Is the Future Open? Ask a Fourteen-Year-Old.

In a NY Times op-ed, David Hajdu posits that the spate of notable musicians all of the same age (turning 70 this year) is attributable to their turning 14 in the mid-1950s when rock 'n roll was just getting its start. "Fourteen is a formative age," his theory goes. What if that's not just for musicians? What about technology? And what does it mean for today's 14-year-olds?

...In his op-ed, Hadju concludes by asking what the 140-character and mashup culture of today will produce for those turning 14 in 2011. Consider:

• The culture emerging now is increasingly one of wider openness and transparency.
• They're learning at an early age what a reputation economy is--what someone says about you (or what you say about yourself) can go much further and last much longer than a note passed in class.
• Concepts like "open government" and "open data" pre-date their ability to vote.
• Open source software has become mainstream, years before any of them has had a job.

If 14 is the formative year, and openness is the message of the day, what can we expect from the babies of 1997? Check back here around 2030, and we'll review.