Hacker Motivations, Decline of Traditional Companies" and Rise of Communities....
I have been away from this thread for some time. It's great to see this Novell "out there" community take shape and solidify while it continues to evolve and grow.
As for hackers, my gut feel is that they are expressing their profound hate for the way these large portals are trying to influence and "power-drive" the current Internet space into a ONE-WORLD bundle destination mindset.
While I don't condone these actions, they strongly indicate to me that there will always be this visceral/primal energy which logically understands that the true core values which drive the net are all about things like "FREE", service, helping others, etc. - i.e. zero limitations, blockages, roadblocks, ego, arrogance.
I really believe we are on the threshold where "companies" will gradually become more and more redundant. I don't mean there're going to go away, but I do think they will have to acquire/take on more and more of the fluid trappings of "community" while exhibiting in their ACTIONS the values of service which are driving the net.
The Net icons of today are being set up to become toast unless they radically reform, reshape, unbundle, change and "let go" of all the traditional hierarchical power/control bureaucracy and politics which traditional define most companies.
We are in a key transition phase right now. The net "companies" that have set themselves up to lead this revolution - AOL, Yahoo, Amazon, eBay - will have to radically redefine their central mission in life. Most of these companies have set themselves up as destinations. The internet abhors destinations.....for there is only ONE destination that really matters: individuals.
Hackers eptitomize the freedom and power of individuals who are acting selflessly to express an opinion about the state of their universe.
Using destructive means to make a point is not the way to go, but ultimately I see hackers simply crying out for attention. Why? Because they have locked onto a very logical, rational answer for all the wrongs they see out there which they believe self-justify their actions.
I think this hacker attack phase will continue to increase over time. And I'd really hate to think if there is perhaps some tie in to Clinton's Big Brother campaign to digitally tie/track us down.
One look at the current state of the Internet tells me it's still a Wild West Show, privacy concerns have still yet to be addressed and people are continually being programmed to think they have to "go somewhere" - ie. a portal, site, etc. - and give up key information just for the opportunity to buy a book or a CD.
Unless individuals become more aware of their rights and freedoms, there's still a very strong likelihood that digital privacy doors will first swing government's way. If so, we should all get ready to experience the friendly favor between government and existing large portals and big companies with net operations.
To me, the only thing that really matters on the net is one thing: the INDIVIDUAL.
The empowerment of INDIVIDUALS scares the crap out of government and traditional companies.
Why?
Because, when you boil everything down to it's core foundation, companies are really only one thing anyway: a collection of INDIVIDUALS.
This gets back to the central energy of SERVICE which drives all real change on the internet. Who helped AOL get their feet off the ground in the early days? Answer: hundreds if not thousands of VOLUNTEERS who got excited and dedicated about the value of interacting and helping others build, support and develope "communities" within AOL. What did these volunteers get back? Most got paid in the unseen psychic energy of light/love/spirit which loops back and energizes people when they help, mentor, and guide others to work in teams, etc.
Just look at the explosive growth of the Open Source movement. Same thing. It's THE future. Take that model and extend it EVERYWHERE throughout the world and you'll begin to "see" where this is going.
Everywhere on the net there are unseen and unheralded acts of kindness, unseen/unheralded acts of courage, unseen/unheralded acts of transformation which lead to change and progress.
The Internet of the future will be about unlocking all this incredible inner value as we bring all these energies "out" of the woodwork in ways which are more clearing aligned to needs of communities and the individuals within those communities which act as leaders who continually work to be of help and service to others.
Going forward, everything on the net which is OUTSIDE this community-help-service sphere of influence will, by simple logical example, default OFF the platform of growth, shrivel up, become redundant, etc.
For the paradigm of growth - ie. where INDIVIDUALS gather - will be "where the energy is" - NOT "where the money is."
This means that the TRUE inner motivations of traditional companies will gradually be exposed over time.
One of the reasons I have not been as active posting here on SI/Novell is that I am currently working to effect change in another little company which I think is poised for massive growth. I and mant others in this user, vendor community have "gone higher" than this company by forming the TRUE community of shared values and service which want to open up and leverage their technology in ways which the managers of this company seems more interested in controlling.
My company wants to do business with this company, but it has now gotten to the point where, while they have acknowledged the power of this beast they refer to as "the boards", they want to try to stop this process by making sure that for me/us to get a contract with this company, I DO NOT post anything about this company on the internet anymore.
Many similar parrallels could be made concerning Novell. Last spring when the Old Guard inside Novell reasserted itself, it extinguished the innovative fire and energy which could have quickly begun a process which radically reshaped the company in a short period of time.
Novell decided right then and there that there primary market would be COMPANIES - NOT anything new and innovative which addressed "individual" service/app space on the net. DigitalMe floundered and here we are today.
The true spirit of community which is aware of the power of Novell's technology is still "out there." But, the Old Guns are still firing inside Novell, much of the innovative spirit of change has been removed and some very good people have left the company over the past year.
I sincerely believe that EVERY company which does not open up to this energy of service, community and freedom, is at great risk today. But go a bit deeper and think what's really being lost: NOTHING!!
For there is so much to be gained from the process of opening up, experiencing failure, learning from mistakes, collaborating openly, sharing knowledge, helping and serving others.
The RISK/FAILURE bogeyman which companies and bosses our culture wants us to deeply believe is really a strawman. Better yet, he's like the Wizard of Oz, blowing smoke and fire behind a curtain.
We've found the burnt broom and the Internet - ie. places like this, etc. - removes the curtain. Companies can't hide their central/core motivations anymore. Either they're behind the line - taking energy, not trusting, witholding information, controlling and limiting others, using employees, protecting bureacracy and playing politics while shrinking the pie...
.....OR....
.....they are faithfully letting go, opening up, embracing risk/failure, helping, mentoring, being of service, sharing knowledge, trusting while growing the pie.
Traditional companies expend an enormous amount of time, energy and resources with lawyers, PR firms and marketing and ad consultants to create this facade of branding, purpose, mission, etc.
All this while the spirit of "community" which really carries each company really resides and is maintained and nurtured in a space goes higher and rests sacredly in the hearts, minds and souls of its employees, investors, vendors and customers. All this extremely important "unseen stuff" is totally outside the legal domain of the company.
For here's the bottom line: All "real" growth in the world is happening inside communities which freely empowered INDIVIDUALS who are simply guided and measured by the energies of service they give off and share with other.
The FREE and OPEN energies and values of service residing in COMMUNITIES will become the New "Companies" of this New Century.
Just sit back and watch this take shape.
Peace.
GO!!
The world is right on the threshold of being able to measure the unseen benefits of the energy which drives the
who are just beginning to feast on the permissioned-based marketing leverage of the net. |
