It’s well-documented that technology (text messaging and the internet, specifically) led to a rise in affairs around the time we changed millennium. [Or is it millennia?] It was suddenly incredibly easy to connect with old flames and to flirt with them under the radar.
What’s interesting is that – already – this age of cheating is fast coming to a close. The saturation of social technologies means that cheaters are far more likely to get caught. Who would dare fool around, knowing their secret might emerge on their Facebook wall within days. Of course, they could give a fake name, but the point is, things are much riskier.
The properties associated with this period are quite unique and won’t be repeated. I’ve done a graph and everything.
It occurred to me that this last decade will forever be the most mischievous decade in history. A decade of unparalleled cheating, where new ways to cheat were born and ‘transparency’ had yet to foil things. (And we’re not just talking affairs)
And it’s called the bloody NOUGHTIES! It’s too perfect. Here’s the graph:
Emerging ‘connective’ technologies created new opportunities to cheat. But by the time those technologies became truly ‘social’ (I.e. open, public, transparent, distributed) the chance of being caught overtook the ease with which one could initiate cheating.
[The dip at the end of the green line is about the act of cheating itself becoming riddled with new considerations]
So the ‘naughties’ are entering their twilight months. But it’s not just individuals that will be waving goodbye to cheating. Companies face the same changes, whether they are acknowledging it or not.
Read my previous synopsis again, this time thinking about companies/brands and their attitude towards new technologies for marketing purposes:
“Emerging ‘connective’ technologies created new opportunities to cheat. But by the time those technologies became truly ‘social’ (I.e. open, public, transparent, distributed) the chance of being caught overtook the ease with which one could initiate cheating.”
In this context, when I say ‘cheat’ I mean ‘bullshit’. And when I say ‘bullshit’ I mean ‘fail to back up promises with actual experiences’. It’s all out in the open now.
Wave goodbye to the cheating decade. Farewell to the naughty noughties. All that’s left is to be committed, honest and look after the people you care about. Hooray.
