Comments on: Morgan Stanley Intern Is Voice Of His Generation http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation Seriously, this could not be more beta Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:36:35 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Stella http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13582 Stella Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:00:52 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13582 I have absolutely no idea why people are so hyped up about this. Last year I produced a 150 page study on the habits of teenagers in this society. I have also done reports on migration, the value of money, China's emergence as a world super power, and what under-18s feel about the crime on our streets- all backed up with sources and quotes and references. Do these investment bankers really feel so desolate about Britain's youth that they get excited about this report (which, as many people before have also said, does not really correlate with many teens at all)? Yes, there are still children who read books on investment banking and the financial times. Yes, they have read Warren Buffett's biography and Intelligent Investing by Ben Graham. Yes, there are 8 year olds who make great returns on their stocks. Yes, super-charged, financially savvy, and diamond bright children still exist, and, in my circle of 400 friends on facebook, exist in large quantities. And yes, I AM YOUNGER THAN THIS BOY. I AM A 14 YEAR OLD GIRL. Trust me, that boy is no wonderkid. I could have done exactly the same thing, better. I have half a mind to charge up to Morgan Stanley today and see how those guys react to me. (I am planning on doing work-experience there next year anyway, they'll see me even if they don't want to.) WAKE UP, THE WORLD. CLEVER KIDS DO EXIST. I have absolutely no idea why people are so hyped up about this. Last year I produced a 150 page study on the habits of teenagers in this society. I have also done reports on migration, the value of money, China's emergence as a world super power, and what under-18s feel about the crime on our streets- all backed up with sources and quotes and references.

Do these investment bankers really feel so desolate about Britain's youth that they get excited about this report (which, as many people before have also said, does not really correlate with many teens at all)?

Yes, there are still children who read books on investment banking and the financial times. Yes, they have read Warren Buffett's biography and Intelligent Investing by Ben Graham. Yes, there are 8 year olds who make great returns on their stocks. Yes, super-charged, financially savvy, and diamond bright children still exist, and, in my circle of 400 friends on facebook, exist in large quantities. And yes, I AM YOUNGER THAN THIS BOY. I AM A 14 YEAR OLD GIRL.

Trust me, that boy is no wonderkid. I could have done exactly the same thing, better. I have half a mind to charge up to Morgan Stanley today and see how those guys react to me. (I am planning on doing work-experience there next year anyway, they'll see me even if they don't want to.)

WAKE UP, THE WORLD. CLEVER KIDS DO EXIST.

]]> By: MarkNYC http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13532 MarkNYC Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:08:03 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13532 Who cares what teens like? Shouldn't they just be put in chains and forced to do manual labor until they're eighteen? Who cares what teens like? Shouldn't they just be put in chains and forced to do manual labor until they're eighteen?

]]> By: whowhahuh http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13440 whowhahuh Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:34:45 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13440 The problem is we already listen to children too much as it is. The problem is we already listen to children too much as it is.

]]> By: KarenUhOh http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13383 KarenUhOh Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:33:35 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13383 Don't hire an Etch-A-Sketch to do a Lite-Brite's job. Don't hire an Etch-A-Sketch to do a Lite-Brite's job.

]]> By: ae38 http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13379 ae38 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:12:37 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13379 There are so many problems with taking a small sample set of teenagers (Matthew and his friends) and trying to generalize it across a broad spectrum of teenagers. Having worked on these issues when I was still employed, I would also say that its hard to even generalize behavior of teenagers in one country to teenagers in other countries. e.g. Teenagers in Asia and parts of the Baltic region spend lots of money on cell phone credits as compared to teenagers in the US and other parts of the world. Online gaming is huge in other parts of the world that are not euro-centric. Further, spend on media consumption is usually skewed towards people who have some type of disposable income (teenagers usually only entering that demo once they are 17+) and/or girls. Tween girls will spend money on just about anything, tween boys tend to buy fewer but more expensive purchases (video games, natch). So all this is to say that Richie Rich who got himself an internship at MS at the age of 15 b/c he knows ppl is likely not the best person to consult when trying to craft your companies ongoing media strategic plan. Also? Probably not a winning strategy to try and win over the hearts and minds of a demo that by definition have empty wallets. There are so many problems with taking a small sample set of teenagers (Matthew and his friends) and trying to generalize it across a broad spectrum of teenagers. Having worked on these issues when I was still employed, I would also say that its hard to even generalize behavior of teenagers in one country to teenagers in other countries. e.g. Teenagers in Asia and parts of the Baltic region spend lots of money on cell phone credits as compared to teenagers in the US and other parts of the world. Online gaming is huge in other parts of the world that are not euro-centric. Further, spend on media consumption is usually skewed towards people who have some type of disposable income (teenagers usually only entering that demo once they are 17+) and/or girls. Tween girls will spend money on just about anything, tween boys tend to buy fewer but more expensive purchases (video games, natch). So all this is to say that Richie Rich who got himself an internship at MS at the age of 15 b/c he knows ppl is likely not the best person to consult when trying to craft your companies ongoing media strategic plan. Also? Probably not a winning strategy to try and win over the hearts and minds of a demo that by definition have empty wallets.

]]> By: katiechasm http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13378 katiechasm Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:05:44 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13378 This kid is hardly even the voice of teenagers named Matthew Robson. This kid is hardly even the voice of teenagers named Matthew Robson.

]]> By: rod_townsend http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13363 rod_townsend Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:26:41 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13363 How can this be? All the teens that they've paid to be in focus groups responded positively!?! How can this be? All the teens that they've paid to be in focus groups responded positively!?!

]]> By: soundsaboutright http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13361 soundsaboutright Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:24:42 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13361 I find myself equally repulsed by the rebuttals (?) from the other teenagers (?) in the Guardian. I don't think I'm that far removed from teen-dom. I'm 21. The second child, Eloise, called Limewire "confusing" and claimed that teenagers read newspapers. I would like to see if these (probably handwritten) editorials were postmarked from a retirement community in Boca Raton. I find myself equally repulsed by the rebuttals (?) from the other teenagers (?) in the Guardian. I don't think I'm that far removed from teen-dom. I'm 21.

The second child, Eloise, called Limewire "confusing" and claimed that teenagers read newspapers. I would like to see if these (probably handwritten) editorials were postmarked from a retirement community in Boca Raton.

]]> By: David http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13360 David Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:21:56 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13360 Suggested for immediate viewing: "Being There" where as we all know, Chauncey Gardner quickly rises to national public prominence ... http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/4708/Being-There/overview Suggested for immediate viewing: "Being There" where as we all know, Chauncey Gardner quickly rises to national public prominence … http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/4708/Being-There/overview

]]> By: NicFit http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/morgan-stanley-intern-is-voice-of-his-generation#comment-13358 NicFit Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:20:58 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=7384#comment-13358 OMG, teenagers aren't enthralled with advertising? The future is bleak. OMG, teenagers aren't enthralled with advertising? The future is bleak.

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