Real estate Web 2.0 -- A Personal Network
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 01:15PM One of the pernicious aspects of groups that has historically been witnesed is the tendency towards truth by consensus. This is where one believes if enough people in a group hold a viewpoint or idea that it's factual, that if it's repeated often enough it's Truth.
The mainstream media used to own their vesion of the truth and facts until the advent of the internet and, subsequently, blogging. Now individuals have power that was once the sole possession of groups. Facts cannot be easily hiden anymore. What's said is recorded and what happens is reported. There are no wizards of knowledge and news anymore, any person with acces can report and show what's been recorded.
The internet is smashing this group power of truth by consensus. The truth now is based more on raw facts and honest judgement and less on the number of adherents to a position. Groups can't isolate themselves from facts, they can only hunker down, look foolish and become irrelevant.
Objectivity will never be silenced. If it is we're all doomed, so it won't matter. The internet is a friend of objectivity, it gives a voice to objectivity, where all sides of an issue can be equally explored, objectively-- regardless of party lines, group-think, lies, spinning, wishes, conspiracies, etc.
What a wonderful open network of truth-finding. Individuals are no long bullied by power and kept in the dark, they can report and read what has been recorded -- they can search for truth without wandering in the desert or climbing mountains to reach the guru. They don't have to choke on the spoon-fed "truth" from groups of experts with agendas.
The "expert" has been challenged in the information age. The challenge is to "show me" -- prove what you say is true. No longer are we wowed with claims of esoteric knowledge -- you can just Google. An expert now has the burden of providing substance and validity -- validate your claims or be passed on by down the information highway.
I think it's a good turn of events that individuals are empowered with information and given a voice via the internet. It marks the beginning of a new age where groups and associations and goverments no longer dominate and power is in ideas not numbers. A lone voice can disrupt the deceptions of a huge organization, a lone voice can shed light on age old myths pertpetuated by the gate-keepers of knowledge. It's a fascinating time to be alive and be a part of.
Therefore building a personal network is of vital importance because it connects us with the power to transform and opens myriad avenues of learning. We can build our networks according to our interests and purposes. Whereas in my small community there are only a few connections that enrich my life and spark my imagination, via the internet there are countless connections I can utilize, both directly and indirectly. Groups, to survive, will have to open up and embrace objectivity or else they will be bypassed and no one building a personal network will connect to them. Groups will have to offer more than clubbiness and "friendships", they will have to offer meaningful relationships based on learning in a fearless, objective environment.
Sites that offer no value except as venues for advertising will find their money drying up and cyber doors will be closing. "Social" will lose all meaning without real value to the individual. All groups and sites that offer nothing but sterilzed nothingness for the sake of a social feel-good fuzziness or an experience in who's the hip-est now will grow stale and substance-less and people will search for connections where their imgagination is tweaked or they can get useful information that's both contextual and personalized and BS-free.
And if I'm being offensive, it's meant to be. I'm on the offense to challenge myself to find the connections in my personal network that will be of value. Maybe we need more offense and less defense. Maybe both Marc and Greg are on to something. Offended? Great, let it spark conversations that mean something.
Reader Comments (2)
>The "expert" has been challenged in the information age. The challenge is to "show me" -- prove what you say is true.
Mike, that one fact is why so many bloggers either quit or fade away. There's no beef. When I make a seemingly bold claim, or want to make my point more credibly, I follow it with empirical evidence -- not opinion -- evidence. This still doesn't mean everyone buys in, it just means my take is based upon something other than well, my take.
Empirical evidence backing up a bold claim is what brought Dan 'Courage' Rather down.
>All groups and sites that offer nothing but sterilzed nothingness for the sake of a social feel-good fuzziness or an experience in who's the hip-est now will grow stale and substance-less...
We're seeing a solid example of this in real time on the Demo side of the political primaries. The last time this happened was in the '80 presidential election. The 'grow stale and substance-less' part came full bloom during the debates and finally on election day. Substance crushed fuzziness without much effort.
Finally, and I'll be talking more in depth about this on BHB, I've looked into many of the so called high profile bloggers -- and the 80/20 rule applies.
You might be surprised to find out who is a real estate blogger -- but only works part time! They've not either made enough to quite their day job, or simply don't want to, but feel they know enough to teach others.
This is rampant in the re.net. There are those who write very well, but simply aren't making it happen in their own businesses. Is it just me, or is that not quite congruent with all their drivel?
I'd love to hear your thoughts Mike.
Yes, Jeff, I believe the poseurs will eventually be uncovered, in all walks of life. Information is too abundand and free flowing. Plus, we're all getting smarter and demanding higher standards. While some hip/slick blogger might sparkle for a minute, if there is no substance it won't hold interest not survive scrutiny -- also, going back to policits, the same holds true -- Obama better get a bucket load of substance fast or his sparkle will fizzle soon when he's put to the test.
Thanks for the thoughts.