Reaction to Lawrence Lessig's Keynote Speech

‘No natural erosion of information.’ I found this very interesting in Mr. Lessig’s keynote “Speech, Privacy and the Internet: the University and Beyond.’ It becomes more expensive to erase data rather than keep it. That means that ridiculous blog you did in your teenage “emo” phase will resurface during your older ultra conservative phase! This makes me want to get out my paper journal and keep my thoughts to myself.

Mr. Lessig’s lecture was well thought out, but I did have a point of contention with his assertion that children of today are better at “triangulating” than their parents. I don’t think this is true. My parents may not have had the Internet, which gives us more sources to triangulate at the click of a mouse, but our parents triangulated with the information they did have. Watch any old black and white sitcom and listen to the father say to “The Beave”, “Son, don’t believe everything you read,” or even had your own parents warn you not to believe everything you see on TV. What we do have over our parents is ready access to more information. Just as less information can constrain knowledge, so can too much information. With too much information comes the need for stronger focus and filtering skills to find the needed information within the noise.

I’ve been reading the book Radical Evolution and it makes me think that although, Mr. Lessig, and indeed all of us experiencing the infancy of unprecedented information sharing, are trying to understand and cope with its great societal paradigm shift. Future generations may wonder what’s the big deal with privacy? Whether that is scary or not, the only way to keep if from happening is to disconnect and shut down Google and Microsoft! I don’t see that happening.

Leading a Double Life

The first time I saw a glimpse of Second Life was on the TV show ‘The Office’ where Dwight is playing the game. He is such a proud guy that he is the same person in his second life- same looks, style, still sells paper BUT he can fly! I found that hilarious; but also found the game super corny. (Watch Dwight in his second life here.)

Recently while playing Wii, I decided to make my own character. I thought it would take only 5 minutes. Boy, was I wrong. It took me more than half an hour to create it. At the end I was disappointed because I could not find the right hairstyle! I HAD to look the way I look!

This made me realize that virtual life is such an awesome idea primarily because YOU are a part of it! You can live the fantasy you have been dreaming about; like being a part of a movie.

I think the virtual world will be the next buzzword in any field. The way we say ‘Lets Google it’ to search anything on the Internet, we will probably hear people say ‘Lets V-Look it’.

This will mean; let us check how this dress looks; new haircut looks; new paint for my wall looks; or even a new counter top for my kitchen looks in the virtual world. Primary decisions regarding general shopping for yourself or your house could be based upon this world just sitting at home. Like having an email address, people will have an avatar ID that can be edited at any time.

Unlike Dwight, most people want to change something about themselves (I kept on wondering if I should be a little skinnier as my Wii character ;)) This dream can be fulfilled in this world. I don’t think I will go crazy just yet, buying virtual items for my virtual self nor do I envision using second life as my next hobby, but I’m sure that one day I will be using the virtual world in some way.

Makes me want to look into the future and see Career Counselors in 2040. Will they make us take a personality test to try to figure out what sort of a career path will be well suited for us? Maybe they will ask us to create an avatar in a virtual world and interact for a few months, then analyze my avatars activities. Hmmm. That’s my new business plan, got to get to work.

Related articles:

"Unlike reality, virtual retail sales are hot, especially for avatars - USATODAY.com"

"Understanding interaction in virtual worlds"

Networking Can Be Genuine

Networking was a word that buzzed around the more “business” type people in my office. At that time I was a computer engineer. The whole concept of networking took on a negative connotation. By watching them, I made some very negative associations that I have had to break through now that I am on the path of the MBA. The first negative association was that networking was simply the moment where someone who walked by you every day without even a glance, suddenly realized you have something of value to them. That’s the moment they walk up to you with a fake smile and a handshake, and act as if you both have been best friends forever.

It’s been hard for me not to feel self-serving and insincere when I make my half-hearted attempts at networking. I know this has to change and that networking is the key to opening doors and getting things done in business.

In “Networking for People Who Hate Networking”, Penelope Trunk explains well how you do not have to be a manipulator to network. I liked the point where she explained that networking can not only add value to your life but can add value to others lives as well.

I love to socialize and make new friends. This made me realize that I should frame networking in a similar context. I may not be making friends to talk about movies with, but these could be friends I can talk about various career opportunities with.

Liz Ryan explains in “The Savvy Networker” how people always remember an individual, not the individual’s professional life. This is so true. It made me think of the people I like and remember. At the end it doesn't matter if one person is more qualified than another; what matters is if I would want to interact and work with him/her. Let’s also hope the right ones want to interact with me too!

Image: www.unimelb.edu.au/.../Careers/Careers10May.html

Is India ready for Social Networking?

In my 11^th grade class in India, there were only two guys who had cell phones (they were obviously one of the richest guys in the school). I remember that I used to be somewhat annoyed (and jealous-I have been a telephone addict since the first grade), when each used his phone to know where the other one was on campus.

Within four years, practically everyone is my class was the proud owner of a cell phone, and I remember constantly ‘SMSing’ friends in class.

And probably 2 years after that, many the small shop owners, rickshaw and bus drivers, and even hawkers, were seen with a cell phone. Such a rapid change in only six years! The only thing Indian youth like better than their phones are their Internet connected computers.

Even if the infrastructure in India isn’t ready for mobile social networking, the people are! Indians have been social over mobile phones for a long time. You should see the speed at which even a rickshaw driver can send a text message!

Orkut, another Facebook-type social networking site, has been out about as long as Facebook. Many Indians are veteran users of Orkut.

Indian status message reads: Anticipating mobile social networking like a child waiting to open gift-wrapped Playstation 3!

Reference:

"The Mobile Social: Not ready for Prime Time?"

"Mobile communication is revolutionizing economic and social development in rural India - India PRwire"

A Generation Not As Dumb As You Think

A rebuttal to “8 Reasons Why This Generation Is Dumb” – Boston.com

1. ‘Jaywalking’ gaps in knowledge

Jay could find plenty of material no matter what age group he aims for. I hope you know they don’t air the smart responses- those aren’t funny.

2. Books? No thanks!

Love of reading starts at home, so you may be a generation off in your criticism. Also now we read blogs, web articles, and e-books, and wikis. The media that was books is changing. Bound hard backs are not the future of the written word.

3. Can’t spell

Really? Just because we enjoy using short forms like LOL, TTYL?? Also do you really believe that typos from rapid texting equals bad spelling? Texts are real time communications. Just as you can stammer on a word or two, your fingers can hit an extra letter or miss one. Please don’t equate texting to letter writing.

Also languages change over time, both spoken and written. Some grammatical formalities do nothing to enhance the meaning of a sentence and will naturally be phased out over time. Were the great speeches given by Martin Luther King crude because he didn’t use thy or thou?

4. Clear thought ridiculed by peers

Now that anyone can heckle (via comment) anyone else when they post their thoughts on the web, do you really believe the handful of idiots who make fun of original, well-formed articles or pros, represent the new generation? Weren’t they there before discussion boards gave them the ability to heckle over vast distances?

5. Grand Theft Auto, etc.

Yes diversions have increased for kids and not all of them are positive. Of course the generation of children with stick guns pretending to be Al Pacino in Scar Face, were acting out in a healthier manner. Although many spend too much time playing video games (violent and otherwise), kids have been pretending to murder each other since the time of Romans.

6. Don’t retain information (who needs to?)

With the information age, comes more information than anyone can focus on. Yet, to be successful in the information age, you have to learn to manager it- not memorize everything. Before computers this might have been the way, but now the new generation is adapting and you will do well to follow their lead.

7. Easy teachers, parents

Is that so? Well not in my MBA class, or my Undergraduate class or at my home. I think the attitude of teachers and parents will always remain the same, even when my generation becomes a teacher or parent. Just the way of expression may change along with the environment.

8. Just age

This is one point I completely agree with- Yes I think of the way I was 4 years ago and I think, ‘I was soo dumb’. I’m sure this thought will repeat 4 years from now. But that’s the fun of life right? You should just act your age!

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I'm a PC

Expert Reviews vs. Crowdsource Reviews

Do you remember the first reviews of Titanic at Tokyo’s International Film Festival? They were just lukewarm! This movie got nominated for 14 Academy Awards!

The biggest Bollywood grosser for this year is ‘3 Idiots’. It received 5 stars. After watching the movie I wondered why I wasted my money.

This shows that reviews from experts are not everything. When it comes to movies, books, music and so on, it’s a matter of personal choice. It is always good to supplement your review hunt by asking friends and family that share common interests. A couple of super foodie critic reviews might scare you from some pretty decent dining. That’s why I like websites like Yelp where anyone can come and review a restaurant dining experience.

I wonder if this is the start to an era where the reviews of the masses become the expert critics. The Itunes App store depends on consumer reviews. These days the sale of a product can gain momentum just by great consumer reviews from sites like Amazon. I never put anything in my shopping cart until I read fellow customer reviews.

So who knows best about what you like, you or a high paid critic?

Reference:

"Digital Domain - How Many Reviewers Should Be in the Kitchen? - NYTimes.com"

Image 1: www.yelp.com Image 2. www. epinions.com

Crowdsourcing - Is it really the crowd or is it a game of ‘Where’s Waldo?’ ...Maybe both?

“Crowdsourcing” – when I first looked at this word it seemed completely foreign to me. But after watching “YouTube - Jeff Howe - Crowdsourcing" I realized this is a concept, which I have known all my life. Only now it has a more technological edge to it.

It reminded me of football betting. The bookie moves the point spread left and right based on how the crowd is betting. The final spread is the crowd’s prediction of the game’s outcome. One can say that is gambling using Crowdsourcing!


After having these thoughts I read "The Myth of Crowdsourcing - Forbes.com". Then I started to wonder - is “Crowdsourcing” using the crowd to find the best solution or is it finding the most intelligent person in the crowd who can give you the best answer?


I think the essence of Crowdsourcing is putting forth a problem in a diverse crowd to come up with a collective unique solution. Otherwise, it is just hunting for talent. I know that some problems could be too complex for a person who isn’t knowledgeable in a particular field. But, even so, can’t the unknowledgeable crowd still put forth diverse ideas, which could lead to the final solution?

The book “The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter than the Few”, by James Surowiecki explains in an interesting way how groups are better at solving certain problems. The link provides a good audio sample of the book.