The Way of the Web

Dear Everybody,

Recently we have been talking nearly every single day about web 2.0, 3.0 or whatever name one would like to attach to it. Of course given the developments globally within this field, it is, and remains a very interesting topic to talk, think, and dream about. Certainly if we look at the potential it has in line with our thoughts about business and life.

Today has provided me with a number of insights on this very subject. Insights I found worth sharing on the blog. Hope you guys agree. Bear with me for this article, as my thoughts deviate quite often. Character flaw perhaps..

Anyhow. Today, one of my fellow future Imagineers presented a book called: “we think”. Likely a title that sounds familiar or rings a bell. Btw, interesting presentation Bram! Here we go, first deviation.

Now, this book basically deals with the potential of the web 2.0 and how it will influence our lives. Whether or not it is that revolutionary tool so many claim it to be. Me including. If we let our minds flow, an endless array of opportunities pass by. We can see worlds open up now and in the future. We can see people and communities connecting which we could not have imagined 10 years ago. Or should I say 12 years ago when google was first introduced to us. Just 12 years ago. I usually catch myself smiling and daydreaming about this subject, as I find it an incredibly interesting, intriguing subject. It amazes me with what speed people come up with the most far sought, however useful, applications to be used online. Can you recall life before google?

Of course relating this all back to Imagineering, the internet or web 2.0 if you will, has been and is a catalyser, facilitator and supporter of the Imagineering way of thinking. It causes organizations to rethink their business model. Everybody is all of a sudden able to produce whatever they want, wherever they want and in the form they want. Internet being the absolute Icon for co-creation. Few examples being ‘Youtube’ or for instance ‘Wikipedia’ as mentioned today in the discussion about “we think”. Another example I find incredibly illustrating; ‘couchsurfing’. This for the reason that it is being run by, correct me if I am wrong, just under 10 people.(of course co-managed by all its users) Imagine this 20 years ago. How big would this company have to be to be able to deliver the same thing they do today…

For anyhow interested in these stream of thoughts and haven’t seen the ‘Did you know’ movies.( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8)

Web 2.0 had and has a general positive feel to it because of the unlimited possibilities. And along side this, it is said to empower the powerless. Everybody is able to make a distinction. To achieve whatever goal one has with very limited need for supporting means. From becoming a new born millionaire, to starting political movements and/or other communities. I mean, Obama funded a great deal of his campaign through online communities. Perhaps not the best example of empowering the powerless(or perhaps the best example, give or take an interpretation), but it shows the potential and the recognition of its power by, by now, the president of the united states.

So what could this all mean to the third world? How could we use the potential to better the world and make it one happy place? With all these unlimited possibilities, we are opening our doors to share our knowledge and wisdom with the world! Are we?....

Multiple interpretation are possible. Today, Bram highlighted some views of critics of the web which were discussed in the book ‘We Think’. It made me think. When I got home, I was browsing the internet and found the following newsitem: http://www.nu.nl/internet/2165387/nederland-blijft-in-top-internetlanden.html

Apologies for the non-dutch speaking. Let me summarize it very briefly as my post is getting kind of long. Daydreaming, so many differing thoughts being the cause of it…

The item starts of by mentioning the top countries if it comes to internet penetration. And guess what, we are number four!! Lucky us. Now a little further down it mentions the average penetration worldwide. A mere 5%, that’s it. With a note attached to it that there are still 99 countries with an internet penetration of less than 1%.

Now what does this mean for these countries. Are we bridging gaps as the western world or are we actually widening them. As an (future) Imagineer I am approaching this question in an appreciative manner, and focus on the opportunities and good things internet can and has achieved. However, it is very easy to ask yourself; are we widening the gap between rich and poor because of the opportunities that web 2.0 brings us and not the millions if not billions on the planet that could really benefit if….

So I would like to end this uncontrolled stream of thoughts by rephrasing this very question through the lens of appreciative inquiry into: How can we as the western world, enable the ones who lack the benefit of an internet connection now and in the coming years, to optimally benefit from the endless array of opportunities the web brings?

Thanks for bearing with me. Hope I made you think.

Grts,

Joep Peeters