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Alvin Toffler's book, "Future Shock",
was required reading for one of my high school classes many years ago. It wasn't
easy to visualize his predictions of changes in the way we would live in the future.
As open-minded teenagers, my classmates and I had some technical difficulties
adjusting our attitudes to ideas and concepts that described people wearing purple
hair, playing with virtual reality computer games and major changes in society
standards for sexuality. For us, it was "really out there, dude". Flashing forward to 2004, Toffler's predictions
have essentially come true. The future has become the present. The rules, standards
and values have changed for every category of life. Of course, I like some of
the changes and I dislike others. The major reality of the moment is that the
change occurred and I didn't get to vote. It's a frustrating process,-- change. I run into people who also have problems
adapting to change. They cling to the models (we call them paradigms now) of the
past. Their lack of flexibility becomes a stumbling block
for recognizing and accepting change and is a major contributor to their unhappiness.
In business, conditioned thoughts and attitudes about product prices are a constant
source for frustration. It is easy to get stuck in the
historical muck of what a product or service is worth. This can be especially
problematic for baby boomers. Grandparents and parents trained us well to shop
for the best deal, always. A tube of toothpaste that was nineteen cents cheaper
at another store was a missed opportunity that could lead the casual shopper down
the path to financial ruin. The unwritten leading economic indicators
for many boomers and their parents have been the following: the price of a gallon
of gas, the cost of a loaf of bread and the cost of a gallon of milk. We pay $
25,000 for cars in 2004. We wince when we pay over $ 2.00 for a gallon of gas.
In 1974, a Chevy Impala could be bought for about $4200. Adjusted to 2004 purchasing
power, $4200 in 1974 dollars equals $15,700. It won't be easy to buy much of a new car for $15,700 in
today's dollars. Thirty years ago, gasoline was about 63 cents a gallon. Today,
$2.35 has the same purchasing power as 63 cents in 1974. Hmmmm.
Does that mean gas at $1.95 per gallon is a bargain? I don't intend
to start an Economics 101 review course here. My point is that we frame our thinking
around economic models that we are comfortable using. The big picture is not always
part of the shallow analysis process. If we choose to move in the direction of
big picture thinking we need to use our cerebral RESET
button more often. My computer locks up frequently in a state
of confusion created by its limited processing powers. This is most likely due
to Microsoft Windows less- than-perfect operating system. The magic of the reset
button allows the p.c. to purge its overloaded R.A.M. and start fresh on the problem
at hand. I use my own mental reset when I get stuck on matters that are unclear as a result of
too much historical data. This reset process helps get me past the fact that the
price of a newspaper is $ 2.50, that the parking garage will charge $ 5.00 to
park my car and that the necktie I really want is $39.99. Pressing your reset button will help you
understand why your children have a different work ethic than you did when you
were their age, it may explain why a hotel room costs
more than $100.00 for a night and why some of your friends will never understand
why we would ever have to reevaluate our positions on any issue. Try using this
reset technique the next time you find that you are in a quandary. | 
