who they wanted, when they wanted. Some argue that this revolution resulted in an attitude of sexual entitlement by men. Deny them and be considered a tease or a prude.

Generation X would pay for their prior generation’s promiscuity in the form of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s). The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officially recognized AIDS in 1981. While some of the Boomers at the tail end of the generational timeline were giving their love away, unprotected, the GenX’ers were jumping on the contraceptives bandwagon. The notion that “wrapping it up” could prevent unwanted childbirth put even more pressure on women to “give up the rhythm”. Still, listening to the music of the time, one could argue that men were, at least, romantic. This is less true today.

Since it takes more than a professional life to be a whole person, I’m so glad that @ShannonRenee, a relationship marketing professional, agreed to be this week’s #GenYChat guest host to talk about her experiences as a self-proclaimed serial dater.

I’m 42. I’ve been dating for 26 years. I’ve dated short, tall and everything in between. I’ve dated Black, white, Latin and some more. I’ve dated fine-as-hell, unattractive and alright. I’ve dated rich, poor and making it middle class. I’ve dated MD, MBA, PhD, BS, JD and GED. I’ve dated preppy, dandy, thug, biker and bohemian. I’ve met men in church, at work, the book store and the car wash. Men have hit on me at bars & restaurants, the theater and night clubs. I’ve speed-dated for 3, 8 and 10 minutes. I’ve done Single Volunteers and online dating. My family has set me up and friends have fixed me up. And with all of this…I could’ve had a V-8 and saved myself time, energy, money and heartache.

Whereas men once courted women, came to their door, met their parents, and made you feel special, now you’re lucky if you can get them to put their iPhone down long enough to start a conversation. Is dating in the Digital Age made more or less difficult by Social Media? Can you trust the people you flirt with? How long do you have to “know” them before you start flirting? What if things go bad?

According to one report on TheTechJournal, more than 20 percent of an online divorce lawyers case list was because of an affair that started on Facebook. However, not all of them involve sexual relations, “The most common reason seemed to be people having inappropriate sexual chats with people they were not supposed to. Source

As Generation Y comes of age and looks for love as every generation that has come before, the common gripe is that men want one thing and women make it too hard to get it. Divorce rates are increasing and people under 30 are prolonging their education and delaying marriage. With the proliferation of men getting caught cheating on their wives, many women are left wondering if it even makes sense to marry. Should we just go from relationship to relationship, distancing ourselves from our biological instincts to settle down and have children? Or, does it make more sense to be uncommitted and free?

Shannon says, This mindset, saving or waiting for a husband before this or that is silly.

What do men think about relationships?

This is just a sampling of tweets that caught my eye from men on Twitter. It does not reflect the entirety of male opinion.

There is a discussion about relationships every day on my Twitter stream, so let’s bring the conversation to #GenYChat on Wednesday, 4/13 at 9pm ET. Keep in mind that #GenYChat is for all ages; and, we welcome the insights of every generation so that we may learn from one another.

Leave a comment and let us know which of the following questions you’d like to discuss during the main portion of the chat from 9PM-10PM ET. We will select 8 questions for the main hour.

Every man’s favorite question: Why are you still single?
What is your definition of a friend?
Are you looking for a long term relationship? Why or why not?
Are there different types of dating?
Does emotional intimacy matter? What is the difference between sex and love?
If you’re not attracted to someone, can you *just* be their friend?
You’ve said Happiness is not your end goal in life. What is your end goal in life?
Are you happy even when you’re not dating?
You discuss personal topics sometimes. Why don’t you protect your tweets?
Have you ever been in love?
Have you dated/Would you date someone you met from Twitter?
Have you ever looked for love on Twitter?
How can someone you’re interested in dating gain your trust?
Are we too focused on finding love?
Have you ever lost interest in someone based on their social media habits?
What is the biggest mistake we make in trying to find love?
Do you still believe in love?
What role do women play in making relationships harder?
What do men and women do on Twitter that are major turn-offs?
What do the movies get wrong about relationships?
What happens in Vegas stays on…Facebook? How do you handle dating in the Digital Age?
What does it take to get married and stay married?
How do you feel about women approaching men?
Is the quality of conversation on dating websites the same as Twitter?
Social flirting. Do you engage.? Do you still flirt if you’re already dating?
How much is too much online interaction with the opposite sex?

Filed Under: GenYChat Topics Tagged With: Boomer, dating, GenX, GenY, genychat, relationships

Non-Profits and Social Media – GenYChat Topic 1/19/11

January 17, 2011 By Chanelle Schneider 2 Comments

For this week’s #GenYChat on Non-Profits and Social Media you are getting insight into the questions ahead of time, as well as resources to aid in the discussion. #GenYChat is at 9pm ET on Wednesday 1/19.

According to a survey done by Ventureneer and Caliber,

• Nonprofits using social media have more tolerance for failure. Trying something new, even something as widely used as social media, usually involves some risk and those unwilling to risk failure are unwilling to try social media.
• Nonprofits that aren’t using social media generally do not describe themselves as innovators. They are more likely to let others test something new before they try it.
• Nonprofits that aren’t using social media are more likely to be organizations that want a
rock-solid case for any new undertaking

Social Media Today also provided an analysis of a Non-Profit Benchmarking Report noting that:

Looking at how survey respondents use commercial social networks, the most popular role is for traditional marketing—to promote the non-profit’s brand, programs, events or services—with 92.5% of survey respondents indicating this role as the purpose of their presence on commercial social networks.
The second most popular role is for fundraising (45.9%). Program delivery (34.5%) and market research (24.3%) via the social network are utilized, but less frequently.

Special Guest Host!

Trained in Public Relations, Keisha J. Reed decided that she wanted to make a bigger impact on the community that she resides in and work for the nonprofit sector. A product of nonprofit programs that impact inner-city children, she understands the importance of the presence of these programs because they helped introduce her to arts and culture. Martha’s Table, Say Yes and Girl Scouts are just some of the programs that Reed has contributed to.

Questions

Q1. What is the benefit of social media for non-profits? #genychat
Q2. Is there a difference in business strategy for non-profits vs. for-profit organizations? #genychat
Q3. Does the “fearless” stereotype work in favor of GenY’ers in the non-profit industry? #genychat
Q4. How can a consultant explain the monetary value in investing in social media to a non-profit? #genychat
Q5. How can non-profits appeal to each generation without pandering to them? #genychat
Q6. What metrics determine the success of a non-profit’s social media engagement? #genychat

How to Participate in #GenYChat on Twitter

If you haven’t participated in the chat before, but have insights to share, please do the following to participate:

If using Twitter.com:

Type “#genychat” into the search field
Reply and ReTweet but add “#genychat” onto your tweets in order for everyone participating to see your tweets

If using TweetChat:

Sign in through OAuth. (note: Please read this information about using OAuth to give third party applications access to your account)
Type “genychat” into the search field (The “#” is already provided)
Click Go
Reply and ReTweet. TweetChat puts the hashtag in for you so you don’t have to

If using TweetDeck:

Click the + symbol to add a column
Type “#genychat” into the search field. A column will appear as the last column in your TweetDeck
Using the left arrow button, move it next to your Mentions column to better see and respond to your replies while in the chat
Click the Settings button
Click on the Twitter tab
Click on Auto include hashtags when replying
Click Save settings
Reply and ReTweet. TweetDeck puts the hashtag in for you so you don’t have to. (Note: You still have to add “#genychat” onto your own tweets in order for everyone participating to see your tweets)

Filed Under: GenYChat Topics Tagged With: genychat

Generation Y Change-Maker: Zim Ugochukwu

January 16, 2011 By Chanelle Schneider Leave a Comment

How Did We Meet?

Zim Ugochukwu first moved onto my radar in the summer of 2009 when I mentioned that I would be attending the Campus Progress National Student Conference (CPNC) on Twitter. Almost immediately I received a tweet from @IgniteGSO saying they would be there, too, and that I should check out their project. Usually I don’t click on anyone’s link just because they send it to me, but I made an exception. As someone who worked on her college campus to battle against apathy and increase student involvement, I was impressed by the mission and, later, inspired by Zim when she received an award for her work on stage at the CPNC.

I’m grateful that Zim was paying attention to updates about the conference because I have been able to see her consistent growth for close to two years. If anyone deserves to be on a “Ones to Watch” list, it’s her. In a world full of people seeking change and innovation for selfish reasons it is refreshing to see someone so committed to selfless progress.

What follows is an interview I conducted of her, gaining insight into her multiple projects and how she is getting there from here.

What is helloChange?
helloChange is the largest youth run National Anti-tobacco activism program. It was called the Electrified Youth Project at first. Our mission is to fight back against Big Tobacco. We recently won a $250,000 PepsiRefresh grant and we’ll be going on a 20-30 city tour this summer in addition to hosting a conference in Louisiana.

What is your role in helloChange?
I am Vice President of Activism.

How did you find out about helloChange?
Chad Bullock, the founder, and I went to middle school together. We lost touch but met again when I was interning in Washington, DC. He has always been involved in teaching young people. He approached me about this project, and that’s how I became involved. Chad used to be on the youth advisory board of Truth and is the first non-celebrity to win a Teen Choice Award. He just turned 22. He uses his age to his advantage and the oldest person involved in helloChange is 25.

What is Ignite Greensboro?
The first mission of Ignite Greensboro was to raise awareness for the Civil Rights Museum. When I didn’t receive the support I was looking for, I decided to move on with the project on my own and within the same year was getting recognized by the same people who said it wouldn’t work.

Ignite Greensboro is a project based on mobilizing the students from the colleges and universities in Greensboro to engage in the community through ongoing social action and comprehensive programs. Our mission is to provide a medium for college students to become effective catalysts for change and competent representatives of progress in our society.

The purpose of There From Here is to inspire people with stories and advice from those who are achieving their goals by showing how they are getting where they’re meant to be. Do you have any advice to share for people who may be struggling with following through on their ideas or staying motivated?
Not every idea is going to work. Some ideas may be so ambitious. We have the ability to make our own decisions. If someone’s telling me no, then we’ll find another way around it.

Never ask permission to start a revolution. Our ancestors had the same fear during the Civil Rights Movement. We have to learn to move past the fear. My conscience never says you can’t do this. What do you have to lose? What are you waiting for? [People who are afraid] wait like they’re waiting for something to happen. You just have to do it.

Growing up I always knew I would be a doctor. My whole family was ok with that decision. My mom was not comfortable when I started to go on a different track. She would say, “Get a job because it pays good.” Now, her mentality has shifted and she sees what I’m doing. She did always tell me that if I don’t like something, I need to fix it, so my tenacity comes from that.

I’m thankful for grants and scholarships that paid for school. I doubt I would have been able to do any of this had I had to work 40 hours a week. I don’t get paid for my work with Ignite Greensboro. When I graduate, I might be working overseas.

Where do you begin searching for grants?
No website in particular but type in what you’re looking for into Google or even the local library section on non-profits. The grant we’re applying for now I found by just Googling. There are so many grants a lot of people aren’t applying to.

Where does your courage come from and how did you find good people to help?
If you’re willing to take the setbacks that come to you, stay involved. The only thing you’re losing is the status quo. Somebody across the world is going to come up with the same idea. You have to decide if you’re going to be the person to provide what the world needs. There is beauty in collaboration. Find someone who specializes in what you’re not specialized in. Work with committed peers who are not just excited. Excitement fades. They have to be passionate. Your conscience is there for a reason. It may be a fault of mine, but I always listen to my conscience and my conscience never says don’t do it.

How do you maintain a work/life balance?
This is a tough question because sometimes I don’t even know. I’m trying to get better at balance. I find motivation in the smallest things. I’m more motivated by the final picture. I think that I’m more of a facilitator. I know that my motivation comes from that. Sometimes the work becomes stressful. Living by myself helps because I don’t have to deal with people in my space. I don’t think that I’m 100 precent balanced, but I have a lot of energy.

Where can we find more information about your projects?
Go to ignitegreensboro.org and hellochange.org or follow us on Twitter at @IgniteGSO and @hellochange.

Filed Under: Advice, Gen-Y Goal Stars Tagged With: generation Y, genychat

Mentors: Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y Discuss Benefits on GenYChat 1/12/11

January 12, 2011 By Chanelle Schneider Leave a Comment

GenYChat Topic 1/12/11

#GenYChat is tonight at 9pm ET. We will be discussing mentorships with a specific focus on their benefits to each generation. With the evolving workplace many professionals are scrambling to understand, train, and retain new talent. Mentors are the key to that process. Without someone experienced in the company to provide insight and guidance, new hires are left to find a way on their own, which can have advantages and disadvantages.

A 2008 Spherion Emerging Workforce Study found that only 43 percent of workers felt job satisfaction. Further,

Training and continuing education are cornerstones to retaining top talent. Workers’ success depends on how many new skills they can develop along their career path. This may include classroom instruction, lunch and learns, or mentoring programs where workers can learn from one another. Mentoring can also be a part of the on-boarding process, which can kick off a new employees’ educational path, and allows mature employees to share their knowledge and experience with future leaders of the company.

The Spherion Emerging Workforce Study reveals top drivers for retention, and although healthcare benefits (78%) and compensation (75%) are viewed as the most crucial to retaining employees, according to surveyed workers, retention is more than salary and benefits. Employees need to believe that they are part of the fabric of their employer’s workplace culture, while achieving their career goals and building a satisfying career path.

Special Guest Host!

Mark Babbitt is a passionate advocate for emerging Gen Y talent, entrepreneurship and mutually beneficial mentor relationships. Babbitt is Founder and CEO of YouTern where future business leaders find mentors among today’s dynamic innovators. A lifelong entrepreneur, mentor and speaker, Mark’s diverse background includes two successful online recruiting start-ups and a decade of experience as CEO of a Silicon Valley marketing firm.

How to Participate in #GenYChat on Twitter

If you haven’t participated in the chat before, but have insights to share, please do the following to participate:

If using Twitter.com:

Type “#genychat” into the search field
Reply and ReTweet but add “#genychat” onto your tweets in order for everyone participating to see your tweets

If using TweetChat:

Sign in through OAuth. (note: Please read this information about using OAuth to give third party applications access to your account)
Type “genychat” into the search field (The “#” is already provided)
Click Go
Reply and ReTweet. TweetChat puts the hashtag in for you so you don’t have to

If using TweetDeck:

Click the + symbol to add a column
Type “#genychat” into the search field. A column will appear as the last column in your TweetDeck
Using the left arrow button, move it next to your Mentions column to better see and respond to your replies while in the chat
Click the Settings button
Click on the Twitter tab
Click on Auto include hashtags when replying
Click Save settings
Reply and ReTweet. TweetDeck puts the hashtag in for you so you don’t have to. (Note: You still have to add “#genychat” onto your own tweets in order for everyone participating to see your tweets)

Filed Under: GenYChat Topics Tagged With: genychat

25Reasons Wrap Up Part I

January 3, 2011 By Chanelle Schneider 1 Comment

I began the 25Reasons Project On December 6, 2010 as a way to showcase my experience with social media through consistent, daily blog posts. In this series of wrap up posts I will discuss the results of the project as well as what I learned.

Here is a preview of the analytics I will be reporting on.

As you can see I experienced major gains from this project, which have impacted my blogging and career goals for 2011.

Stay tuned!

Filed Under: 25Reasons Tagged With: 25Reasons, genychat

GenYChat Recap – 12/29/2010

December 30, 2010 By Chanelle Schneider Leave a Comment

Every Wednesday at 9pm ET #GenYChat’ers meet on Twitter to discuss topics that help bridge the perceived generational gap. The goal of #GenYChat is to learn from each other by exchanging ideas across all ages.

Being the week of New Year’s Eve, this week’s chat took a turn towards introspection. The goal was to see how each generation feels about the direction their lives have taken and what changes, if any, will be made for 2011.

The following are tweets taken from the transcript, highlighting the theme of the chat.

GenyChat:

Q1. When is it time to move on from a job versus staying and working harder? #genychat

bbenishek:

Q1: This is a tough one. Several of my friends just can’t stand what they’re doing, job OR career–yet they have to pay bills #genychat

ArrowsWithSoul:

ahahha nice! RT @DaveYouTern: When your door access card is turned off? #genychat

JDEbberly:

Q1 I learned that one the extremely HARD way – I stayed too long at a BAD job – With negative repercussions that lasted 16 yrs #GenYChat

GenyChat:

Q2. Is there anything in your past that you wish you had handled differently? #genychat

kammerait:

@GenYChat How about – what in your past did you do exactly right the first time?

#genychat

DaveYouTern:

I agree… RT @bbenishek: Q2: Should have gone into internships vs snapping up the first job I found Good experience at least! #genychat

GenyChat:

Q3. How are you different now versus 10 years ago? Where would you like to be in ten years? #genychat

catelouie:

Q3: 10 years ago I basically did everything possible to “fit in” and “be liked” instead of just being true to myself. #genychat

danperezfilms:

@WriterChanelle 10+ years ago I sounded a lot like you guys – have sobered up since

#genychat

elevatedhr:

A3: Learned to be more patient & less emotional. Learned how to play the political game & enjoy it. Understand not all is fair. #genychat

oppsproject:

A3- 10 years ago, I wish I’d realized there were multiple paths to success. And that I was stronger than I thought. #genychat

CathyWebSavvyPR:

Q3 How am I diff from 10 yrs ago? I am more confident in what I know & what I do, & more willing 2 admit what I don’t know #genychat

bbenishek:

@LisaNicoleBell I’m thinking I need to dig up things I wrote from 10 years ago and see what’s changed in me… #genychat

Data_Diva:

AMEN! RT @danperezfilms: Marriage, kids, mortgages, kidney transplants – makes you change your course in life, sacrifice… #genychat

mshahab:

10 years ago I was an angsty pre-teen, definitely learned a lot and grown through experiences since #genychat

storeyourdorm:

Would love to see more of an emphasis educating youth about financial responsibility & setting personal goals & less on academia. #genychat

bbenishek:

@storeyourdorm I would have loved a course on any of those before I got out of college. #genychat

GenyChat:

Q4. Where does your motivation to succeed derive from? How will you succeed differently in 2011? #genychat

Data_Diva:

Debt & credit scores don’t define *YOU*. Yes financial health is important but too many of us boomers got caught up in “status” #GenYChat

CathyWebSavvyPR:

My goal – use my talents 2 build an amazing life & help others unlock their talents & create an Amazing World #genychat

WriterChanelle:

Love RT @LisaNicoleBell: @WriterChanelle my motivation is my legacy – my ultimate goal is for the world to be better b/c of me #genychat

GenyChat:

Q5. Is it realistic to backpack across the country and start a new life anymore? #genychat

UncompletedWork:

@WriterChanelle Road trips are great. You can be poor anywhere. Why not be poor where you might be happy? #genychat

onejillian:

A5: I think it is NOT realistic to backpack across the country anymore bc of COSTS and RESUME stress from hiring mgrs #genychat

GenyChat:

Q6. What is the difference between knowledge, talent and skill? Which should we focus on for professional careers? #genychat

LisaNicoleBell:

@WriterChanelle knowledge = info, skill = applied info, talent = natural ability. I think the focus should be on melding the 3. #genychat

Filed Under: 25Reasons Tagged With: 25Reasons, genychat, linkedin

Undercover Boss: Can CEO’s Do Frontline Jobs?

December 27, 2010 By Chanelle Schneider Leave a Comment

Prevalent in most interviews is a question about management style.

My dream manager has done the work I’m doing and understands what it’s like to be in a new, challenging role.

Patience, leadership, and a willingness to answer questions and hear my ideas are hallmarks of a great management style.

In watching episodes of Undercover Boss, it is evident that these CEO’s who take on tasks relegated to the frontline workers become better bosses in the process. I’m always in tears at their generosity and good spirit at the end of each show.

What is your preferred management style?

Filed Under: 25Reasons Tagged With: 25Reasons, genychat

Why Shouldn’t I Work For You?

December 26, 2010 By Chanelle Schneider 2 Comments

Would you ask this question to an employer in this new economy? I wouldn’t – lest I be cast off as one of the self-obsessed, entitled brethren of my generation.

When I saw this scene (again) in Good Will Hunting, though, I realized how much it oozes the spirit of Generation Y. To our own fault, in some cases, we would rather work for a company dedicated to promoting societal benefit than blight. His type of genius is remarkable and extremely valuable, thus companies and individuals pursued him. Steadfast in his beliefs, he sought the personal triumph in standing on his principles.

When you have bill collectors on your back and financial pressure causing discord within your family, can you afford to hold onto principles? Watch the clip. Let me know what you feel in the comments.

Good Will Hunting transcript snippet

NSA Interview

WILL
So, why do you think I should work for the National
Security Agency?

NSA AGENT
Well, you’d be working on the cutting edge. You’d be
exposed to the kind of technology that you wouldn’t see
anywhere else because we’ve classified it. Super string
theory, chaos math, advanced algorithms…

WILL
Code-breaking.

NSA AGENT
Well, that’s one aspect of what we do.

WILL
Oh, com’on, I mean, that is what you do. You guys
handle 80 percent of the intelligence workload. You’re
seven times the size of the CIA.

NSA AGENT
We don’t like to brag about that, Will. So, the way I see
it, the question isn’t Why SHOULD you work for the
NSA? The question is: Why shouldn’t you?

WILL
Why shouldn’t I work for the NSA? That’s a tough one.
But I’ll take a shot. Say I’m working at the NSA, and
somebody puts a code on my desk, somethin’ no one else
can break. Maybe I take a shot at it and maybe I break
it. And I’m real happy with myself, cus’ I did my job
well. But maybe that code was the location of some
rebel army in…

Sean’s Office

WILL
…North Africa or the Middle East and once they have
that location, they bomb the village where the rebels are
hiding… Fifteen hundred people that I never met, never
had no problem with get killed. Now the politicians are
sayin’, “Oh, Send in the marines to secure the area” cus’
they don’t give a shit. It won’t be their kid over there,
gettin’ shot. Just like it wasn’t them when their number
got called, cus’ they were off pullin’ a tour in the National
Guard. It’ll be some kid from Southie over there takin’
shrapnel in the ass. He comes back to find that the plant
he used to work at got exported to the country he just
got back from. And the guy who put the shrapnel in his
ass got his old job, cus’ he’ll work for fifteen cents a day
and no bathroom breaks. Meanwhile he realizes the only
reason he was over there in the first place was so that
we could install a government that would sell us oil at a
good price. And of course the oil companies used the
little skirmish over there to scare up domestic oil prices.
A cute little ancillary benefit for them but it ain’t
helping my buddy at two-fifty a gallon. They’re takin’
their sweet time bringin’ the oil back, of course, maybe
even took the liberty of hiring an alcoholic skipper who
likes to drink martinis and fuckin’ play slalom with the
icebergs, it ain’t too long ’til he hits one, spills the oil
and kills all the sea life in the North Atlantic. So now
my buddy’s out of work. He can’t afford to drive, so
he’s walking to the fuckin’ job interviews, which sucks
because the shrapnel in his ass is givin’ him chronic
hemorrhoids. And meanwhile he’s starvin’ cus’ every
time he tries to get a bite to eat the only blue plate
special they’re servin’ is North Atlantic scrod with
Quaker State. So what did I think? I’m holdin’ out for
somethin’ better. I figure fuck it, while I’m at it why not
just shoot my buddy, take his job, give it to his sworn
enemy, hike up gas prices, bomb a village, club a baby
seal, hit the hash pipe and join the National Guard? I
could be elected President.

SEAN
You feel like you’re alone, Will?

WILL

What?

SEAN
Do you have a soul mate?

WILL
Define that.

SEAN
Somebody who challenges you.

WILL
I have Chuckie.

SEAN
You know, Chuckie’s family, he’d lie down in fuckin’
traffic for you. I’m talking about someone who opens
up things for you. Touches your soul.

WILL
I got..I got..

SEAN
Who?

WILL
I got plenty.

SEAN
Well, name ‘em.

WILL
Shakespeare, Nietzsche, Frost, o’Conner, Kant, Pope,
Locke…

SEAN
That’s great. They’re all dead.

WILL
Not to me, they’re not.

SEAN
Yeah, but you don’t have a lot of dialog with them. You
can’t give back to them, Will.

WILL
Well, not without some serious smelling salts and a
heater.

SEAN
Yeah. Well, that’s what I’m saying. You’ll never have
that kind of a relationship in a world where you’re
always afraid to take the first step because all you see is
every negative thing ten miles down the road.

WILL
What? You’re going to take the professor’s side on this?

SEAN
Don’t give me a line of shit. No.

WILL
Look. I didn’t want the job.

SEAN
It’s not about the job. I don’t care if you work for the
government. But you can do anything you want, you are
bound by nothing. What are you passionate about. What
do you want? I mean there are guys who work their
entire lives laying brick so that their kids have a chance
at the opportunities you have here.

WILL
I didn’t ask for this.

SEAN
No. You were born with it. So, don’t cop out behind “I
didn’t ask for this.”

WILL
What do you mean “cop out?” I mean, w-w-what’s
wrong with layin’ brick?

SEAN
Nothing.

WILL
There’s nothing wrong—That’s some– That’s
somebody’s home I’m building.

SEAN
Right. My dad laid brick. Okay? Busted his ass so I
could have an education.

WILL
Exactly. That’s an honorable profession. What’s wrong
with..with fixing somebody’s car. Someone can get to
work the next day because of me. There’s honor in that.

SEAN
Yeah, there is, Will. There is honor in that. And there’s
honor in, you know, taking that forty minute train ride
so those (college kids come) in the morning and the
floors are clean and the wastebaskets are empty. That’s
real work.

WILL
That’s right.

SEAN
Right. And that’s honorable. I’m sure that’s why you
took that job, I mean, for the honor of it. I just have a
little question here. You could be a janitor anywhere.
Why did you work at the most prestigious technical
college in the whole fuckin’ world? And why did you
sneak around at night and finish other people’s formulas
that only one or two people in the world could do, and
then lie about it? Cus’ I don’t see a lot of honor in that,
Will. So, what do you really want to do?

WILL
I wanna’ be a shepherd.

SEAN
Really.

WILL
I wanna move up to Nashua get a nice little spread get
some sheep and tend to them.

SEAN
Maybe you should go do that.

WILL
What?

SEAN
You know, if you’re going to jerk off, why don’t you
just do it at home with a moist towel?

WILL
You’re chuckin’ me?

SEAN
Yeah, get the fuck out.

WILL
Hey, no, no, no. Time’s not up, yet.

SEAN
Yeah it is.

WILL
I’m not leavin’. No!

SEAN
Listen. You’re not going to answer my questions, you’re
wasting my fuckin’ time.

WILL
What? I thought we were friends. Whadoyou mean
you–

SEAN
Playtime’s over, okay?

WILL
Well, why’re you kickin’ me out, Sean? I mean, what? I
mean…you’re lecturing me on life? Look at you, you
fuckin’ burnout. What winds your clock?

SEAN
Workin’ with you.

WILL
Where’s your soul mate? You wanna talk about soul
mates? Where is she?

SEAN
Dead.

WILL
That’s right, she’s fuckin’ dead. She fuckin’ dies and you
just cash in your chips and you walk away?

SEAN
Hey, at least I played a hand.

WILL
Oh…You played a hand and you lost. You lost a big
fuckin’ hand and some people lose a big hand like that
and have the sack to ante up again.

SEAN
Look at me. What do you wanna do? You and your
bullshit. You got a bullshit answer for everybody. But I
ask you a very simple question and you can’t give me a
straight answer. Because you don’t know. See you, bo
peep.

WILL
Fuck you.

SEAN
You’re the shepherd……Shepherd…Fuckin’ Prick.

Link to the full transcript

Filed Under: 25Reasons Tagged With: 25Reasons, genychat

Unpaid Internships – Exploitation or Be Glad for the Experience?

December 25, 2010 By Chanelle Schneider 1 Comment

In my daily job searches I find descriptions that are either lacking in detail or rife with detail but seem to expect too much. This new economy has created an employers market wherein workers without degrees are suffering. If college graduates are increasingly in jobs that don’t require degrees, what does that say about the ability for non-degree’d workers to get past resume screenings? As a result, jobseekers without degrees are taking on work that they should be paid for just to get the experience that overworked HR departments are concluding they’re not qualified to receive.

I took a snippet from a recent listing. You tell me. Are these requirements evocative of an exploitative work environment or not?

an immediate position for an Intern to build and chart our Social Media Web content presence. This is an unpaid Internship. You will be responsible for charting and creating our professional corporate image on FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, RSS, eNewsletter, Blogs, as well as the redesign, layout and content of our existing web site. The ideal person will need to be innovative, passionate about online marketing, extremely creative and have an innate ability through their own personal knowledge and/or education that will allow them to immediately take responsibility as the Social Media Web Content Coordinator.

Responsibilities:

* Create, develop and maintain all content for our FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogs, LinkedIn, eNewsletter and all other web site or social media outlets.

* Identify opportunities to drive traffic and sales through social media platforms.

* Act as the voice of our social networks by providing relevant and interesting content.

* Increase the number of followers/fans to our accounts through community outreach and interesting content.

* Connect with and engage customers to help us better understand what they want.