The Cluetrain Manifesto - Human Voices and Market Conversations
1. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto
Marlo P. la O’
De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde
2. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
Abstract
This book review is about my own opinion and insights about how I feel and what are
my reactions when I read the book title “The Cluetrain Manifesto” typically the
concept of the book is almost the same as the concept of the 95 these written by
Martin Lither about his opposing reaction to the teachings of the catholic church. But
the only difference with the Cluetrain manifesto is that this is about how the internet
changes our everyday communication with each other and the other capabilities of
social networks that we have ever anticipated, especially those people developed these
networks. People have different reactions and opinions on every topic we discuss our
minds never think and work the same in a 100% manner. This reviews of mine is
particularly how I have experienced some of the amazing capabilities of social
networks and what it can do to people who are using or interacting with one another
in the internet.
3. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto - 95 theses
Theses #1 - Markets are conversations
Conversations in almost everywhere in the cyber world can be found mostly in
all social networks. New knowledge can just spark right away in an instant. The
minute you wake up the next day you will be shocked to how amazing new
information has been posted on your own site. If this will be the result the change in
how markets do conversations form the old fashion way of just talking to a
humourless tone, making brochure to market their products, to the new natural, open,
direct, funny, and a more entertaining way. Then this is how companies will be left
behind if they do not know how to listen the way conversations are being done and
said in internet. If you have a multiply account I guess you know what I am speaking,
this social network is a good example. People now a days are just posting and selling
what ever they want to on their multiply accounts, though this social networking was
not built that way but this is still a conversation, only a different king of conversation.
But it has left to wonder why friendster and facebook was not done this way, why are
not people doing post and selling their stuff’s on those social networks. It has left to
ponder on a lot of questions, but may be it is on how multiply as a social network was
created, it architecture and way of design to it the fascinated people to post and sell
anything they want their.
Integrative Questions
1. What are conversations?
2. What is market?
3. Is internet the new way of conversation?
4. What language is the internet speaking?
5. What are examples of conversational markets in the internet?
Reference: http://cluetrain.com/book/95-theses.html
4. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto - 95 theses
Theses #2 - Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors
It not about where you are, and when you are there but its how many friends
you got and how many links to other social networks you got out there in the internet.
If you take a look at the demographic sectors and what they consist of, those are the
things you should be focusing on and not how large the sectors can consist of them,
by them I mean human beings. Because human beings are the one filling those sectors
and are also the ones doing the market, without them no matter how big or small you
sector is, it will be just like an newly painted empty room with nothing on it, no desk,
table, seats, bed, and other furniture’s in it, basically it will be just an boring ugly and
empty room and no one will look at it, or even dare to enter it. Marketing is all about
how to lour your preys into your trap and get their attention for you to be able to sell
them or market them your products. Filling the empty room of your with more and
more human beings, and letting them just do all the conversations for you. With no
limits and boundaries to hinder human being in so many ways their reach will exceed
your own gasp, and make new information light up in the speed of light. More
information gets in the internet the whole world will be there to watch it and listen to
it in faster, and more informed way.
Integrative Questions
1. What are examples of demographic sectors?
2. What should a market consist of?
3. Are human beings being market, or the once marketing?
4. What is a human being?
5. What is a demographic sector?
Reference: http://cluetrain.com/book/95-theses.html
5. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto - 95 theses
Theses #3 - Conversations of human beings sound human. They are conducted
in a human voice.
Natural conversations with friends and your own circle of friends is more a
funny, natural, open, honest type of conversation. You more over to encounter jokes,
laughter, and serious type of conversations in a more relaxing atmosphere then you
could find anywhere else. Unlike when you are in a company and going to market an
new product of theirs, you are somewhat stock in a barrier that you cannot get out
because it is full of rules blocking you own way of doing the conversation. Everyday
it all the same, sometime it naturally comes to you and you do not even have to think
about what to say or how to say it in what level of tone. This where people find lies
and boredom overrides their thoughts. Speaking on human voice is gasping the
limitless power of human being to be able to speak on their behalf. Some markets are
too smart to your old way of saying doing you talk, with a piece of paper to the
conversation to you is just not enough to convince them. To be able to convince
people they must have that happy talk time without insulting any part of the persons
intelligence about what they know, because the more you force people that you know
better then they do, this where I think you diminish the barrier of your firewalls and
take and good look and learn to listen on how natural conversations are done by real
human beings. Learn the new way of smart conversations are truly being done and get
out of your seat and listen to them.
Integrative Questions
1. What is a human voice naturally sounds like?
2. How are conversations naturally being conversed at?
3. When are human beings being human?
4. How is a human voice different form a “Corporate voice”?
5. How are the networked markets conversations different form company
conversations?
Reference: http://cluetrain.com/book/95-theses.html
6. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto - 95 theses
Theses #4 - Whether delivering information, opinions, perspectives, dissenting
arguments or humorous asides, the human voice is typically open, natural,
uncontrived.
Be your won self when doing business, doing business is nothing different
then just like having a normal conversation. The more you be your self, the more you
will become more comfortable at when talking to different people that you will meet,
and the more you will become successful at it in the long run. Being that natural is
always like an honest person not trying to be someone you are not, and believe me it
will give you an advantage in the future. Besides you are just one you and there is no
body in this world that can become the “original” you. Lets face it there might
someone out there you idolized and you want to be like that person, but have you ever
taken a good look at your self and appreciated what you already have? Even though
you are try to manipulate your character and trying to be someone else, in the end you
will still end up being your own self, and everybody will later notice what is really
behind the mask that you are trying to cover on your face. Trying to be someone else
in front of somebody your barely know, can just ruined all your hard work and effort
to get the attention of that person and especially the trust of that person once that
person finds out what kind of person your really are. If you have lied to who you
really truly are during your first meeting than later in the end you failed to maintain
consistency, and then boom you have just lost the trust of the person.
Integrative Questions:
1. Are you covering you self behind some mask?
2. What is natural human voice?
3. What is the meaning of being natural?
4. What is the natural way of talking?
5. Are you an honest person?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/08/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
whether-delivering-information-opinions-perspectives-dissenting-arguments-or-
humorous-asides-the-human-voice-is-typically-open-natural-uncontrived/
7. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto - 95 theses
Theses #5: People recognize each other as such from the sound of this voice.
Is amazing how well you know your friends and other people around just by
the sound of their voices. You can already tell who is talking, and you can also tell
how that person feels by the way that person is talking about something or someone.
You can already see what is inside their thoughts and inside their hearts by just
listening to their voice when they talk. An additional bonus is if he or she is your
friend for a very long time, you can already see in him or her by the way that person
moves and before that person says something you can already tell what he or she will
say.
Trusting someone in being and doing what they are good at, rather then you
imposing them on what to do is better because you are letting their voices be heard
and letting their minds speak for them selves. Let them speak to their hearts and
minds content, anyway two heads are better than one right? That is what exactly you
should be doing; you are putting your trust on other people. Let them feel comfortable
around you, when they are talking to you or rather when you are the one talking to
them. The less effort you put up into talking and convincing someone and at the same
time you are having fun on what you are doing, your imagination will reap through
your boundaries and numerous of information will be come to you. You be more
creative and at the same time naturally being honest to both your self and to your
peers.
Integrative Questions:
1. How does your natural voice sound like?
2. Can you tell between your friends whose voice is speaking?
3. Can you tell how your friend feels when he or she is talking?
4. How do people recognize each other?
5. Can you tell the difference between you friend and you other friends
movements and voice?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/09/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
people-recognize-each-other-as-such-from-the-sound-of-this-voice/
8. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto - 95 theses
Theses #6: The internet is enabling conversations among human beings that were
simply not possible in the area of mass media.
Mass media should not be taken for granted also, but today on every one
household there are three people using or knowledgeable about that computer and
almost every household in the world has a broadband internet connection. Even the
parents of old generations are trying to learn how to use the computer. Because
basically, everything is just at your own fingertips already you do not have to go
outside you own house to see what is going on outside the world. News,
advertisements, markets are also being posted in the internet, and the worlds number
one search engine the Google is making things even more easier to find in the web. If
you do not believe in magic, I think it is about time you start to open your eyes see the
wonder of what internet is capable of doing. From reading to paper text book, know
we are reading virtually in the internet. No more papers will be spent. Imagine the
world without paper and everything is run virtually in the internet. No more book? I
really do yet know if these will happen. But so far more and more possible ways of
doing conversations in the internet is being made possible, and more and more social
networks are being developed in the internet. Form being a thousand mile away to just
being a click away. It will only be a matter of time before everything becomes
virtually possible, or is it already happening today? The information age, is also know
as the age of internet.
Integrative Questions:
1. What are things possible in mass media that are not possible in the internet?
2. What are things possible in the internet that are not possible in mass media?
3. Are conversations allowed in the mass media?
4. Will paper be sooner considered obsolete?
5. Does being 1 click away has its own advantages form 5,000 miles away?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/11/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
the-internet-is-enabling-conversations-among-human-beings-that-were-simply-not-
possible-in-the-era-of-mass-media/
9. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto - 95 theses
Theses #7: Hyperlinks subvert hierarchy.
If I correctly understand the history about hyperlinks that they came from the
Greeks and the Greeks were the ones who invented these shortcuts that came in the
form of text, codes, and bytes of data. Then texts already exist during their time if I
am not mistaken. But hyperlinks also come in different forms and not just texts or
codes they are also in the form of a dialogue, relationship, rapport. They give ease to
the writers in the form of flexibility to a writer in so many ways; they give freedom to
write in third dimension. Providing value to what you write and presenting it in a form
of definition, and providing further depth into what you have wrote to anyone who
will be reading what you are writing about. To illustrate more about the art of writing
by giving meaning to the word itself, and illustrating to those who read it and could
not understand what you are trying to say, by adding additional information t o what
you are writing about people will find it more attractive and ease of understanding by
providing a hyperlink to your text. Now a days I do not see anyone one website at
least that does not use a hyperlink. They directly and precisely let you go to a
particular third party website or to another page were you can go back to the previous
page with ease and continue your reading from where you have left off, and believe
me books are not capable of telling and precisely giving you the exact page to go to
with just one flip of the page.
Integrative Questions:
1. What are hyperlinks?
2. Doe hyperlinks overthrow the essence of hierarchy?
3. What is the usefulness of a hyperlink?
4. Where are hyperlinks used for?
5. For a writer what is the importance of a hyperlink?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/13/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
hyperlinks-subvert-hierarchy/
10. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto – 95 theses
Theses #8: In both internetworked markets and among internetworked
employees, people are speaking to each other in a powerful new way.
The amazing power of the computer, before people just have cell phones, even
before that during the 17th and 18th century their means of communication where
through SOS, or by sending a messenger to deliver the message during the 15th and
16th century. This message that the messenger would deliver would take days for him
or her to arrive at the destination that he or she is sent to. The first ever
communication was invented in the military, basically all of these things started in the
military. It is just amazing what people would do to save their country. After the SOS
was invented their came beepers, then later on the first cell phone was created and it
drastically spread fast in the market, and now millions of people, one in every person
has a had held cell phone. People could communicate through calling texting, and
receiving and sending emails. But there is a catch by calling and texting there is a cost
sometimes making long distance calls to other countries is very expensive and it is
priced per minute. Then came the 21st century and almost every household has one to
three computers with them and communication became very easy and cheap. People
could use the internet to chat to each other in so many different ways with no cost.
The power yahoo messenger and facebook has spread so dramatically and people all
over the world are just using them everyday. These social networks are always up and
running and at least there is a single person online.
Integrative Questions:
1. What is SOS?
2. What is the job of a messenger?
3. What is the difference between a cell phone and a computer?
4. What are examples of social networks?
5. Where internet did first started?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/14/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
in-both-internetworked-markets-and-among-intranetworked-employees-people-are-
speaking-to-each-other-in-a-powerful-new-way/
11. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto – 95 theses
Theses #9: These network conversations are enabling powerful forms of social
organization and knowledge exchange to emerge.
People do not usually seek out advertisement; if you want to advertise
something and let it now to mass media then you should be the one seeking out ways
to attract people into your advertisement, and not the other way around. But if you
your advertisement to be know through not just in a city or for a particular number of
people, but to let it know to the whole world, then this is where internet comes in. you
your work to be publish and share to billions of people then use the internet as a way
of letting the whole world know that you exist. Being well known, is not about the
fame you achieve, but it more about the trust you gain from you customers or clients
the more they refer you to their other people that they now, the more you will survive
in the business world. The moment of need and you are there the more chances of you
being liked by your clients and the more they will keep on coming back to you. A
good example is service companies, they don’t spend any nickel on advertisement but
rather they are being referred to at by people that they occasionally work with, these
people talk about their good quality service. Quality is the topic, because it is very
crucial in your business, because quality attracts more customers. But if you want to
advertise and not spend a penny, then plug it into the internet so at least you will get
the benefit of not only spending a dime but you will also get the benefit of telling your
business to the whole world.
Integrative Questions:
1. What is a service?
2. What is the difference between service and quality service?
3. How does advertisement work?
4. What is the difference between being requested by and advertising your own
business?
5. S referral better then advertisement?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/15/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
these-networked-conversations-are-enabling-powerful-new-forms-of-social-
organization-and-knowledge-exchange-to-emerge/
12. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto – 95 theses
Theses #10: As a result, markets are getting smarter, more informed, more
organized. Participation in a networked market changes people fundamentally.
Because the amazing power of social networks not only you can chat to other
people form different parts of the world, and also to your friend, but people are now
using and pushing it to the limits by also doing their markets online, and gives them
the edge over other people who does not yet believe in the power of social
networking. Recently I have a friend who just decided out of the box to post the
pictures of her puppies online which she is also selling them. In a next few days she
had phone calls ringing o her phone and text messages telling her they will by the
puppies. People no longer have to go there to see how the puppies look like, just by
posting videos and photos about the puppies and people are virtually looking at the
puppies already. This how amazing doing business in networked markets. Also
because she has a lot of friends, and her friends are using multiply everyday opening
their accounts, they can right away see her latest posts. The added fact that she is
selling her puppies, her way of advertising them is smarter, informed, and in a more
organized way. This is a very cheap way of doing advertisement and a very fast way
also. I believe this way is much better then posting pictures of your puppies outside
your house and waiting for people to see and recognized you post, this less attractive
way and much inconvenient way of advertising.
Integrative Questions:
1. What are markets?
2. What is advertisement?
3. What different ways of advertising?
4. What is the more effective way of advertising?
5. What is a social network?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/16/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
as-a-result-markets-are-getting-smarter-more-informed-more-organized-participation-
in-a-networked-market-changes-people-fundamentally/
13. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto – 95 theses
Theses #11: People in networked markets have figured out that they get far
better information and support form one another than form vendors. So much
for corporate rhetoric about adding value to commoditized products.
Your close friends and your other friends that are also part of your network,
nothing is a faster way to get information and facts the easy way and for both the
negative and positive information, you will get information straight ahead. You can
get information and support better of from your friends then from vendors who you
barely know and also who just treats you like any other customer they have. . I also
figured out that vendors will just tell you about the positive traits only, and very little
on the negative side. Form your friends you know them and they know you, you can
tell which one is telling the truth and which one is not telling the truth. An additional
support and information you can get from your network peeps is that if they have the
same interest as you, they will say about anything they want to say, and the internet
does not restrict anyone form saying or doing anything. A great help sometimes the
forum part of the website because you can learn more about something their than from
a particular shop where only one vendor is telling you about his or her own side of the
story about that product they are selling, but in the forum hundreds of people can help
you out they have no bias on anything, if they hate something they will tell you why
and they will suggest you something better from their own perspective. Others will
also just bunch in right away to give your additional information.
Integrative Questions:
1. What is a vendor?
2. What is the job of a vendor?
3. Who do you trust more your network peers or vendors?
4. What is the difference between the information you get from the network and
form the vendors?
5. How do you tell if someone is telling the truth form something and not telling
the truth?
Reference: http://www.refresher.com/!cluetrain.html
14. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto – 95 theses
Theses #12: There are no secrets. The networked market knows more than
companies do about their own products. And whether news is good or bad they
tell everyone.
The truth is if you want to now about something do not ask those people who
are selling them because you only hear lies, and the “good” side of their own product.
They will never tell you the bad side of the product, even they themselves know that
they have tested their own products and do not want any of their markets to know
about something, especially the bad side or the downfall of their product they will as
much as possible try to hide it form their markets. This where network markets come
in handy, they know more about a particular product than the company itself this is
because they tell you particularly about everything you need to know about that
product, whether it is the downside or the upside of that product. If there is something
that company does not want you to know about their product, then they surly would
not like what the network market has to tell you about the products of that company.
Secrets will always be revealed, why not tell the whole truth and just the partial truth
about something, because they know that it will shatter their own reputation. If
companies are not afraid about the network markets are capable of doing, then I think
it is about time they should be afraid of they are capable off. Because all the secrets
that someone wants to know about a particular product and all the gossips about it
will be easily revealed in the networked market.
Integrative Questions:
1. What is wrong with having a secret?
2. What is network market?
3. What are the capabilities of a network market?
4. What is the difference between an honest product and a dishonest product?
5. What secrets do some companies keep?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/20/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
there-are-no-secrets-the-networked-market-knows-more-than-companies-do-about-
their-own-products-and-whether-the-news-is-good-or-bad-they-tell-everyone/
15. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto – 95 theses
Theses #13: What’s happening to markets is also happening among employees. A
metaphysical construct called “The Company” is the only thing standing
between the two.
Respecting the potential of your employees are the key to the success of one’s
business. Never let your employees feel fear inside them that they need to do exactly
what you want them to do. But again there might be a bad side on this, but always
remain in control. Establishing a good relationship with your employees and letting
them know that if they do better than your expectations they will be assured that you
will give them praise and reward them for their hard work and good effort. Besides
they are just humans and they may commit some errors but also they will expect
something from you in case they do well in their jobs. From my experience being in a
team of different fields and trying to accomplish a project is more productive, because
the way I see it is that we are like going out of our own boundaries and exploring new
ideas from each member and discovering new ways of dealing with the problem if
anything arises. Flexibility is also the key to success and being with other members of
the company, with the other employees you get to not only know each other you also
get to be used to each other and establish and good relationship with your co workers
and this is a huge advantage to a company to be in, because they be more able to
comfortably share their ideas with the rest of the members of the company. Later on
these ideas will turn into a productive output for the good of the company.
Integrative Questions:
1. What is “The Company”?
2. What is the fear of the employee?
3. What does collaborative work means?
4. What are the advantages of team work?
5. What are the potential of an employee?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/21/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
whats-happening-to-markets-is-also-happening-among-employees-a-metaphysical-
construct-called-the- between-the company-is-the-only-thing-standing- -two/
16. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto – 95 theses
Theses #14: Corporations do not speak in the same voice as these new networked
conversations. To their intended online audiences, companies sound hollow, flat,
and literally inhuman.
The human voice should never be tampered with, because if a human is just
naturally talking another human being, that other human being can easily tell if what
you are saying or talking about sounds, hallow, flat, literally inhuman. Always to be
very careful with what you say because sometime the truth might hurt, but it hurts
more if someone only finds out what your saying was never the truth. The voice
coming out from your mouth is more to be lucidly understood by most people than
from something you wrote for a text or just message you want to say. But in the
network conversations people are typically typing almost every day that what is inside
the content of what they wrote can be accurately perceive by the one reading it as if
that person writing that text or message is actually saying it from his or her own
voice. The way networks conversations are being handled is more differently from the
away companies do. There writings may not be accepted in the Standard English
vocabulary or grammar, but the content if more precise and accurate, and more
truthful. This is what you should be reading, and what you should be looking out for.
Because what you read is what you get, and what you get is what you know. In the
network conversations everything you want to know about is out there, the whole
truth is revealed out there. More facts you want to know and read about are all in the
network.
Integrative Questions:
1. What are facts?
2. What is the difference of fiction form a fact?
3. How can you tell the delivery of the voice if it is true or not just a lie?
4. Is content more important than grammar, vocabulary, and spelling?
5. What are network conversations?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/22/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
corporations-do-not-speak-in-the-same-voice-as-these-new-networked-conversations-
to-their-intended-online-audiences-companies-sound-hollow-flat-literally-inhuman/
17. THE CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO
The Cluetrain Manifesto – 95 theses
Theses #15: In just a few more years, the current homogenized “voice” of
business—the sound of mission statements and brochures—will as contrived and
artificial as the language of the 18th century French court.
There is always a hole in the business voice nothing is more authentic then
your own voice, and learning to put your words into action and let speak them for
themselves the honest way you will realize it in the end that the real human
conversations is a more relaxing atmosphere to be at where there are no holes to bury
you in and leave yourself trying to get out of that hole that you just went into. The
business model of today is about sustainability, but where do they get those
sustainability? Sustainability is not even enough; it must also be together with honesty
and integrity for both parties. Because if you are not doing anything to keep to ropes
tied up sooner or later it will be cute and that sustainability will just go out the
window in an instant, and there is a probability that you might not have it back. There
is only you and us, the word them does not exist. If they have their own world, then
let us just be right at where we should be at our own world filled with honesty and
real facts that we can rely on, and the we would not leave each other behind, if there is
one stock in a hole, all of us together will him or her get out of that hole. This the new
language of the 21st century the so called network language where facts are real, on
time, up to date, and honesty is a reliability asset here.
Integrative Questions:
1. That is sustainability?
2. How do you keep sustainability?
3. What is the current homogenized “voice”?
4. What are mission statements?
5. What is an artificial language?
Reference: http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/01/23/cluetrain-a-day-2009-
in-just-a-few-more-years-the-current-homogenized-voice-of-business-the-sound-of-
mission-statements-and-brochures%E2%80%94will-seem-as-contrived-and-artificial-
as-the-langu/