MetaFilter is having one of its periodic debates about Web 2.0. As I mentioned the last time I talked about this, young, web-savvy types are supposed to be cynical about everything, especially what they see as marketing-driven buzzwords like Web 2.0 (read the thread for more insight.)
Still, one comment in that thread caught my eye, not least of all because it's in handy-dandy list format. (Yay, lists! They make information meaningful! 😉)
IMHO,
web-double-ought is important because it's now a cultural movement,
albeit mostly vain, shallow, and superficial.
Instead of worrying about how you make money off of it, howsabout we look at the potential benefits to society?
1. UGC is a big deal to Old Media because it's free content. And just
like Hollywood, the “best” content will rise to the top and translate
to old media. But those millions of people who are “practicing”
writing, or YouTubing, or photoshopping, or collaborating on things are
cumulatively adding to society, and gaining skills that are
transferable in the workplace, plus they most likely are learning
something new that they are enjoying.
2. Wisdom of Crowds: Individuals are dumb, markets are efficient, and
crowds can be smart (and dangerous). But democracy is a messy thing. We
pay a lot of attention to stock markets, Vegas, futures markets, and
prediction exchanges, don't we?
3. Examining big data can mean new discoveries. It can also mean false positives (ie. MySpace sex offenders).
4. The greater the level of engagement (or interaction, for people),
the stronger their feelings, and the more likely they are to link it to
positive emotions. Doing online research to pick the camera you want
and reading the opinions of others may likely cause you to enjoy the
purchase more afterwards.
5. Network effects: When you are composing a MeFi post, how useful is
del.icio.us versus Google for finding those esoteric BOTW links?
6. Openness: More transparency = more trust. If you share everything,
then you have nothing to hide (within reason). And allowing other
people to “mashup” your data gives you new ways to look at things, new
insights, and potentially new opprtunities for monetization.
Web 2.0 might be a pretentious buzzword, but it's a part of the culture now, which means it can become a real force for change.
Comments 2
“But those millions of people who are “practicing” writing, or YouTubing, or photoshopping, or collaborating on things are cumulatively adding to society, and gaining skills that are transferable in the workplace”
I sort of think that what theses people are doing is collectively raising the bar over their own heads. Rather much like what happened with HTML in the mid- to late-90s. Back then if you could put “Knows HTML” on your resume you were really showing depth of your skill. But once enough people had played around with personal web-pages it became the equivalent of “Can type 40 wpm”. Unless you have graphic design or information architecture experience, the HTML is not marketable at all.
So once there is a critical mass of people with Web 2.0 skills, it won't really be marketable anymore. Unless you can get on the bandwagon early, you might as well focus on other related skills that have a broader applicability then learn HTML or W2.0 on the job.
But what do I know?
Cheers
So what you're saying is: it's tough because it can feel like as soon as you learn something, you have to learn something new all over again.
But I'd say developments like this are a natural progression that's not just technology related – it happens in all aspects of society. My grandpa knew how to drive a horse team and then he had to learn to work a threshing machine then he he had to learn how to drive a combine. An artist friend learned to sketch by hand then with the use of Photoshop and now with some weird high-end tablet PC I can't even understand.
And I think these developments build on each other – to me, it's a good thing that “types 40 wpm” is now just accepted as a standard rather than a featured skill because that leaves room for the newest, latest skill to be the focus. Today, it's Web 2.0. I can't even begin to imagine what it will be in five years.
Plus I think there's something extra happening with Web 2.0 that didn't happen just because people knew how to type or do basic HTML. Today, I watched a video of my favourite band that previously would've only been available in England, saw photos and reviews of an item Shea and I wanted to buy for our baby then ordered it online to have it delivered later this week.
I guess what I'm saying is that Web 2.0, like combines and DVR's is part of a natural progression that helps make our lives easier, even if it's tough for the people dealing with the change.
But I'm a tech-positivist – what do I know?