My favorite podcast on the planet is The Unmistakable Creative (formerly, Blogcast FM), hosted by Srinivas Rao.
Srini is kind of like Raj on The Big Bang Theory…he may be afraid to talk to Penny, but whip-smart and he tells it like it is.
The show features interviews with internet superstars and others who are on that trajectory…
But every Friday, they have this episode called “Backstage” where Srini is joined by Greg Hartle (of Ten Dollars and a Laptop fame). Their talks used to focus on one of the previous week’s guests. Now they tend to choose controversial and thought provoking topics.
And this Friday’s was certainly no exception.
The title: The All or Nothing Internet
Well the premise got my blood perilously close to the boiling point.
So, I grabbed my weapon (er, laptop) and hammered out violently the following comment on Srini’s Facebook Page.
begin comment
The conversation today in backstage troubled me. At first I couldn’t exactly put my finger on why, but I believe now I’ve got it.
The power of the internet driven connection economy is that it levels the playing field by allowing ordinary, or non-picked, people to do extraordinary things.
To compare it to a middle-class-less third-world country with a chasm that separates the haves and the have-nots is a faulty analogy.
Who is to judge who are the haves, the successful ones?
Successful in terms of what? Subscribers? Income?
Maybe those aren’t the only parameters that define success.
Aren’t we getting away from the “small army” concept a bit with this (rhetorical question for Srini…who did write the book)?
I believe the internet is a place where we should all consider ourselves haves…that is, we all “have” the opportunity to do and achieve something extraordinary.
In the so-called third-world that’s generally just NOT the case.
And NO I do not believe it’s about talent, nor genius…
desire, yes…having the heart in the right place, absolutely.
That’s what makes it so cool…you don’t have to be a superstar to shine.
To suggest an underlying feeling of class-warfare among the internet creative community is to me a bit ridiculous.
Like I often say, it’s all about impact and every one of us has the ability to achieve that, regardless of one’s social proof.
(yea it’s tweetable)
end comment
You see I really believe it comes down to one’s motivation…I’ll call it MO (even though MO actually has a different connotation).
(also tweetable)
And that’s exactly what Revolutionary Misfit is all about.
Which is why I thought it was important to turn that comment into this post on socio-economics and the internet.
I wrote long ago about the phenomenon of middle-class-less-ness being caused in the 3rd world largely due to the concentration of property in the hands of a small percentage of wealthy people (1%’ers, if you will).
But on the internet, even a poor schlub like me can be a property owner (hey, I’m practically a mogul already!).
It’s what you do with that property that matters…and the universe needs less internet property-holders seeking fame and fortune and more just trying to make an impact.
You can do that without much, if any, talent.
Look at Seth Godin…I’ve never seen him dance or sing, but I along with millions of others listen to what he has to say…
Because he says it honestly and with the right motive.
You and I can do that too.
And if Srini and Greg’s premise happens to be true…if the internet is becoming that socio-economically driven place of haves and have-nots…well…
then it’s high time for a revolution!
