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Grandparents’ Rights and the Millennial Family Divide

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In the 21st century, a generational shift in values, lifestyle, and emotional expectations has redefined the role of extended family, especially grandparents. Millennial parents often navigate parenthood with a strong sense of autonomy and psychological awareness, leading to both legal and emotional barriers that can separate children from their grandparents. This white paper examines how different legal systems treat grandparents’ rights, contrasts international perspectives, and analyzes the broader societal and intergenerational implications.

Comparative Legal Frameworks

A comparative analysis of grandparents’ rights in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Chile, and Japan reveals a spectrum of legal support. Countries like Spain and Chile enshrine contact rights in their civil codes, while U.S. states vary widely, and Japan offers almost no recourse.

Examples:
– USA: Troxel v. Granville (2000) limits grandparent access in favor of parental rights.
– Canada: Ontario’s Bill 34 amended laws to explicitly consider grandparent access.
– Spain: Civil Code Article 160 ensures contact unless proven harmful.
– Chile: Civil Code Article 229 supports regular contact.
– Japan: Custody laws omit extended family rights.

Societal Shifts and Cultural Dynamics

Millennials are redefining family structure. The rise of therapeutic language and boundary-focused parenting has recast grandparenting from a cultural constant to an emotional variable. This shift is more pronounced in individualistic societies, where legal frameworks often reinforce the nuclear model.

Consequences include emotional loss for grandparents, developmental gaps for grandchildren, and fragmentation of cultural transmission.

Emotional and Legal Case Studies

Real-life examples show the clash between tradition and autonomy. In New York, a grandmother sued for visitation after her daughter’s death, but was denied due to lack of ‘extraordinary circumstances’. In Japan, grandparents are often entirely cut off post-divorce with no legal remedy.

These cases highlight how the erosion of traditional family roles intersects with modern legal priorities.

Conclusion and Recommendations

As the millennial generation continues to shape parenting norms, societies must find balanced ways to preserve intergenerational bonds. Legal systems should evolve to reflect the child’s right to family connection—not just the parent’s right to exclusivity. Community awareness, cultural storytelling, and respectful boundaries can together foster a more inclusive family narrative.

Would you vote for a Camus-style President?

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Donald Trump is a Camusian by instinct Gabriel Boric is a Camusian by belief

If I were the President of a country and admired Albert Camus, it would likely be because of his commitment to moral integrity, individual freedom, and resistance against injustice. Camus’ philosophy of the Absurd—the idea that humans seek meaning in a world that provides none—might seem nihilistic, but his ultimate conclusion was one of defiant hope: that despite the absurdity of life, we must still act with courage, compassion, and honesty. As a leader, this would mean:

Why Admire Camus?

  1. Commitment to Truth: Camus despised propaganda and refused to be a mouthpiece for ideologies, even when it cost him friendships. A President who admires him would prioritize truth over political convenience.
  2. Resistance to Oppression: Camus was a vocal critic of both fascism and totalitarian communism. A Camus-admiring President would likely reject extremism and authoritarianism in favor of human dignity.
  3. Pragmatic Morality: He wasn’t an idealist but believed in ethical action in a flawed world. His stance on the Algerian War—both condemning French colonialism and opposing nationalist terrorism—showed his refusal to take easy sides.
  4. Empathy and Humanism: His works, like The Plague, emphasize human solidarity in the face of crisis—an essential quality for a leader managing a country through pandemics, war, or social upheaval.
  5. A Rebel’s Spirit: Camus’ notion of the “rebel”—one who resists injustice but does not become an oppressor—could inspire policies that are bold but not tyrannical.

What’s the Downside?

  1. Political Isolation: Camus refused to blindly follow ideological groups, which led to alienation from both left-wing and right-wing intellectuals. A leader like him might struggle to build strong alliances in the messy world of politics.
  2. Pragmatism vs. Idealism Conflict: Camus’ rejection of utilitarianism (sacrificing some for the “greater good”) might make certain hard political decisions—like war, economic trade-offs, or security measures—more difficult.
  3. The Absurd President? A leader embracing the absurd might be perceived as too philosophical and detached from practical governance. Voters and political rivals might not appreciate a leader who openly admits that life lacks inherent meaning.
  4. Rejection of Grand Ideologies: Most political movements rely on grand narratives (progress, revolution, nationalism). Camus’ skepticism toward ideology could make it hard to rally people behind a unifying vision.
  5. Public Perception & Criticism: Being too honest about the lack of absolute justice or meaning could alienate religious and ideological groups. Imagine a President saying, “Life is absurd, but let’s be decent anyway.” Not exactly a rousing campaign slogan.

Would It Be Crazy?

Admiring Camus as a President wouldn’t be crazy—it would be deeply principled. The real challenge would be whether a Camus-inspired leader could navigate the compromises of power without losing their moral core. Camus’ rebel spirit might make for an inspiring leader, but governing requires alliances, tough choices, and sometimes, a willingness to get your hands dirty—something he would have probably hated.

Would you vote for a Camus-style President?

Boric & Trump: Camus in the Mirror?

At first glance, Gabriel Boric and Donald Trump seem like political opposites. Boric, a leftist leader from Chile who proudly cites Albert Camus as a guiding influence, rose to power with the backing of Chile’s Communist Party. Trump, a self-styled right-wing populist, champions economic nationalism, rejects traditional elites, and publicly embraces a “strongman” persona.

But here’s where things get strange: both of them, in their own way, embody aspects of Camus’ philosophy. Boric consciously follows Camus, while Trump, perhaps unintentionally, often acts in ways that align with Camus’ vision of rebellion and absurdity.

1. The Paradox of Their Elections

  • Chile, historically the most economically right-wing country in Latin America, elects Boric, a former student protest leader supported by the Communist Party. The contradiction? A neoliberal stronghold chooses a self-proclaimed leftist.
  • The U.S., a symbol of democracy and establishment politics, elects Trump, a reality TV star and real estate mogul, who destroys traditional Republican orthodoxy and defies political norms.

Both of these elections scream revolt against the system, something very Camusian—but from different angles.

2. The Camus Connection

Camus championed the absurd rebel—someone who refuses to accept unjust systems but doesn’t become a dictator themselves. How does that apply here?

Boric: The Consciously Ethical Rebel

  • Boric sees himself as a moral revolutionary, fighting against inequality but still respecting democratic institutions.
  • He believes in solidarity, a key theme in The Plague—one that emphasizes human cooperation even in the face of existential absurdity.
  • His struggle? The Communist Party’s influence—can he remain a Camusian rebel while aligning with an ideological machine that demands conformity?

Trump: The Unconscious Rebel

  • Trump, like Camus’ absurd hero Meursault in The Stranger, rejects societal norms without remorse. He refuses to play the game, whether it’s political correctness, traditional diplomacy, or even basic decorum.
  • He thrives in chaos and defiance, making his leadership existential rather than ideological. He doesn’t believe in grand narratives—he simply acts.
  • His struggle? Power for power’s sake. Unlike Boric, he doesn’t seem concerned with the ethical implications of rebellion—his rebellion is personal, not philosophical.

3. Boric and Trump: More Alike Than Their Followers Admit

  • Both despise political elites and claim to represent “real people” against an entrenched system.
  • Both are outsiders who unexpectedly won elections, defeating establishment figures.
  • Both have authoritarian temptations: Boric, via his alliance with communists, and Trump, via his disregard for institutional limits.
  • Both struggle with governing after rebellion—Boric faces an economic crisis and institutional gridlock; Trump, during his presidency, often clashed with the system he vowed to dismantle.

4. What Does This Say About Politics Today?

  • Chile, a right-wing economy, votes left. The U.S., a liberal democracy, votes for an anti-establishment strongman.
  • Ideology matters less than existential revolt. People don’t just vote for policies anymore—they vote for rebellion against the status quo.
  • Camus’ idea of the rebel who resists without becoming an oppressor is hard to sustain in real-world politics. Boric tries to walk that fine line. Trump doesn’t seem to care.

5. The Downside of This Comparison

If Camus were alive, he’d likely reject both of them—Boric for allying with ideologues, and Trump for rejecting moral responsibility. But the fact that two seemingly opposite leaders reflect the same existential tensions tells us something:

Modern politics is less about left vs. right and more about rebellion vs. the establishment.
Trump is a Camusian by instinct. Boric is a Camusian by belief.
Both are products of a world where the old political frameworks are crumbling

Would Camus approve? Probably not. But he’d definitely write a hell of an essay about it.

September 11th. a personal journey

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September 11th, a date that now carries the weight of two decades, floods my thoughts with an overwhelming surge of memories. A decade ago, on this very day, the world was shaken to its core, leaving an indelible mark on my soul.

I recall that crisp Tuesday morning, ten years past, as I embarked on a journey from Boston to Toronto. The early hours saw me boarding a flight at Logan Airport, a time when Air Canada shared the terminal with United Airlines. Amidst the bustle of travelers, adorned in the light attire of summer, destined for destinations like Los Angeles, an eerie sensation gripped me.

Yet, in the depths of my semi-conscious state, I found myself drifting back in time, to a fateful day twenty-seven years prior. It was a day when news echoed of Salvador Allende’s fall in Chile, a democratically elected leader brought down by the merciless hands of a military “coup d’état.” In my youthful fervor, I held onto a fervent belief that Latin America was in need of leaders who could carve their path through the democratic process, champions of justice and architects of a brighter future for all.

In the wake of that seismic event, my youthful heart ached deeply. Like countless others across Latin America, the demise of Salvador Allende etched an indelible scar across my very being. The names and faces of that movement, which had intertwined with my life, resurfaced in my mind as I stood on the precipice of my flight. Enveloped by the whir of engines and the hum of anticipation, my thoughts cascaded through the corridors of time, a torrent of emotions intertwining past and present.

My ventures didn’t stop there, for destiny seemed to have a penchant for intertwining my path with the ebb and flow of nations.

The evening of November 9, 1989, forever etched in history as the night the Berlin Wall crumbled, holds a deeply personal significance for me. I was present during those tumultuous days, from November 6th to the 11th, navigating a business trip that had abruptly transformed into a front-row seat to history in the making. As I stood amidst the fragments of a divided world giving way to unity, I couldn’t help but reflect on the surreal journey that had brought me to that moment.

In January 27, 2008, I found myself in Jakarta, Indonesia, a witness to the seismic shift that saw Suharto’s regime crumble under the weight of change. My role as the head of the Polaroid Corporation in the country meant I was not merely an observer; I was a participant in the unfolding narrative of transformation. This, after three years of residing in the dynamic landscape of China, where each day presented its own tapestry of experiences and insights.

Yet, the tapestry of my life is woven from threads that span even further. Cast your gaze to March 23, 1994, and you will find me in Tijuana, Mexico, in the company of Luis Donaldo Colosio, who I met in Philadelphia in 1989. Little did I know that our encounter would be a poignant marker in my journey, as Colosio’s presence would forever be intertwined with a momentous period in Mexican history.

These instances, though disparate, form a connective tissue that binds the chapters of my life. They are not mere episodes but rather windows into the transformative power of human events. Through them, I’ve witnessed the collapse of walls both physical and metaphorical, the rise and fall of leaders, and the pulse of change reverberating across nations.

As I reflect on these experiences, I am reminded that life is a mosaic of moments, each contributing its hue to the larger canvas. The events I’ve encountered have imprinted upon me a profound understanding of the fluidity of existence and the resilience of the human spirit. From the fall of walls to the ascent of new beginnings, my journey has been a testament to the enduring force of change and the unwavering human capacity to adapt, evolve, and be present in the midst of history’s unfolding tapestry.

VR , Project Tango and what does it really mean …

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Google just announce that Project Tango, their vision of how we bring to real live, the depiction of Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash vision of how we will combine what we do, how we do it, between the real world, the Universe, and the virtual world, the METAVERSE

In his world, Stephenson people will be going from one to the other, using something very similar to the Oculus, where people could even work, managing automated devices, from a distance, from home or some other place, but also they will have at some point to interact in person.  Countries become server farms and URL’s

Looking at how investment in this area is accelerating, we can understand why Project Tango is so important.

Media-In-ARVR-2-Header

Investment is accelerating in this area, mostly forced by Media companies, that can feel this is a great opportunity to level the competition ( CB Insights )

But while Google plays with all these concepts, and spend their stockholders money in all this research, the rest of the world has to deal with what is the definitions of VR = Virtual Reality.

Let’s see what FB thinks about VR : During FB8 Mark Zuckerberg was clear about VR , but no so much : “We had 360-degree open-source cameras. We had the bot revolution.We had antennas connecting the unconnected. It’s all sort of smoke and mirrors right now, but Facebook at least seems to be making this real much faster than anyone would have ever thought.”

Talking to some friends in the space, here is where i am today.  So far all the the different explanations lead me to one of these 3 :

Virtual Reality Definitions:

  • The most common these days is 360 video ( most of the pieces of the NYTimes )  Don’t know if I would call this Virtual Reality.  Eveything is REAL… nothing is added.  You can just play with what was taken… Is like having the best seat at the Opera house.  perfect for creating Travel guides, Museums Virtual visits, etc.. but all you need is a camera that is taking in 360 degrees so you can show that and let the technology control what you see or not.  This could (is ) typically added with 3D and there are way too many applications as well as specialized hardware doing this ( Oculus being the most important).

YouTube’s head of product Neal Mohan put it recently, when talking about the experience of 360 video, all you need for VR with Google is a smartphone and cheap Cardboard viewer. “Those are the kinds of magical experiences this technology is going to be able to create, without having to spend money on some fancy headset.” Tango is likely going to take that strategy, and push it one step further.

  • Augmented Reality.  I called this the Hybrid solution, You have a REAL image, video, Text and they by using technology you can over impose virtual things. Over impose video, images, where real takes get mixed with  images stored.  The best example I was able to imagine ( there are others but for now this is very good explaining what I mean)  think of a room, or house, where you can see the room through the lens of you camera, cellphone, etc. What you see are walls, empty room.  Then you use one of those hardware ( like Oculus or the cardboard or plastic where you just place your cel phone) and through and app you are suddenly immerse in that empty room.  Now with your hands and using your head as movement, you can start adding “furniture” that you have in a file or maybe even from Furniture Stores that you access online. The furniture takes the exact size to fit or not inside the room.   What it means is that based on a REAL physical experience ( the Room, the House, etc) you start adding images, video or text that is NOT real.

IKEA tried this in 2014 Catalog , that is 2 years ago… it had too many glitches, bu they were in the right direction.  Ikea just announce a new version developed at the French company Allegorithmic, using Unreal Engine 4 from Epic Games, specific for Kitchen design

  • VIRTUAL REALITY.  Now, think of yourself sitting or laying at home.  Your device operating in front of your eyes in a closed vision path. ( hardware like Oculus or cardboard or plastic with a cel phone that has an app that controls the 3D sensation and that control with movement).     You are suddenly ANY place in the world, you can access ANY posible video experience that has been prepared ( or in the near future, these “experiences” could be totally unprepared) you are suddenly talking to people (the redefinition of Instant Messenger) , presenting yourself with a specific image ( an avatar? ), buying , selling, interacting with other people or situations. … nothing is real world, but everything seems to exist.   You just place yourself in a another dimension.

For now we have to focus on the first one.. Content companies need to prepare for all this, let their content free so it can be accesses by any other program/person in a virtual fashion.  Today is still a dream.

Facebook vs Google : Who controls the DATA generated by the Internet of Things (IoT)

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Beacons are capable of transmitting and activate functions on your smart phone…. creating DATA

Beacons are capable of transmitting and activate functions on your smart phone…. creating DATA

A race between @Facebook & @Google is happening without too many noticing.  The Internet of Things ( IoT ) needs tone able to communicate among them and with devices that actually control their functions or use their services for some linear activity ( from opening a door, control temperature, assigning you a table at a restaurant, pointing you to where to find products displayed in your shopping list, instant coupons, etc.) that interacts with smarter devices, some mobile and some other at a distance. These devices also “take info from humans” as they walk and their smart phones are connected to the WEB using so many applications that we all leave open all the time.   Think if you enter a restaurant or a store, and your phone has the Facebook app open or the Google+ or even just Gmail or Gtalk open, the beacon can activate it, letting know your app that you just enter this area.  That information is delivered through your PHONE, not through the beacon (remember i is for now a single way communication) to whoever control the application ( Facebook or Google in this specific case I am talking about).  Then the app creates a notification into your phone and ask you ” do you want to become a FAN of this XYZ Restaurant, click here” or “add Restaurant XYZ to your Google+ Circles?”

Well while you walk, your apps start collecting data from all those beacons and that info related to your Journey is conveyed to the app owners. The Wireless Registry ( TWR) is in the process of launching a large initiative so all those beacons are forced to have an ID and we can control the use of that DATA.  In the meantime Facebook and Google already started controlling the access.

So FB started a program to flood retailers, service providers, any place where humans tend to congregate with these BEACONS “Facebook Bluetooth® beacons are devices that businesses receive from Facebook. These beacons use Bluetooth® technology to send a signal to the Facebook app on your phone…”

So Google launched “set out to build a new class of beacons that addresses real-life use-cases, cross-platform support, and security.” So just like they did with Droid OS, they created an open format for BLE beacons that anyone can use: Eddystone. This programming platform has some very amazing capabilities: supports versioning so you can start small in functionality and suddenly grow as much as you want and it’s cross-platform, capable of supporting Android, iOS or any platform that supports BLE beacons. And it’s available on GitHub under the open-source Apache v2.0 license,

Of course the Facebook and Google solutions that are FREE come with caveats : each one of them control who has access to the DATA collection format and function. This is the main reason why we need a 3rd. party body that controls the famous ID’s of each IoT device, the beacons and the wireless devices.

Remember that a beacon is meant to be discoverable by any nearby Bluetooth Smart device. What makes it possible for you to stop or give access to the signal is via its identifier. Google has built a feature called Ephemeral Identifiers (EIDs), which change frequently, and allow only authorized clients to decode them. EIDs will enable you to securely do things like find your luggage once you get off the plane or find your lost keys. Google has promised to publish the technical specs of this design soon.

For some people these events are finally building a map of what is the next generation of deployments over the WEB, the so called “micro-web”, that of the IoT talking among themselves, and exchanging data that is supposed to enhance our quality of life. Until somebody starts using it for the wrong purposes….

In the meantime, watching how Facebook is trying to dominate the space by giving away the Hardware and making sure they control the features in those devices (and maybe lease in the future for 3rd. party applications?); and then waiting to see what my friend Jeff Jarvis describe very well in his book “What would google do?”, where they try to set the sandbox for everybody to play, they want to be perceived as the good guys here, and in the future they will just crush anything that is NOT inside their sandbox.

(some of this material came from Google and Facebook sites).