The Wizard of Oz Effect....
>>Frederick - I do a fair amount of investing based on "gut feel" rather than detailed analysis. I certainly appreciate your enthusiasm - but my experience is that big trends often take a lot longer to manifest themselves than early pioneers expect.
I think many people would be happier and more fulfilled if they concentrated on the things that really give them satisfaction, rather than a proxy for that satisfaction (like money). But mostly what I see in the current generation of "young turks" is the same kind of trophy hunting that I saw 30 years ago. Get the big title, the big bucks, make the score. If anything, that trend is more pronounced.
As long as the aggregation of wealth is a fundamental goal (and I think that is unlikely to change much after 10,000 years or so, despite the internet), then mechanisms to help with that aggregation like big companies will play a major role in the way people interact. There may be a change such as you suggest eventually, but I don't expect it in my lifetime, or my children's lifetime either. Look at how long hereditary monarchies persisted after it became pretty obvious that they were dysfunctional.>>
Rudedog:
The world is awakening to the realization that we've all been living in the Wizard of Oz.
What's so interesting is that unlike during past "transformations" the impact of this realization is massively sudden in it's total and complete black & white impact.
Just look around you.
IBM, Microsoft, Novell and all the NOT.COM's are being exposed/transformed to their elemental "core."
What this "core?"
VALUES.
BELIEFS.
PRINCIPALS.
Values, beliefs and principals mean nothing in and of themselves. Empty words. They only live through ACTIONS. Period.
In the Old days words, ads, letters, payments, padding could cover up the worst of offenses.
But now with "all eyes watching" the Internet Spirit has a way of exposing, unbundling, forcing these players in the dark to come into the light.
It's not unlike suddendly turning on the light in a dark room in the basement to find someone's hand in another's pocket.
Today, the person with their hand in the other guy's pocket no longer has the luxury of forgiving and redeeming himself to come clean.
For once the light is one, the gig is up, period. The Old games are no longer valid, period. And most of the good people are quickly finding their way out of the basement into the light.
Government is the next to go.
This one will be THE Big Kahuna. It will make the Microsoft breakup look like tiddlywinks. Unless of course Gates/Balmer fall in bed with the Clinton/Gore folks - which could have been planned all along.
If the U.S. Government can nationalize Microsoft then it could only happen with Microsoft's agreement. I really doubt Gates/Balmer plan to give anything up publicly. Behind the scenes though could be quite another story.
Then it will be Katy Bar the door. For the empowered technical net-savvy public will be all over this quicker than you can say Windows.
Microsoft is a monopoly. Our Federal Government is a monopoly. What could extend the power of both? If they agreed to work together in some way, shape or form.
Perhaps this is how this dynamic duo plans to bridge/close the Digital Divide. Forget about transparency and truth. Let's just make sure we can track EVERYONE, period.
Be wary folks. There's a lot of real fire here. These last/final Wizards are mean folk.
Peace.
GO!! |
