How to take advantage of the TRENDS in the 21st
Century
I’m
writing this article in order to prepare you for the future. By now everyone
should be aware that we have moved away from the INDUSTRIAL into the INFORMATION
Age. But more and more studies have even shown that we’ve moved from the
information age and have entered into the COMMUNICATIONS AGE [the 21st
Century]. So we are presently in the Communications age aka “The Age of the Internet and Mobile technology” or just simply; “The Age of the Internet”.
But
even this age of the Internet has also undergone series of TRENDS since we’ve
entered into it. And you should know that ONLY THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND THE TREND
OF THINGS CAN REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS AGE AND THE FUTURE.
The
Bible explains it simply that “the people who understood the times and season
are ALWAYS in command and they can determine what the nations ought to do per
time” (1Chronicles 12:32 and Esther 1:13).
You
must understand the trends of the times (or Age) you are in…
If
you’ve studied well enough you will realize the following trends have occurred
in this age of the Internet [and the next thing on the line is e-COMMERCE]:
Invention
of the Computer --> The internet --> e-mails --> Search Engines --> Social Networking Platforms --> e-COMMERCE. [e-commerce is the "state of the art"]
1. INVENTION OF THE COMPUTER—When the
computer was invented, it was nothing more than a box. It was just like an
advance calculator. In fact, only few people (like programmers, software gurus,
etc.) COULD use it. Enters the internet…
2. THE INTERNET—When the internet
came (in 1993), it made the computer to be able to connect to the world [using
the World Wide Web a.k.a. www]. People then began to experience a taste of the
real meaning of “connectivity”. Enters the e-mails…
3. e-MAILS—When e-mails came, it was
easy for people to send messages (and feel connected) to everyone in the world.
Distance became not so much of an issue because of the power of e-mails
combined with the World Wide Web (www). This was just a taste of what was to
come. Enters Search Engines…
4. SEARCH ENGINES—This was the true
revolutionary way of DEMOCRATIZING KNOWLEDGE. Google is the leading search
engine in the world. Google came in with the purpose of making education (and
knowledge) absolutely FREE! The vision of Google today is simple: “To create
THE ULTIMATE KNOWLEDGE RESOURCE for the world”. This means if you need almost
any knowledge, you can query Google and you will be able to get the MOST
ACCURATE information about it. Wow! This is gigantic (or like somebody said
“This is ginomous” pronounced “jai-nau-mous”). This is a first true feeling of
the Information Age by everyone because Information simply became FREE! If
someone asks you a question, instead of saying “I don’t know”, just say, “give
me some minutes”, then paste the question in Google and whap! You have your
answer! It’s amazing! Enters the Social Networking Platforms…
5. SOCIAL NETWORKING PLATFORMS—This
is the reigning thing today: Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Google+, Blackberry
Messenger, WhatsApp, 2go, Live Profile, etc. Facebook’s vision is simple: “To
create the ULTIMATE HUMAN CONNECTION in the world.” This means if you think
about any human being, you can start a connection with him immediately (because
no one is ever far away from you again). Twitter creates a wonderful learning
and mentoring platform, etc. It’s
wonderful. The big thing on the line is e-COMMERCE…
6. e-COMMERCE—Online trading is the
wave of the future. [Actually it is not even the future. The future we are
talking about is already here, it’s just that it has not been evenly
distributed]. I read recently that over the last few years, most trading
activities happen online. Most Banking activities for example happen online.
This means close to about 80% of banking activities happen without the
involvement of human beings. Cashless Lagos has been launched, e-commerce is
the way to go! Bill Gates said “In the nearest future, there will only be two
kinds of business people: those who are doing business online, and THOSE WHO
ARE NOT DOING BUSINESS AT ALL!”
Please
understand that the internet is going to be a platform where the majority of
things in the economy will run. But you must also understand that e-commerce is
the next big wave. You must understand what time it is. If by now you’re still
behind in the things listed above, you know you really have a lot of work to do
in order to keep up. Let me ask you the following questions:
1. Do you have a COMPUTER?
(I
think it’s backward thinking to think that not everyone should have a computer.
You have no idea what you’re missing if you don’t have one. If you don’t have
one, set a goal with a DEADLINE of when you will get one. You will realize it
is just a door to where we are still going).
2. Do you constantly USE THE
INTERNET productively?
I
know that internet connection may be quite expensive around your area; but the
question is “are you taking responsibility for your INTERNET CONNECTION”? (You
can plan to get a good phone e.g. the Blackberry, Nokia smart phones, a modem,
etc. You certainly cannot know how much you’re missing and going to miss if you
are not connected).
3. Do you have a functioning E-MAIL
ADDRESS?
(You
may be surprised that some of your friends do not even have one. Some they have
but they’ve not even checked their e-mails in the last 5 months or so).
4. How often do you use SEARCH
ENGINES to solve your problems or challenges?
(You
may be surprised that you might still be working with people who ‘think’ knowledge
is still something locked up in text-books and in the mouth of teachers and
lecturers. Let me announce it again that education has been free since the
inception of search engines).
5. What do you use SOCIAL NETWORKING
SITES for?
(Know
this, if you’re not using it to make progress in your life and the lives of
others, you are going backwards because really, there is no stagnancy in this
age. Things are moving so fast that if you stop, you are only going backwards).
6. Are you prepared for e-COMMERCE?
How
much do you know about online trading? (I challenge you today to study about
this, research into it and try to get an experience in it. Do you use internet
banking? Start with using internet banking service. Try to make your first
purchase online. Get an experience!)
Remember,
“the future is already here. It’s just
that it is not evenly distributed”. But we can press into it. YOU can press
into it! Get online, keep yourself current with the present Age and with the
wave that is building. Stay relevant in this 21st Century and
together, we (especially the youth of this country) can start now to bring
positive change to our nation!
See
you at the top of the topmost top. Thank you. I love you!
Tolulope
Ahmed,
tolulopeahmed@gmail.com
, finetolus@yahoo.com
http://avenuestowealth.com/tolulopeahmed,
http://tolulopeahmed@blogspot.com,
+2348033924595,
+2348156924520 (WhatsApp), BlackBerry PIN: 22559139
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