Grown Up Digital, written by Don Tapscott, is a fantastic book with the tagline – “how the net generation is changing your world”. After reading this book a few months ago, I feel that the true message can be summed up in just a few words, and I recall these words being mentioned a few times in the book – the kids are alright. The media routinely pushes their agenda by saying that the younger generations are lazy and disinterested. Thankfully, Tapscott dedicates much of his work to proving that this is not indeed the case.

The book begins by discussing some of the fundamental differences between the net generation – generally, those born after 1977 – and baby boomers. While the boomer generation was raised on television, the net generation largely has grown up with a “natural affinity for technology”. In a great analogy, Tapscott presents the idea of asking both a boomer and a net gener their thoughts on a high-quality photo of the planet Mars. The boomer is astonished at the technology used to capture such an image whereas the younger individual is focused on how cool Mars actually is. Essentially, being technologically astute is simply a tool into potentially thinking on another level. Technology is often the focus of the net gener lifestyle so we prefer to use technology to reach an understanding of a subject rather than being amazed by the technology itself.

Throughout the book, Tapscott references eight net generation norms, which include freedom, customization, scrutiny, integrity, collaboration, entertainment, speed and innovation. I will avoid the details of each of these, but the chapter dedicated to explaining these is probably the most fascinating part of the book. While I am a net gener myself, I feel that an “outsider” reading this chapter will have a stronger appreciation as to what makes us tick and how to satisfy our desires in life.

After the net generation differences and norms are establish, Tapscott shifts to the workplace and how business should adapt to how we, the net generation, work. Collaboration needs to be embraced and long-time marketing practices need to be adjusted to “the now”. For example, net geners, in general, are not as concerned about a product itself, but the experience that the product provides. Similarly, traditional promotion is largely ineffective as we can now research many alternatives in a short period of time, leading to a more informed decision. Instead of promotion, two-way communication can be more effective.

Overall, the layout of the book makes it very easy to read as the sections are well-labeled, diagrams are relevant and the research methods are largely transparent. While others have refuted some of Tapscott’s claims, there is little reason to doubt the methods carried forth by Don Tapscott’s organization, nGenera. I have had the pleasure to have been interviewed and offered a position with nGenera and I must say that, in my view, the organization follows what they preach.

I encourage everyone interested in the social workplace and how business will need to adapt to fulfill the desires of the “net generation” to pickup a copy of Grown Up Digital. Instead of focusing on the negatives in society, Tapscott offers an enlightening and comforting view. Grab your copy at these popular online retailers and be sure to follow Don Tapscott on Twitter.

Canada: Chapters Indigo |  Amazon.ca
USA: Amazon.com |  Barnes & Noble
UK: Amazon.co.uk

I have always found that one of the best ways to get to know someone is to talk about the books that they read and enjoy. For this reason, I am publishing a list of many the books that are in my possession. This should give you a little more insight into my interests and let you get to know me a little better.  If you have any book suggestions or comments on the subject, please post below or send me a personal message. Stay tuned, as I will be posting a book review on Grown Up Digital by Don Tapscott in the next day or two.

Business
Business Stripped Bare by Richard Branson
The Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawken
Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Grown Up Digital by Don Tapscott
Wikinomics by Don Tapscott

Fiction
e: A Novel by Matt Beaumont
The Golden Apples of the Sun and Other Stores by Ray Bradbury
Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski
Post Office by Charles Bukowski
All Families Are Psychotic by Douglas Coupland
Hey Nostradamus! by Douglas Coupland
JPod by Douglas Coupland
Microserfs by Douglas Coupland
Watchmen by Alan Moore
Diary by Chuck Palahniuk
The Catcher and the Rye by JD Salinger
Gonzo by Jane S. Wenner and Corey Seymour
The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson
The Great Shark Hunt by Hunter S. Thompson
Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Wine & Food
Pocket Wine Book (2005 to 2009) by Hugh Johnson
The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson
The Oxford Companion to Wine by Jancis Robinson
Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver
Questions of Taste: The Philosophy of Wine by Barry C. Smith

Photography & Design
Mastering Digital SLR Photography by David D. Busch
Landscape Photography by Tim Fitzharris
Karsh: Faces of Our Time by Yousuf Karsh
Karsh: Portfolio by Yousuf Karsh
Karsh: Canadians by Yousuf Karsh
Karsh by Yousuf Karsh
Carte Blanche: Photography 1 by Magenta
Photographs That Changes the World by Lorraine Monk
The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman
The World From My Front Porch by Larry Towell

Computer
JavaScript: The Good Parts by Douglas Crockford
Perspectives on Free and Open Source Software by Feller, Fitzgerald, Hissam, and Lakhani
Programming the World Wide Web by Robert W. Sebesta
PHP And MySQL 5 by Larry Ullman
The Success of Open Source by Steven Weber

Science & Physics
Infinity by Brian Clegg
The Universal Book of Astronomy by David Darling
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
The Mathematical Universe by William Dunham
The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene
The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Einstein by Walter Isaacson
The Equation That Couldn’t Be Solved by Mario Livio
The Golden Ratio by Mario Livio
Introducing Stephen Hawking by JP McEvoy and Oscar Zarate
The Art of Deception by Kevin Mitnick
The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow
The Darwin Awards by Wendy Northcutt
The Darwin Awards II by Wendy Northcutt
Warped Passages by Lisa Randall
The Trouble with Physics by Lee Smolin
Endless Universe by Paul J. Steinhardt and Neil Turok

Comedy & Other
The World According to Clarkson by Jeremy Clarkson
I Know You Got Soul by Jeremy Clarkson
On The Edge: My Story by Richard Hammond
Blame Canada: South Park and Contemporary Culture by Toni Johnson-Woods
Our Dumb World by The Onion
Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss

Sports
Golf Rules Plain & Simple by Mark Russell
How I Play Golf by Tiger Woods