2011 I'm here to grab you...
I took a month off from my blog to tackle some big subjects.
I have stayed away from the salacious deliciousness of technology stories and the call for must have apps. I've even ignored posts on new music.
This month has been all about tackling subjects I wanted to better understand and catching up on some important books. Yes Steven Johnson's 'Where Good Ideas Come From' deserves all the praise it has received. As far as Clay Shirky's book 'Cognitive Surplus' goes, if an unfinished intriguing argument that sandwiches well trodden findings from scientific studies is your bag then you will love it. I felt he had walked away half way through the discussion. However, Bakewell's 'How to Live - A Life of Montaigne' and Keith Richard's 'Life' made up for that wasted time.
This month has made me feel like we are going to experience a shift from the shiny toys (stories) of technology to deeper, more thoughtful demands but according to my friend in touch with Hollywood - the future is still reality TV and that probably means the same for serious journalism in 2011. One thing that might force a shift though is the gravity of recent news stories and the debate they have created.
Wikileaks created undertones of a revolutionary approach to journalism that in my mind doesn't just call for transparency for journalism sake; it argues for greater transparency in how we behave with each other. A friend of mine heard the argument that we should be able to have those off-air discussions like we do behind clients' backs in advertising agencies. My argument is that something is seriously broken if we have to have those discussions behind anyone's back. Where's the professionalism in our business if this is a priority and what does this say about the behavior of our Governments that they are gossiping in corridors? Come on let's start talking and sharing what's really on our mind. Asking questions and not being scared to have uncomfortable debates or to look stupid. Yes it sucks that the leader of Wikileaks is a douchebag but he's on to something.
What's happening in Tunisia, Egypt, Albania and potentially throughout the Middle East is a sign of a cry for more transparency and collaboration. Why can't we all collaborate together to find solutions is the cry I'm hearing. The problems we are facing are so f$#king huge; it's going to need everyone's input to find new solutions. This is an incredibly nerve-racking time but exciting at the same time. As a side note, keep an eye on Al Jazeera - generating world selling news or inspiring a movement for democracy or maybe anarchy?
So here's what I'm going to cover in the coming weeks. I will offer up an analysis on the subject of Failure. I'm going to respond to the Procrastination subject - eventually. I'm going to offer up my 10 Inspirers for the year. I'm going to deliver 10 lessons learnt from the world's best negotiators. I'm going to laugh out loud on the subject of Happiness and I'm going to tackle Ramachandran's neurological perspective of the brain's reaction to aesthetics and art. In between all this stuff, I will be back to posting pictures, music and any other ramblings that I think deserve more viewers.
