Harry Potter, The Face Of Gen Y

I have a lunchtime ritual at work, old fogey that I am becoming, whereby I eat my daily micro p-corn and Peanut M&Ms whilst perusing first the daily news clips posted on the company's web site (staying abreast of the latest in the securities industry) and second Yahoo Finance (staying abreast of the market). YaFi always has a bunch of business-related articles, and yesterday had one about Generation Y in the workplace. I have a great affection for that group, being as my kids are both members, and it got me to comparing them -- their habits, outlooks, etc. -- against the points made in the piece...which were pretty much on the money.

I wound up cruising through the rest of the day with an optimism I haven't felt in a long time. I mean, if you were to base your current big-picture view of How's It Going on the daily news you'd likely conclude The End Of The World Is Nigh. Many polls reflect this gloomy despair.

So today Otto is here to tell ya: With Gen Y rising, and the Boomers waning, everything's gonna be all right. No woman, no cry. Life IS good. And I will submit to you as The Face and Standard-Bearer of Gen Y, none other than Harry Potter.

If you haven't read any of the books (and, full disclosure, I have not -- none of them) or seen the movies (here, I have -- ALL of them), you really should...because whether you're managing people in the workplace, making investments for yer retirement, or even preparing for your next Life Phase as a grandparent, the next 20-30 years are going to be shaped and driven NOT by the Hillary Clintons and Fred Thompsons of the world but by the Harry Potters. The Sixties Hippy Generation is loaded to the gills with conceits, and maybe the biggest one of all is that their legacy will endure. Hogwash (or maybe Hogwarts?)...much of what-is-what in Gen Y is contrapuntal. Such as:

1) When it comes to business, Gen Y will take data over emotion. If I had to read a Big Metaphor into the Potter series, magic = technology. Marches in the streets and the associated sloganeering will never be as powerful as what the computer is telling you.

2) Divorce and abortions are for losers. Which is why the adult characters in the Potter series are ALWAYS on such shifting sands, morally. Is Severus Snape a white hat, or a black hat? Whose side are the grown-ups on? And why do so many of them wind up acting in ways that benefit only themselves? THAT is how the Yers see the Boomers...and it's a crushing indictment.

3) The McMansion Era is dead. There are none of them in the Potter movies, and no aspirations towards them. They cost too much and take too much time to clean.

4) The Muscle Car Era is NOT dead. Another Big (but much easier) Metaphor: Broomstick = Your ride. Which should be fast, manueverable, and a hell of a lot of fun to drive. Yay Mustangs!

5) Relationships are more important than power. Harry in fact would rather be on good terms with his best friends than be Maximum Leader. Can the Boomers say the same?

6) Finally, Parents Matter. Their love and attention and support are what Harry misses, and wants, more than anything else. How does that square up with the attitude the Sixties Kids had towards their folks?

If the Hippies are a poison, the Yers are the antidote. If the Hippies are mold, the Yers are bleach. If the Hippies are rust, the Yers are TrueCoat. If the Hippies are the flu, the Yers are amoxycillin.

We have a LOT to look forward to, as Gen Y comes into its own. Personally, I can't wait.