Proposal | reboot10 – 3 comments
How the Net will create world peace, cure cancer and stop global warming
An optimistic journey through meta comparisons of where the net is, and where it might take us
Barack Obama is raising millions from millions via microtransactions and subverting the politics of wealth into a new wealth of politics.
The traditional news media, struggling to keep up, is being torn down by an army of netizens exposing inconsistencies and biases faster than the 'sanctioned outlets' can keep up. The 20th century production line technology for the manufacture of consent is showing its age.
Likewise, the meticulously manufactured brands of corporations are being dragged into the court of public opinion where those voices can echo and be amplified to a a volume louder than the corporations themselves.
Meanwhile the myth of selfish capitalism is being held up against our emerging priorities of social and environmental sustainability and being seen for the siren that it is, dragging us onto the rocks of our own mutually assured destruction.
And, as the global center of cultural gravity moves East, and the rest of the World comes online, our Western / American-centered lens is cracking, revealing viewpoints far different from what we have until recently described to ourselves as 'the facts'.
What is driving these trends? And where will they take us? And why should businesses and consumers, and well as citizens and humans, see this as cause for optimism and opportunity?
3 comments
why optimistic?
I am optimist towards your mentioned trend of the decline of the power of the western livestyle - why not? - but not that much towards brands and the media. but how do you define optimism?
Belief systems
The net has unlimited information with a little drive you can learn anything. But our beliefs keep us from our true potential.
80% of our earths oil has been consumed and we have the technology to make salt water engines and magnetic electric generators but we don't use it because oil controls resources Which controls the invention of money which controls people. The belief is that we have to control people instead of controlling ourselves because it is easier to control an army than it is to control ourselves.
I am optimistic that the net will break these beliefs and focus more on the unlimited power of positive thought.
Optimism
I for one would love to see you rocking Reboot, Olly. Your last question is the most interesting to me; the world can use a few more optimists.