Poke the Box – All about the publishing industry. Really?

I just read Poke the Box by Seth Godin. It is a short piece and when you’re finished reading it feels like a small tap to the forehead that says “Remember? You know this.” And I like that. I like to be reminded about things that are valuable to me and that I may have misplaced or sometimes rooted from my life all together. I like the nudge. But what I don’t understand is that when I read other pieces about this book the tap is hardly mentioned and it’s implied that this is really about the publishing industry. This is true even when Mr. Godin is a participant. If all of this is a complete mystery to you, I offer a short introduction: Poke the Box is a new book by Seth Gordon, an author and change agent. He has partnered with Amazon in a publishing experiment called The Domino Project which will be publishing short, directed ‘manifestos’ (That is their word, not mine. Manifesto sounds to me as if I am going to be locking elbows with Karl Marx.). And that’s the place where everyone seems to stick. While I don’t discount it’s value I would fight for the book to get equal time. His message is about so much more than that. Oh, I just had an awful thought… maybe it is not about anything but publishing quickly and how to do less to make more. Is that just me being really jaded? If you want to find out what I took away from this book and what I truly feel the gift of this experience to be, jump on over to AugustRoo.com See you there!

Does the consumer think Social TV is all that?

Whoops! A new Tivo study shows the user becoming increasingly invested in time shifting for their TV viewing experience. You would never expect this following the news coming from CES in Las Vegas this week where the hot topic for 2012 is Social TV. Is this another example of not considering the consumer who is our end user over the advertiser? Google, Sony, Apple, Comcast, Glue: one after the other the new tricks are tied closely to the social experience of linear television viewing, with everything from new hardware and software as well as second screen apps gaining attention.

The new social model that so many providers and networks seem to feel their success is dependent on is based around the linear viewing model and that is the source of the conflict. Our interactions today increasingly are based on a “shared” experience that is not hinged on having the experience at the same time. Additionally, while we all make space to share with our friends or family we also have actively created comfortable, meaningful, be it less personal, communities in our online exchanges. In this regard the powers that be might pay more attention to the growing success of Google+ hangouts. A lot of people who previously were strangers are creating a new space to have a shared experience. The key is that they are strangers. Assuming we can only have a positive social interaction with people we know rather than people who have a shared interest will create an unnecessary blip for all parties in the growth of this new viewer experience.

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One Hello World Is Our Collective Heart

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Web Performance Art

One Hello World, voicemail set to music, is one of my favorite creative works to come out of the internet. The composer, who is also the source of this concept, does not identify himself in order to maintain the community driven spirit behind this work. A phone number’s posted for people to call and leave a voicemail. They are free to talk on any subject they want. Within days it is shared with all over the internet.  Several of the recordings have been selected to also be enhanced with his own musical compositions. The final pieces are up and the selection process is underway for a soon-to-be-released recording. The commentary can be socially biting and witty. At other times it is as though the speaker entered the confessional and uses this anonymous space to give voice to something carried in the depths of their heart. And always the music is there to hold it. For me there is one universal thread; there is an honesty present in our collective voice and it’s a beautiful thing. Visit One Hello World. Enjoy your own discoveries.

This project was funded all or in part through Kickstarter. This great organization provides a way for artist and creatives to promote a project and the interested public to find and support them. All types of projects can be found at any one time on Kickstarter. Currently there is a request to fund a film, video game, and world music recording. If you are not familiar with this organization yet you have a few more fun surprises in store.

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