It’s been around for a bit, but Gerd Leonhard just posted a great link to a YouTube video called: Did You Know? Shift Happens. Really excellent overview of some of the implications of change in our modern society.

There’s nothing to panic about; the point about the number of Chinese honor students is valid…but so is the fact that there are just as many Chinese substandard students (ie, as many as ALL American students). It’s a numbers thing. I actually like the video more and more as it progresses; the US vs. them bits start to fall away, and the message focuses on change, it’s implications, and the need for improving our attitudes towards learning (continual, lifelong). Plus, a nod towards the Singularity there at the end doesn’t hurt! Good stuff.

UPDATE: found the creator’s (Karl Fisch) blog, and there is a bit of an update to the video that adds some graphic jazziness, and apparently tones down the confrontational bits a tad. He’s created a basic wiki as well (shifthappens) to collect some of the source data and the various presentation versions. I also added his blog to my feedreader, as this is clearly a Dude That Gets It.