Are changing demographics the reason BLM has hit the tipping point?

It has been a perfect storm.  People staying home due to Covid-19, tuned into news that they would normally miss -- the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis on May 25th.  Even those who strongly identified with the law and order tribe had a hard time denying what they saw with their own eyes.  

Then the protests started.  TV ratings went up.  So even more people were watching when police forces across the country brutalized the peaceful protesters that were protesting police brutality.  You have to love that.  And what does it say about the police that they are so empowered that they aren't even worried about their crimes being documented on film and shared across the world?

At this point the law and order tribe was suffering from a terrible case of cognitive dissonance.  Who should they believe?  Their Facebook feeds filled with propaganda from their friends, or their own eyes?  Many chose the latter. 

In two weeks (6/11/20 poll) American voters' support for the Black Lives Matter movement increased almost as much as it had in the preceding two years.  Wow.

 

A Monmouth University poll found that 76 percent of Americans consider racism and discrimination a “big problem,” up 26 points from 2015.   I can't remember the last time 76% of Americans agreed on anything.  (Cohen & Quealy, 2020)

But I guess seeing young girls and old men being slammed to the ground for no reason is pretty compelling.  And then there was Trump tear gassing and pepper spraying peaceful protestors - people just like us -  for a ridiculous photo op.  Is it any wonder that no one wants to be part of that tribe anymore?

But there's more to it than that.  There's the impact of changing demographics.

According to current projections, by the end of 2020, Americans under the age of 18 will be majority non-white.  By 2045, the entire U.S. will be majority minority.  (Mather & Lee, 2020)  109 counties in 22 states are already there.  (Krogstad, 2019)  

The younger you are the less likely you are to be white.  That means that the Gen Z (8-23) and Millennial (24-39) protestors fighting for BLM aren't being altruistic.  They are fighting for their own lives and the lives of their children.  And they identify more with George Floyd than they do with the cop who killed him.  Which is why we have reached the tipping point.  

Black Lives Matter.  They are the future of America. 

Cohn, N. & Quealy, K. (2020, June 10) How Public Opinion Has Moved on Black Lives Matter.  nytimes.com.  Retrieved June 17, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/10/upshot/black-lives-matter-attitudes.html

Mather, M. & Lee, A. (2020, February 10)  Children Are at the Forefront of U.S. Racial and Ethnic Change. prb.org.  Retrieved June 17, 2020, from  https://www.prb.org/children-are-at-the-forefront-of-u-s-racial-and-ethnic-change/

Krogstad, J. (2019, August 21)  Reflecting a demographic shift, 109 U.S. counties have become majority nonwhite since 2000.  pewresearch.org.  Retrieved June 17, 2020, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/08/21/u-s-counties-majority-nonwhite/

Congratulations class of 2020... Here's the xerox machine.

I recently came across an old clipping in which Vera Wang disclosed the fact that she spent her first year at Conde Nast xeroxing.  (Oloizia, 2014)

It made me laugh.  Been there, done that. 

Within weeks of beginning my first job at Grey Advertising,  I had mastered the art of clearing copier paper jams  - a complex dance that involved opening and shutting various drawers and doors, and removing ripped paper, staples and paper clips.

I once remarked that I should have gotten my M.B.A. in xeroxing.

Recently when a student shared a story in class about why she quit her internship after a week - you guessed it - she was given nothing to do but xeroxing - the rest of the class nodded along in approval of her actions.  They were all shocked when I said: "Let me tell you what you did wrong." 

"What you should have done was looked at what you were given to copy and asked questions about it.  Had you done that, the person you were working with would have seen that you were actually interested in what you were doing and worth training.  Then they would have given you something better to do."

That's right folks.  Xeroxing is a test.  As is taking notes in meetings.  They are both an opportunity to learn.  But it's up to you to take it.  Bosses don't have time to babysit.  It's your life and your career.  Step up, take responsibility for yourself and enjoy. 

Good luck!  It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Oloizia, J. (2014, August 21)  The Facts and Figures Behind Vogue Magazine. nytimes.com.  Retrieved May 25, 2020, from  https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/21/t-magazine/vogue-magazine-facts-and-figures-chart.html

Fear is a powerful motivator.

Bad is stronger than good.  Bad emotions have more impact than good ones.  Bad information is processed more thoroughly than good information.  And bad impressions and stereotypes are quicker to form and more resistant to change than are good ones.  (Baumeister, Bratslavsky, Finkenauer & Vohs, 2001)

2020 has been a very bad year.  As someone pointed out -- 1918 + 1929 + 1968 = 2020.  In other words, the US is facing a pandemic - like we did in 1918, an economic depression - like we did in 1929 and race riots like we did in 1968.  All at the same time.

With so much to be afraid of, how will people react?

Typically, people react to fear by envisioning the worst possible outcomes and making risk-adverse choices.  (Chanel & Chichilnisky, 2009)

Trump thinks this will work in his favor.  But who in their right mind would want four more years of this?

Only 61.4% of eligible Americans voted in 2016.  Trump lost the popular vote by 3 million.  The presidential election is 153 days away.  Interesting times indeed.

Baumeister, R., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, F. & Vohs, K. (2001)  Bad Is Stronger Than Good.  Review of General Psychology.  Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://dev.rickhanson.net/wp-content/files/papers/BadStrongerThanGood.pdf

Chanel, O. & Chichilnisky, G. (2009, December) The Influence of Fear in Decisions: Experimental Evidence. Journal of Risk & Uncertainty.  Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://chichilnisky.com/pdfs/Chanel_Chichilnisky_Influence_of_fear_in_decision_Definitive%20FINAL.pdf