EPISODE 6
No Going Back To Normal
LENGTH: 31:30 | AIR DATE: 2/4/2021
As millions across the country wait for the COVID-19 vaccine to be rolled out, here’s a question you’re probably tired of hearing: when do things go back to normal? But have you ever stopped to ask yourself whether normal even exists? In Episode 6 of #Millenniheirs, a young intern and creative industry veteran riff on a range of topics, from their surprising experiences with isolation, to systemic racism and the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement. Host Jessie McGuire interviews Ben, a proud Gen X-er and longtime creative director at ThoughtMatter as well as Luisa, a high school student from New York and ThoughtMatter’s very first virtual intern. To hear more, listen below and subscribe to ThoughtMatter on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or SoundCloud.
BIOS
Ben Greengrass
Ben is an award-winning creative director whose sleeves are rarely seen rolled down. He developed his hands-on and impactful approach over the course of more than two decades working in a cutting-edge branding agency environment. Ben has worked with a diverse range of global and local brands, including The English Football Association, The Breakfast Club, P&G, Jet.com, The Rubin Museum of Art, New York Public Radio and Union Square Partnership, to name just a few.
Luisa Gazio
Luisa is a high school senior in New York City and former strategy intern at ThoughtMatter. Her work for our studio focused on the development of content centered around civic engagement and social movements, including the creation of an activism guide which will be distributed to schools throughout the city. Luisa is also a talented painter whose favorite typeface is Cooper Black and she can answer million-dollar questions about MF DOOM and Frank Ocean.
SYNOPSIS
In this episode, we discuss how two different generations define “the new normal.” How has remote learning and working changed the way they communicate? And how will a breakout moment for racial justice change their long-term view of systemic racism? Plus, a hot tip from Luisa: if you’re trying to spend less time on your phone, maybe don’t download TikTok.
When quarantine first started, I was in this mindset of, oh, things will be back to normal soon enough. And I was kind of not being productive in the sense of I was just waiting for things to go back to normal instead of utilizing the time now.
Luisa Gazio
(1:36) What has isolation taught two different generations? Nothing ground-breaking or world-changing for Ben but he’s now all about appreciating the little things – getting a haircut is a major event. Luisa went from waiting for things to go back to normal to utilizing her time now.
(7:06) How has WFH changed the way both Ben and Luisa communicate? Starved for human connection, they reach out to friends more often. Luisa finds it easier to have arguments that spark debates and engage in civil conversations with opposing views.
(17:20) Technology has changed the way they exchange information and ideas. Ben realized there’s more to TikTok than kids dancing, while Luisa has been informing herself on racial issues by discussing them with peers.
(24:40) How does the Black Lives Matter movement impact their mentalities long-term? Luisa finds herself questioning the ethics of other systems we have in place, while Ben is having conversations he’d never thought possible, as well as looking at long-held narratives and national historic figures like Winston Churchill with a renewed perspective.
(28:55) A word to future generations: Ben believes dark moments are always followed by brighter periods. Luisa reminds us to pay attention to historical context because “no one lives long enough to see political patterns.”
REFERENCES
Luisa’s read: The Plague by Albert Camus, 1947
Jessie’s read: Severance by Ling Ma, 2018
Statue Of Winston Churchill Is Covered Up In London, NPR, June 12 2020