Something has happened that I was told many times over I would never ever see; that being the election of an African-American United States President. Despite insurmountable odds, Barack Obama did the unthinkable. And crazy as it might be, he has as many detractors as he does supporters.

This is not a Republican versus Democrat thing. It’s not even a black or white thing. It’s a fear thing. Deep down, whether we realize it or not, we all have a hidden propensity to act as terrorists if not for our own gain, then for the preservation of the status quo.

Fact is; people fear change. And they’ll do whatever they can to prevent it. Even if it means becoming just like those whom we are supposedly at war.

What the 2008 election represents is a United States 2.0. Please pardon the use of the stale and overly-used 2.0 vernacular, but it fits. This election was bound to happen sooner or later. If you’ve followed the drastic changes in US population over the years, you’d not be surprised by the fact that some individual would come in and shake up the political and socio-economical environment by being something other than the status quo.

For a long time, the Baby Boomers have been the “pot of gold” for corporations, politicians and anyone who has something to gain. It was pretty much old hat. If you need something, go to the Boomers. They represent the biggest generation in all of history and heck, they’re in their peak earning years. Let’s find out what makes ‘em tick and go get ‘em! YOU BETCHYA!

But a funny thing happened. It’s the rise of Generation Y (or the “millennials” as some call them). And when you start to look at things, this election makes sense. You’ll understand why this change was bound to happen. You’ll understand why so many of the fresh voices are all for it and you’ll understand why so many of the old guard are so pissed off about it. Neither one is going to sit idly by and allow it to just happen. But happen it will.

Myself, I am among the youngest crop of Generation X (the generation sandwiched between the Boomers and Gen Y). We are the forgotten folks in marketing circles because the Boomers and the Gen Y kids are so damn massive in size compared to us, we represent little opportunity for people to profit from. Couple that with the fact that our parents and grandparents won’t be passing near the level of wealth to us as they will to Gen Y, and it’s an understandable sentiment. But that’s really just a personal grudge.

The fact is, us late X’ers are much like the Y kids in terms of what we’ve seen and experienced. The major events of our lifetimes have shaped many of our perceptions of life, society and more. When I look though my life, there had been seven major events prior to the 2008 election that literally changed everything:

1. Miracle on Ice (1980) –The 1980 US Olympic Hockey team’s Soviet counterparts were natural rivals due to the decades-old Cold War, and they were all powerful professionals and heavy favorites to win the gold medal. So, when the US team (composed of amateurs) matched up against the Soviets, they were given little to no chance. Only a dreamer would have considered a US win possible. But guess what, the dreamers won! Not only did they win that contest, they went on to with the gold. In their victory, they produced many new dreamers who felt it was possible to beat the odds.
2. Live Aid (1985) – “We are the world. We are the children.” Those lyrics have become synonymous with giving and helping others. An estimated 400 million viewers, across 60 countries, watched the live broadcast of a multi-venue rock music concert that took place on July 13, 1985 with pretty much all of the biggest names in the music industry participating. Nearly 300 million dollars were raised through the event. Oh, and our babysitter (Mtv) made sure to tell us all about it!
3. Challenger Explosion (1986) – The US Space Shuttle Challenger mission on January 28, 1986 was supposed to be a great blend of science, education and dreams. The “Teacher in Space” program was announced about a year and a half earlier by President Ronald Reagan to inspire students, to honor their teachers and spark interest in mathematics, science, and space exploration. Christa McAuliffe was on board having been the first teacher selected. She died along with the other crew members when the shuttle disintegrated 73 seconds into the flight. While it was poised to make history, it changed history for many different reasons.
4. Fall of the Berlin Wall (1990) - On August 13, 1961 construction of a wall began in the country of Germany to separate it into east and west divisions. It became a longtime symbol of the Cold War. The division halted emigration between East and West Germany and effectively split many families. Some brave souls made attempts to cross it, but more died trying than those who were successful. In late 1989, border crossings began following a change in East Germany regime and heavy protests. On June 13, 1990, the official dismantling of the Wall by the East German military began. Celebrations with world-famous musicians, renowned politicians and other celebrities followed.
5. OJ Simpson Bronco Chase (1994) – On June 17, 1994, millions of people watched the most bizarre spectacle they’d ever viewed on television. Following the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, the Los Angeles Police Department allowed OJ Simpson to turn himself in. When he didn’t show up, police tracked down Simpson in a friend’s white Ford Bronco and a low-speed chase ensued. Soon, millions were unable to pry themselves from their televisions. Others were out on the streets watching the chase as though it were a parade.
6. Death of Diana, Princess of Wales (1997) – On August 31, 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died following a high speed crash that occurred as the result of a paparazzi chase. Her passing was met with tremendous public interest and endless questions of how far is too far with regards to paparazzi, news media and personal privacy.
7. Terrorist Attacks on World Trade Center (2001) – The lives of so many changed on the morning of September 11, 2001. Terrorists had hijacked planes and used them for mass destruction in multiple locations. Beyond the utter shock of the events and the loss of lives in the process, questions of national and personal safety ensured. Individuals, employers and sports teams literally stopped.

Now me being me, I’ve taken the context of these events and their aftermaths and simplified them into small resonators. The idea is not to undermine or diminish the enormity of their significance. Rather, the intent is to provide a means for developing an understanding of how and why they have shaped the values and attitudes of the emergent young generation that is now present in our world as consumers, professionals and yes, voters.

1. The Miracle on Ice (1984) – You can achieve your dreams even if it means defeating giants.
2. Live Aid (1985) – When we unite - and care - we can change the world.
3. The Challenger Explosion (1986) – Dreams are risky – but that does not mean you shouldn’t try.
4. The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1990) – The old world order has fallen. Peace and prosperity can reign.
5. OJ Simpson Bronco Chase (1994) – The rise of sensational media and a celebrity driven culture.
6. Death of Princess Diana (1997) – The death of an icon who linked two generations.
7. 9/11 Terrorist Attacks (2001) – Allow me to introduce you to the age of terror.

Remember that I am a young Gen-Xer. The span of 1984 through 2001 puts me between age 8 and 25. The first three events occurred while I was between ages 8 and 10. People younger than me probably have only heard about those events from older siblings and/or parents. But it was not just the stories of those events that were passed. The unique impressions and emotional connections they’ve made on the tellers of those stories — and thereby the values they molded — have trickled down because they are still timely enough that they can still be considered relevant.

But basically, when you look at the events, you’ll see that this generation has been molded to not only dream, but to pursue those dreams. You’ll notice that old-world regimes are falling for all the right reasons. We are a culture that does not sit idly by and allow life to happen. We are living it and we are involved in it. We don’t just let it happen, we make it happen.

The wars I have known are jokes when compared to Vietnam and the World Wards that preceding generations have known. Again, not to undermine the soldiers and those who gave their lives in battle during the Gulf Ware, Dessert Storm, etc. However, we’ve seen more figurative “wars” against drugs, against obesity, against “your cause of the day” than we have true military battles.

The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks happened over half a decade ago; sending people into fear for their personal security and safety. It’s resulted in less privacy for the American citizen and it has dominated business, elections, policy, and virtually every facet of life.

Yet, during our lifetimes, we’ve seen just as much domestic terrorists as we have the every-day run-of-the mill stereotypes that the media and spinsters would have us believe. Think about it. Just mention the world “Columbine” or “Oklahoma City” or “Virginia Tech” and you realize that we are as much at war with ourselves as we are with our supposed enemies.

But guess what – the young generation is tired of being scared. We’re ready for a change . . . a new age if you will. We’re seeking an age of global collaboration and restoration of the ability to dream. And it’s not just an American Dream, it’s a global dream of a hub culture that is social, ambitious and emerging into consumers, leaders, innovators and a new vibrancy.

The world had changed from what my grandparents have known. I still love and respect their value systems, but that doesn’t make it the order of the present or future.

I took a photo with my phone the other day. That alone should tell you what a different era we are living in. But what I took a picture of is even more telling. The picture was of a book; The Catcher in the Rye. I digitally snapped it while wandering the isles at Wal-Mart!

In 1999, I had recently purchased the book on Amazon.com and had it delivered. I told one of my undergrad professors that I was starting to read it. He laughed. Then he told that he had obtained his first copy years and year ago. Someone had secretly given it to him after having been wrapped in a brown paper bag and heavily taped. He was told to not show anyone and never say where he had gotten it.

Today, we’d pull that book right out of the wrapping, scan it, photograph it, transcribe it and throw it up on YouTube, Flickr, Wiki, and a host of other collaborative tools. The 2.0 Generation is here. Stop being afraid and stop trying to keep us in fear. Hop on the bandwagon and ride it into a greater tomorrow.