It is easier to arbitrate from on high than to do the hard work of actually caring. Similarly, it is easier to accept pre-packaged plans handed out by "experts" than it is to investigate the matter personally. This dichotomy creates the age-old class system, which it is popular to rail against, but mostly accepted as a necessary evil. However, to reason that a rational system of force is the only way to organize society, is to make the irrational assumption that people cannot be brought to reason through the examination of their irrational ideas.
Economics
Economics is a relatively simple science, but is a brutal science in its simplicity. It is no more complicated in its natural form than that resources fed into a given system must produce a positive output from the system. If a positive output isn't attained, then the system is broken. This has been made complicated by political arbitration—which isn't strictly bad. However, as certain unhealthy habits are known to cause cancer in the human body—an inescapable condition—so unfit practices with money create inescapable debts.
Cancer and other diseases take the physical lives of loved ones in the same way that financial mis-managements take away their lifestyles. In order to avoid this dreaded outcome, a measure of proactive discipline is needed. Those who are just starting their independent lives need to work to develop a savings account, if they are to remain independent. Those who are "successful" in their own independent lives need to open opportunities for talented young creators and performers.
There is no doubt that it is emotionally difficult for young people to attain the needed discipline, and it is also emotionally difficult for successful people to risk investing their hard-earned money on such undisciplined people. Therefore, irrational rationale has led us to adopt a system whereby those just beginning are given money, upon certain conditions, by those successful people. This money is then to be paid back with "interest" regardless of what is done with it. This is seen as the only option. However, debt is the beginning of servitude, has the same wasting effect of cancer, and therefore, leads to the "need" of more debt.
These debts create a trapped lower class, which must constantly labor to fill the holes created by the compounding effect of interest. At this point, it is "safe" (not emotionally risky) to employ these desperate individuals to fill menial positions as cogs in a machine. If they don't comply with the orders handed down from on high, then they risk losing the job they desperately need. That's scary, but so is dependence on someone who is to afraid to care about you as a human!
TO BE CONTINUED...
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Leaders and Followers
These are two terms that I had no real understanding of five years ago, and I suspect the same is true of most people today. If you had asked me to define what a leader was, I would have described the position of President, the job of a CEO, or the forceful temperament I thought was necessary in either. If asked to describe a follower, I would have made reference to barnyard animals.
This is a perfect demonstration of what unbalanced media can do to the minds of its viewers. By constantly seeking to be in agreement with the mind of the masses in order to maintain expanding (if increasingly unstable) viewership, mass media entertainment unknowingly follows it into the inevitable depths of pessimism. Media that criticizes the world for its problems merely re-enforces the thinking that created the problems.
The pessimistic view that all "leaders" are authoritarian and unlikable, has the effect of dissuading individuals in the masses from seeking to lead. Their bosses then play the part they are left—to force the unenthusiastic masses to follow orders like sheep. These "followers" in turn play the part they are left—to keep their heads down and do no more than is expected. The casualty here, of course, is art.
Great leaps forward in history, while many times arising from strife, must first be fueled by the momentum of inspiration. The American Revolutionary War wasn't fought on a whim, but was kindled by true leaders that stoked the fires of imagination in the people. Only when the people could feel what freedom would be like, could they summon the courage to rise up. This sort of leadership is an art form, and the media of the day helped crystallize the message of what could be, not what was.
Today, we are inundated with media (both through formal education then through television and other entertainment) that portrays the positional leader. While today's positional leaders are not royalty, media uses language as if they were—especially with regard to celebrities. In cases where the position was "earned" rather than given by succession, the perspective (and perhaps the truth) is that the successor must have done something dishonest to get there.
But much of the frustration surrounding this type of leadership stems from a misunderstanding of what leadership is. First of all, the position does not make one a leader, merely a manager or a king. Secondly, getting people to do what they already know how to do isn't leadership, it's redundancy. A true leader encourages people to grow, and true followers are naturally inspired to do what they do—and more.
A follower is not a sheep, but a student. And he is not a student that is being molded into a cog, but one that is blossoming with all the uniqueness of a wildflower. A follower in this sense, is a person who knows he does not yet possess the ability to lead. While he may never surpass the skill of the leader he is following, he will become some level of leader himself.
This is a perfect demonstration of what unbalanced media can do to the minds of its viewers. By constantly seeking to be in agreement with the mind of the masses in order to maintain expanding (if increasingly unstable) viewership, mass media entertainment unknowingly follows it into the inevitable depths of pessimism. Media that criticizes the world for its problems merely re-enforces the thinking that created the problems.
The pessimistic view that all "leaders" are authoritarian and unlikable, has the effect of dissuading individuals in the masses from seeking to lead. Their bosses then play the part they are left—to force the unenthusiastic masses to follow orders like sheep. These "followers" in turn play the part they are left—to keep their heads down and do no more than is expected. The casualty here, of course, is art.
Great leaps forward in history, while many times arising from strife, must first be fueled by the momentum of inspiration. The American Revolutionary War wasn't fought on a whim, but was kindled by true leaders that stoked the fires of imagination in the people. Only when the people could feel what freedom would be like, could they summon the courage to rise up. This sort of leadership is an art form, and the media of the day helped crystallize the message of what could be, not what was.
Today, we are inundated with media (both through formal education then through television and other entertainment) that portrays the positional leader. While today's positional leaders are not royalty, media uses language as if they were—especially with regard to celebrities. In cases where the position was "earned" rather than given by succession, the perspective (and perhaps the truth) is that the successor must have done something dishonest to get there.
But much of the frustration surrounding this type of leadership stems from a misunderstanding of what leadership is. First of all, the position does not make one a leader, merely a manager or a king. Secondly, getting people to do what they already know how to do isn't leadership, it's redundancy. A true leader encourages people to grow, and true followers are naturally inspired to do what they do—and more.
A follower is not a sheep, but a student. And he is not a student that is being molded into a cog, but one that is blossoming with all the uniqueness of a wildflower. A follower in this sense, is a person who knows he does not yet possess the ability to lead. While he may never surpass the skill of the leader he is following, he will become some level of leader himself.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
168 Hours, Part 3
The Rewards and Their Results
These range from natural rewards (those naturally occurring from the activity of sharing with other people) to official rewards (those given out according to prescribed policy). Many relational and emotional "bonuses" arrive from being genuinely enthusiastic about something beneficial, and from the knowledge that those benefits are transfered to others in the sharing.
However, this is not enough. As for some, creating is its own reward, so for some it is enough to share what has been created. For many, this is as much drive as they have, but some others wish to devote their lives to these pursuits. Without economic rewards, this is impossible. Therefore, these vital fans must be given an opportunity to qualify for profit-sharing in order to build a life around these pursuits—so that they may be free to increase their fervor.
The goal is to accomplish this without bankrupting the capital gained from liquidation, and without imposing unnecessary restrictions on voluntary actions. To do nothing that will kill the golden goose. Since the current network model ultimately generates revenue to the degree that their sponsors sell products, it follows that as long as the sponsors sell the same amount of products, they should be bound to pay the same for access to the network.
Therefore, the New Network Plan would be structured around marketing the network sponsors' products to those who wish to support the media as a result of its benefit to them. In other words, if you love the episode buy something you need from one of its sponsors. This allows the episodes to remain free to the public, while still providing marketing revenue.
In similar fashion to traditional network marketing, this hybrid will utilize the efforts of independent business owners, who will grow the network based first upon their enthusiasm, then upon their ability to pair media content to sponsors' products in a way that is beneficial to the audience. In this way, they act as mini-factory versions of traditional Network Affiliates, working as regional teams to gain higher and higher levels of profit-sharing for each affiliate.
By focusing the same resources into less time output, the New Network Plan will give fans more material to discuss and more free time to discuss it in, generating interest, loyalty, and viral spread. The cumulative effect of such media content will improve human understanding and relational skills both through the philosophy embodied in the media and through the earnest discussion between fans and new/prospective fans.
These range from natural rewards (those naturally occurring from the activity of sharing with other people) to official rewards (those given out according to prescribed policy). Many relational and emotional "bonuses" arrive from being genuinely enthusiastic about something beneficial, and from the knowledge that those benefits are transfered to others in the sharing.
However, this is not enough. As for some, creating is its own reward, so for some it is enough to share what has been created. For many, this is as much drive as they have, but some others wish to devote their lives to these pursuits. Without economic rewards, this is impossible. Therefore, these vital fans must be given an opportunity to qualify for profit-sharing in order to build a life around these pursuits—so that they may be free to increase their fervor.
The goal is to accomplish this without bankrupting the capital gained from liquidation, and without imposing unnecessary restrictions on voluntary actions. To do nothing that will kill the golden goose. Since the current network model ultimately generates revenue to the degree that their sponsors sell products, it follows that as long as the sponsors sell the same amount of products, they should be bound to pay the same for access to the network.
Therefore, the New Network Plan would be structured around marketing the network sponsors' products to those who wish to support the media as a result of its benefit to them. In other words, if you love the episode buy something you need from one of its sponsors. This allows the episodes to remain free to the public, while still providing marketing revenue.
In similar fashion to traditional network marketing, this hybrid will utilize the efforts of independent business owners, who will grow the network based first upon their enthusiasm, then upon their ability to pair media content to sponsors' products in a way that is beneficial to the audience. In this way, they act as mini-factory versions of traditional Network Affiliates, working as regional teams to gain higher and higher levels of profit-sharing for each affiliate.
By focusing the same resources into less time output, the New Network Plan will give fans more material to discuss and more free time to discuss it in, generating interest, loyalty, and viral spread. The cumulative effect of such media content will improve human understanding and relational skills both through the philosophy embodied in the media and through the earnest discussion between fans and new/prospective fans.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
168 Hours, Part 2
The New Network Plan
The television network will have to undergo an extreme makeover to survive the information revolution. First, it must forgo static programming. Second, it must trim the fat from its output. Third, it must liquidate and re-commission its assets. Fourth, it must welcome creative fans. Fifth, it must reward evangelism.
By "static programming" I mean the current method of scheduled airings. Before any other steps can be seriously undertaken, a network must dedicate its release of new content to on-demand outlets, especially such web outlets as Hulu and/or the network's own site. This does not exclude the possibility of static programming outlets in the future, but treating on-demand as primary will free the network to perform the second (though far more important) requirement.
Liberated from the necessity to fill a 168 hour schedule, the network can eliminate from its lineup less beneficial shows. In my mind, there are two ways to define the benefits of media content: benefit to the fans and benefit to the network. Whether they realize it or not, fans expect brain food from the media—wiser media benefits the culture of society, equipping it to solve its own problems. Being a business, the network itself craves capital to re-invest, increase value of shares, and pay employees. It also craves recognition and a loyal fanbase—especially one that will hold it accountable to improve.
Shows that do not satisfy these requirements can be sold to another network, sold to another channel owned by the same network, or liquidated entirely. This action will free up assets and capital, both human and material. The resulting resource pool can be drawn upon by creators to subsidize the large up-front effort needed to weave deep, resonating stories.
Only with this depth will the higher aims of culture, loyalty, and evangelism be attained. And only by an unparalleled level of fan-creator interaction and feedback will this resonating depth be created in the first place. Once the groundwork and story introduction are created, the search for truth must be outsourced to the fans. Fans who demonstrate to the creators a profound understanding of the story's heart and soul would be invited to operate as independent consultants. Their job would be to accumulate and filter new ideas through direct interactions with fans and critics.
Finally, to achieve this level of attention to a given story in the first place, the network must reward evangelism. While a dramatic term, perhaps, "evangelism" in marketing is very similar to its humble form in religion. A new follower is inspired by the benefits of the story to such a degree that he desires to share the experience with others. This is the greatest reason to create wise media, but its effects are not everlasting. By the time the evangelist naturally loses his initial excitement, rewards resulting from his work at sharing should begin to arrive.
The television network will have to undergo an extreme makeover to survive the information revolution. First, it must forgo static programming. Second, it must trim the fat from its output. Third, it must liquidate and re-commission its assets. Fourth, it must welcome creative fans. Fifth, it must reward evangelism.
By "static programming" I mean the current method of scheduled airings. Before any other steps can be seriously undertaken, a network must dedicate its release of new content to on-demand outlets, especially such web outlets as Hulu and/or the network's own site. This does not exclude the possibility of static programming outlets in the future, but treating on-demand as primary will free the network to perform the second (though far more important) requirement.
Liberated from the necessity to fill a 168 hour schedule, the network can eliminate from its lineup less beneficial shows. In my mind, there are two ways to define the benefits of media content: benefit to the fans and benefit to the network. Whether they realize it or not, fans expect brain food from the media—wiser media benefits the culture of society, equipping it to solve its own problems. Being a business, the network itself craves capital to re-invest, increase value of shares, and pay employees. It also craves recognition and a loyal fanbase—especially one that will hold it accountable to improve.
Shows that do not satisfy these requirements can be sold to another network, sold to another channel owned by the same network, or liquidated entirely. This action will free up assets and capital, both human and material. The resulting resource pool can be drawn upon by creators to subsidize the large up-front effort needed to weave deep, resonating stories.
Only with this depth will the higher aims of culture, loyalty, and evangelism be attained. And only by an unparalleled level of fan-creator interaction and feedback will this resonating depth be created in the first place. Once the groundwork and story introduction are created, the search for truth must be outsourced to the fans. Fans who demonstrate to the creators a profound understanding of the story's heart and soul would be invited to operate as independent consultants. Their job would be to accumulate and filter new ideas through direct interactions with fans and critics.
Finally, to achieve this level of attention to a given story in the first place, the network must reward evangelism. While a dramatic term, perhaps, "evangelism" in marketing is very similar to its humble form in religion. A new follower is inspired by the benefits of the story to such a degree that he desires to share the experience with others. This is the greatest reason to create wise media, but its effects are not everlasting. By the time the evangelist naturally loses his initial excitement, rewards resulting from his work at sharing should begin to arrive.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
168 Hours, Part 1
We live in an "on demand" world. Because of the internet, everything is available always. Television audiences are no longer confined to the broadcasters' schedule. There is no longer any need for TV channels to offer a full 168 hour lineup. We can minimize overhead and create a viral spread by focusing the input required to produce 168 hours of output per week into a "quality over quantity" output of 2 to 4 hours per week.
Imagine what could be done with the leverage of 42 to 84 times the resources that currently go into an hour of television. If invested in story depth, these resources would create a vast and enthralling landscape of human interaction. Enormous story arcs could be developed and executed with unparalleled scope, much to the delight of the more critical audience members.
Yeah, but...
Of course, you've likely realized that no network fills a full weeks' schedule with original material even now. Network television pads empty time with infomercials, and production gaps with re-runs. Cable television runs and re-runs "marathons" of both popular syndicated shows and their own original programming. All channels resort to such low-budget programming as "reality" shows, studio-based sitcoms, and game shows.
A further challenge to this proposal is the fact that each hour of the week represents 12-15 minutes of commercial time—a significant source of television revenue. By the current media model, reducing the number of leverage points means losing resources to the same degree. While DVD and memorabilia sales account for some additional revenue, their delay and uncertainty make them unreliable and inadequate under the current system.
Digital media releases which appear on iTunes the day after air are a potentially increasing source of revenue for episodes which bear repeating, but such purchases are in competition against "free" web releases a la Hulu. This source of media, of course, allows ads to be embedded (hence the quotations). Both of these distribution channels clearly benefit from the increased quality which more focused leverage would provide.
Imagine what could be done with the leverage of 42 to 84 times the resources that currently go into an hour of television. If invested in story depth, these resources would create a vast and enthralling landscape of human interaction. Enormous story arcs could be developed and executed with unparalleled scope, much to the delight of the more critical audience members.
Yeah, but...
Of course, you've likely realized that no network fills a full weeks' schedule with original material even now. Network television pads empty time with infomercials, and production gaps with re-runs. Cable television runs and re-runs "marathons" of both popular syndicated shows and their own original programming. All channels resort to such low-budget programming as "reality" shows, studio-based sitcoms, and game shows.
A further challenge to this proposal is the fact that each hour of the week represents 12-15 minutes of commercial time—a significant source of television revenue. By the current media model, reducing the number of leverage points means losing resources to the same degree. While DVD and memorabilia sales account for some additional revenue, their delay and uncertainty make them unreliable and inadequate under the current system.
Digital media releases which appear on iTunes the day after air are a potentially increasing source of revenue for episodes which bear repeating, but such purchases are in competition against "free" web releases a la Hulu. This source of media, of course, allows ads to be embedded (hence the quotations). Both of these distribution channels clearly benefit from the increased quality which more focused leverage would provide.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
The War of Ideas
To be on either side of the Question is to fight only what you can see—namely, your opponents; but to seek truth is to fight nature itself through the lonely exploration of the middle-ground despite crossfire. There are many questions (with a lower case "q") that have definitive answers despite many people's ignorance of those answers. However, there are some where we have not yet found definite answers, those whose answers are critical to solving the world's problems.
In considering these Questions, there is a huge difference between being moderate and being mediocre. To be a spectator at the game of life is to merely watch the competition of ideas in the political and social arena. Mediocrity is waiting for the hard questions to be answered by someone else—then reading the scores with an idle interest.
The great people of history who have been in this lonely middle-ground certainly studied the scoreboard of the competitors who volleyed over their heads. Their interest in finding answers and the intensity of their search, however, led them to examine this war of ideas up close—and not without risk.
Well-read people see faults and virtues in every opinion. Big thinking people focus on the virtues with an eye on unity, rather than schism. But, alas, it is easier to fall to one side where the company is welcoming and the enemies are readily identified. A place of labels and uniforms, where conforming one's speech to a fixed ideology is the clear path to high status.
The question is why do you defend the points you do? Is it because you believe your opinion is the true answer to the question? Or is it because you gain something else from aligning yourself with others of the same mind? Depending on the situation, there may be nothing wrong with either reason—and you may, in fact, be defending the truth.
Just remember, in the war of ideas, it isn't the truth because you think it is or wish it was. It's only the truth if it actually is!
In considering these Questions, there is a huge difference between being moderate and being mediocre. To be a spectator at the game of life is to merely watch the competition of ideas in the political and social arena. Mediocrity is waiting for the hard questions to be answered by someone else—then reading the scores with an idle interest.
The great people of history who have been in this lonely middle-ground certainly studied the scoreboard of the competitors who volleyed over their heads. Their interest in finding answers and the intensity of their search, however, led them to examine this war of ideas up close—and not without risk.
Well-read people see faults and virtues in every opinion. Big thinking people focus on the virtues with an eye on unity, rather than schism. But, alas, it is easier to fall to one side where the company is welcoming and the enemies are readily identified. A place of labels and uniforms, where conforming one's speech to a fixed ideology is the clear path to high status.
The question is why do you defend the points you do? Is it because you believe your opinion is the true answer to the question? Or is it because you gain something else from aligning yourself with others of the same mind? Depending on the situation, there may be nothing wrong with either reason—and you may, in fact, be defending the truth.
Just remember, in the war of ideas, it isn't the truth because you think it is or wish it was. It's only the truth if it actually is!
FEATURED MEDIA: A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman's Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide- I'll admit, I haven't read this book yet, but it promises to be thought provoking. Articles I've read by Mr. Siljander sound clearly reasoned and point out the contemporary political stance of "shoot first, ask questions never." Our government is a long way from making peace in the Middle East, and mostly due to ignoring diplomatic approaches to unity.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Language is the Key to Thought
I've never considered myself a "car guy," but have nevertheless undertaken a project to restore a '65 MGB. Knowing nothing about cars except what's taught in Driver's Ed, I lacked any knowledge of the basic parts and the names of those parts. Everything I've learned has come from reading, looking at diagrams, and tinkering with the car itself.
I admit, I didn't realize that I was learning much at all. However, this past weekend, my car (the one I drive regularly) had some sort of issue which prevented it from starting. Now, I wish I could say that I miraculously figured it out on my own. This was not the case. I consulted a couple of people who I knew to be bona fide "car guys" to help me troubleshoot.
The point is how clear my thinking was in regard to the troubleshooting process. Where I would previously have been at a loss to describe the problem in words other than "thingy" and "doo-hickey," I surprised myself at recalling the correct jargon. When I crawled under the car—surprise!—the components I saw were easily identifiable despite the two cars' similarity being no more than apples and oranges.
Describing this sensation to my wife, she replied, "You're learning the language. Language is the key to thought." In other words, once complex ideas can be given a name, they can more easily be related to other ideas.
Equipped with this new revelation, I re-examined what I believe to be the future of media. In such meditations, new understanding is reached even on the most well-tread paths of thought.
I came to the realization that language is not only limited to words, but also to visual forms. It was not because I knew the name for a transmission that I was able to identify the one in my car, but because I understood the form of a transmission. Having learned more extensively what each car part does within the system, my brain was able to capture the range of shapes to which a given part is limited—by physical laws, among other things.
Truth in Fiction works the same way. The story (a vehicle) can take the audience to any place the creator can imagine. The engine, however, is limited to a certain range of forms—according to natural law. The one distinction in this analogy is that while violation of forms in a car will prevent the car from reaching a destination at all, fictional stories can be so contrived as to reach a desired destination despite flaws.
Nevertheless, the quality of each journey is dependent upon the driving parts' fitting together in harmony. Moreover, the experience of a harmonious journey teaches our unconscious minds about a standard of excellence—against which other experiences will be compared.
If all one knows is a crummy existence, full of lies, deceit, and poverty, then all one can expect from life is the same. However, if one trapped in this view of the world, views truth-based media, his mind is given a higher standard to which it can aspire.
Therefore, books are certainly important for teaching of language and its uses. Yet, there is much untapped merit in visual media, which teaches the language of forms and the standards against which one can measure his daily experiences.
I admit, I didn't realize that I was learning much at all. However, this past weekend, my car (the one I drive regularly) had some sort of issue which prevented it from starting. Now, I wish I could say that I miraculously figured it out on my own. This was not the case. I consulted a couple of people who I knew to be bona fide "car guys" to help me troubleshoot.
The point is how clear my thinking was in regard to the troubleshooting process. Where I would previously have been at a loss to describe the problem in words other than "thingy" and "doo-hickey," I surprised myself at recalling the correct jargon. When I crawled under the car—surprise!—the components I saw were easily identifiable despite the two cars' similarity being no more than apples and oranges.
Describing this sensation to my wife, she replied, "You're learning the language. Language is the key to thought." In other words, once complex ideas can be given a name, they can more easily be related to other ideas.
Equipped with this new revelation, I re-examined what I believe to be the future of media. In such meditations, new understanding is reached even on the most well-tread paths of thought.
I came to the realization that language is not only limited to words, but also to visual forms. It was not because I knew the name for a transmission that I was able to identify the one in my car, but because I understood the form of a transmission. Having learned more extensively what each car part does within the system, my brain was able to capture the range of shapes to which a given part is limited—by physical laws, among other things.
Truth in Fiction works the same way. The story (a vehicle) can take the audience to any place the creator can imagine. The engine, however, is limited to a certain range of forms—according to natural law. The one distinction in this analogy is that while violation of forms in a car will prevent the car from reaching a destination at all, fictional stories can be so contrived as to reach a desired destination despite flaws.
Nevertheless, the quality of each journey is dependent upon the driving parts' fitting together in harmony. Moreover, the experience of a harmonious journey teaches our unconscious minds about a standard of excellence—against which other experiences will be compared.
If all one knows is a crummy existence, full of lies, deceit, and poverty, then all one can expect from life is the same. However, if one trapped in this view of the world, views truth-based media, his mind is given a higher standard to which it can aspire.
Therefore, books are certainly important for teaching of language and its uses. Yet, there is much untapped merit in visual media, which teaches the language of forms and the standards against which one can measure his daily experiences.
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