Heath Row
Reboot 2006
kalel@well.com

From Where This Came
• New Year’s Eve 2005
• They Might Be Giants!
• Heath’s stunt date
• Why Heath went home alone

Community Is a Crime
Reboot 2006
Heath Row
kalel@well.com

Community Is a Crime
(Or: Why Only Outlaws Inhabit the Outlands)
Reboot 2006
Heath Row
kalel@well.com

Some History

Some History
• People are created

Some History
• People are created
• People comment on Creation

Some History
• People are created
• People comment on Creation
• People comment on the Created

Some History
• People are created
• People comment on Creation
• People comment on the Created
• People comment on comments of the
Created

The Problem

The Problem
• Content is created by the Created

The Problem
• Content is created by the Created
• The Created comment on Content

The Problem
• Content is created by the Created
• The Created comment on Content
• Content comments on Creation

The Problem
• Content is created by the Created
• The Created comment on Content
• Content comments on Creation
• Creation created the Created

Say What?

Say What?
What?

Say What?
What?
What?

Say What?
What?
What?
What?

Say What?
What?
What?
What?
What?

Say What?
What?
What?
What?
What?
What?

!!!
Weinberger’s Echo

“The entire Internet can start to seem to be nothing
but a set of sealed rooms, each constructing—and
then confirming—reality out of nothing but
proclamations of prejudice and wishes. In echo
chambers, the argument has it, the sound of our
own voices can drown out fast-changing reality.”
David Weinberger, Salon, Feb. 20, 2004

That quote was taken out of context.

That is my point.

Community Steals

Community Doesn’t Steal
• Songs

Community Doesn’t Steal
• Songs
• Books

Community Doesn’t Steal
• Songs
• Books
• Movies

Community Doesn’t Steal
• Songs
• Books
• Movies
• Ideas

Community Doesn’t Steal
• Songs
• Books
• Movies
• Ideas
• Money

Community Does Steal
• Attention

Community Does Steal
• Attention
• Time

Community Does Steal
• Attention
• Time
• Identity

Community Does Steal
• Attention
• Time
• Identity
• Responsibility

Community Does Steal
• Attention
• Time
• Identity
• Responsibility
• The Value of Opinion

Attention

“Information is not scarce. We are drowning in
information, yet constantly increasing our
generation of it. Is there something that flows
through cyberspace that is scarce and
desirable? There is. It's called attention.”
Michael Goldhaber, Wired, December 1997

Books have been written.

Books have been written.
There are statistics.

Books have been written.
There are statistics.
I don’t have them.

Books have been written.
There are statistics.
I don’t have them.
I don’t care.

Time

“Each of us has only 1,440 minutes to spend today.
We really need to think very carefully how we are
using each others' time and attention.”
Bill Jensen, Fast Company, RealTime 2000

I don’t use LinkedIn, LinkedIn uses me.

I don’t use LinkedIn, LinkedIn uses me.
Production without promotion.

I don’t use LinkedIn, LinkedIn uses me.
Production without promotion.
The Kleiner Effect.*

I don’t use LinkedIn, LinkedIn uses me.
Production without promotion.
The Kleiner Effect.*
* “Confessions of a Ghostwriter”

Identity

“People are certainly less likely to be frank and direct in some contexts
when they fear embarrassment or reprisals. This can stifle or even
prevent the occurrence of some valuable discussions. Due to stereotyping
and preconceived notions of people and groups, the postings of some
may be filtered inappropriately in some peoples' minds. Online, all that
counts is your words—and sometimes that's a good thing. Knowing
someone's full name can lead to harassment and intimidation.”
Adam Lasnik, March 24, 2003

Spam.

Spam.
Phishing.

Spam.
Phishing.
Comment spam.

Spam.
Phishing.
Comment spam.
Splogs.

Spam.
Phishing.
Comment spam.
Splogs.
Widespread dishonesty.

Responsibility

One Cause
The Cluetrain Manifesto, 1999:

One Cause
The Cluetrain Manifesto, 1999:
1. Markets are conversations.

One Cause
The Cluetrain Manifesto, 1999:
1. Markets are conversations.
6. The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that
were simply not possible in the era of mass media.

One Cause
The Cluetrain Manifesto, 1999:
1. Markets are conversations.
6. The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that
were simply not possible in the era of mass media.
39. The community of discourse is the market.

One Cause
The Cluetrain Manifesto, 1999:
1. Markets are conversations.
6. The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that
were simply not possible in the era of mass media.
39. The community of discourse is the market.
67. As markets, as workers, we wonder why you're not listening.

One Cause
The Cluetrain Manifesto, 1999:
1. Markets are conversations.
6. The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that
were simply not possible in the era of mass media.
39. The community of discourse is the market.
67. As markets, as workers, we wonder why you're not listening.
73. You're invited, but it's our world. Take your shoes off at the door.

One Cause
The Cluetrain Manifesto, 1999:
1. Markets are conversations.
6. The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that
were simply not possible in the era of mass media.
39. The community of discourse is the market.
67. As markets, as workers, we wonder why you're not listening.
73. You're invited, but it's our world. Take your shoes off at the door.
91. Our allegiance is to ourselves.

Bear with me here...

One Effect
When my toaster breaks,

One Effect
When my toaster breaks, I don’t contact the toaster
maker or a toaster repair shop,

One Effect
When my toaster breaks, I don’t contact the toaster
maker or a toaster repair shop, I add a post to my
blog about how crappy the toaster and toaster
maker is.

One Effect
When my toaster breaks, I don’t contact the toaster
maker or a toaster repair shop, I add a post to my
blog about how crappy the toaster and toaster
maker is.
Then I rally other toast lovers around my toaster
woes.

One Effect
When my toaster breaks, I don’t contact the toaster
maker or a toaster repair shop, I add a post to my
blog about how crappy the toaster and toaster
maker is.
Then I rally other toast lovers around my toaster
woes.
If my toaster doesn’t get fixed,

One Effect
When my toaster breaks, I don’t contact the toaster
maker or a toaster repair shop, I add a post to my
blog about how crappy the toaster and toaster
maker is.
Then I rally other toast lovers around my toaster
woes.
If my toaster doesn’t get fixed, it’s the toaster
maker’s fault.

The Value of Opinion

It Used to Be That
Data led to

It Used to Be That
Data led to
Information led to

It Used to Be That
Data led to
Information led to
Knowledge led to

It Used to Be That
Data led to
Information led to
Knowledge led to
Understanding led to

It Used to Be That
Data led to
Information led to
Knowledge led to
Understanding led to
Wisdom

It Now Seems That
Singular experience leads to

It Now Seems That
Singular experience leads to
Knee-jerk reaction leads to

It Now Seems That
Singular experience leads to
Knee-jerk reaction leads to
Communication with peers leads to

It Now Seems That
Singular experience leads to
Knee-jerk reaction leads to
Communication with peers leads to
Widespread misinformation leads to

It Now Seems That
Singular experience leads to
Knee-jerk reaction leads to
Communication with peers leads to
Widespread misinformation leads to
Popular opinion

Does snark trump fact?
Snark (n.):
1. A pejorative style of speech or writing, loosely
described as irritable or snidely derisive.
2. A contraction of “snide remark.”

God, I hope not.

St. Peter’s Keys

Be Special

Be Special
Purple Cow and The Big Moo
by and edited by Seth Godin
How are you remarkable?

Be Special
Don’t just link, think.

Be Special
Don’t just link, think.
The A list is just a list.

Be Special
Don’t just link, think.
The A list is just a list.
Create original content.

Be Special
Don’t just link, think.
The A list is just a list.
Create original content.
(Content trumps comments.)

Be Clear

Be Clear
Write tight.

Be Clear
Write tight.
Edit yourself.

Be Clear
Write tight.
Edit yourself.
Don’t post everything.

Be Clear
Write tight.
Edit yourself.
Don’t post everything.
(If you must, have multiple homes.)

Be Real

Be Real
No anonymity.

Be Real
No anonymity.
(Unless absolutely necessary.)

Be like Horton
“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant.”
Horton Hatches the Egg
by Dr. Seuss

Be like Horton
We are what we do.

Be like Horton
We are what we do.
If you know me, contact me first.

Be like Horton
We are what we do.
If you know me, contact me first.
Don’t be a passive aggressive customer.

Be like Horton
We are what we do.
If you know me, contact me first.
Don’t be a passive aggressive customer.
If your tree falls and no one hears it, you hold the saw.

Be Nice

Be Nice
“As ye would that men should do to you, do ye
also to them likewise.”—Luke 6:31

Be Nice
“As ye would that men should do to you, do ye
also to them likewise.”—Luke 6:31
You know what I mean.

Town Square?

Ghost Town?

We hold the keys.

Heath Row
Reboot 2006
kalel@well.com