What’s a ‘#’ Hashtag?

I heard an interesting story of a young social media expert (she/her), trying to answer the question of their much older CEO (I don’t care about pronouns) - “What’s a Hashtag?” (Bliss, 2024 conversation)

Was the CEO on Insta? Nope.  

Did the social media expert have any clue why the CEO thought she was talking about how much things weigh?  Nope.

There are some fun video’s out there that illustrate the differences between generations - (it’s ok to avoid the mean ones)…  They demonstrate how even though people live in the same city, work in the same industry there are times when it seems like they live on different planets.

If human beings hope to impact and improve the structures, systems and relationships we live in - then it makes sense that we need to find ways to communicate that can be understood by people outside of our social and generational bubbles.

The gap between us are often invisible.  Unless you are an amazing psychic - we can’t see into other people's minds.  We don’t know what shared references we can use to explain something like an indexing social media tool like a # - Hashtag (metadata-tag).

To bridge these gaps, we need to master the ability to be both guides—for those who may struggle to understand our perspectives—and open learners—to grasp the nuances and experiences of those who think and operate differently.

Yes, it takes energy, effort, and creative thinking to build these bridges, and that's often why generational or social tensions arise. But the work is worth doing.

One of the core beliefs in Meliorism (and life) is that people are valuable - they are worth understanding.  It’s also pretty obvious that there are times when collaboration makes for lighter work, or helps a group go farther, (often with more joy).    

Still, that inherent worth may not offer enough incentive to do the work to bridge gaps between generations or social media bubbles.  Here are seven compelling reasons to make the investment to become an agent of positive transformation (and translation).

1. Gain New Perspectives: Exposure to different life experiences and viewpoints enriches your own understanding of the world, opening you to new ideas, solutions, and ways of thinking.

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." —Anaïs Nin

2. Expand Your Skill Set: Collaborating with people from different generations or backgrounds means exposure to diverse skills—whether it's learning about the newest technology or rediscovering timeless wisdom.

"In diversity there is beauty and there is strength." —Maya Angelou

3. Solve Problems Creatively: People who think differently can bring unexpected approaches to problem-solving. The more diverse the team, the greater the range of solutions you’ll have access to.

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." —African Proverb

4. Foster Resilience and Adaptability: Understanding others helps you become more adaptable. When you can see how different people handle change and challenges, you build resilience and grow more comfortable with uncertainty.

"The measure of intelligence is the ability to change." —Albert Einstein

5. Build Stronger Relationships: Investing in understanding others leads to deeper, more meaningful relationships. You’ll find common ground more easily and learn to navigate differences with empathy and patience.

"Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself." —Mohsin Hamid

6. Create Inclusive Environments: Learning to bridge generational or social gaps contributes to environments where everyone feels valued and heard. This fosters collaboration, reduces misunderstandings, and builds a culture of belonging.

"Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance." —Verna Myers

7. Enrich Your Life with Joy and Humor: Let’s be honest—differences can be funny. And when approached with kindness and curiosity, those moments of confusion can become moments of shared laughter and joy, creating lasting memories and bonds.

"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." —Victor Borge

The work of bridging these divides is not always easy, but the rewards are transformative—for us as individuals, and for the communities we create together.

Anna Liotta inspired this article from a talk I heard, her book is Unlocking Generational Codes.

And the story of the Hashtags came from a reflective conversation on Anna’s presentation with Richard Bliss, who wrote DigitalFirst Leadership.