Meme

I suppose you could say that the blog is the most blatant form of "Mesmerization" - its the final outcome. The final delivery of information, content and ideas sourced and picked up elsewhere. Us the "infected", the blogger expresses what we have found, enjoyed, learned and seen; thus publishing it for others to transmit, spread, preach and poach. Whether this is constructive or not is up for debate, and often results in "hysteria" and "information chaos".

Gee Thompson's ambitious book 'Mesmerization' discusses the theory of memes across the internet and how our mistrust of scientific theory and conventional media outlets has left us suggestible. Rather than being better informed we are now left drowning in a sea of misinformed gibberish.

This argument can also be counterbalanced within the cultural and creative remits. We are now better informed, through more reliable sources about the cultural capital we seek out. First hand knowledge about whats going on, who's watching what, who listens to this artist or that artist, which galleries are popular which aritist is "Mr or Mrs Now." Diasporic cultural movements and scenes are easier to digest and understand. Montages of music, fashion, art and style become tangible through the remit of the blog.

I'm yet to read Thompson's book, but viral initiatives are at the forefront of communication right now, Marketers are forever demanding a Viral Campaign; "give me something thats funny, violently shocking, or sexy.." I think the old Marketers are missing the point in their demands for said campaigns, as brash explicit content is not necessarily what creates a "buzz." Campaigns are intrinsically viral due to the way in which we now communicate and spread knowledge, all online communication through the blog format is viral, if you read my somewhat coherent discussion about Thompson's book and post it, then that is a form of "viral" activity.

Perhaps I'm wrong, who knows, perhaps once I've read Thompson's book fully I'll be able to provide more clarity to this issue, but either way this new cultural information age is fascinating and anyone who attempts to interpret, critique its nature and understand how it is rapidly developing, should be duly recognized with some admiration. You could just simply apply Godin and Gladwell and the like to this new age and I'm sure distinctions and theories could be made.

Anyways you can purchase 'Mesmerization' here

The Man, The Myth, The Legend: SETH GODIN

I AM TRULY INSPIRED BY SETH GODIN

While I struggle to find my niche, my strength, my quality, my art, I engage in the right areas, with the right people, doing the right things. I will develop my own niche in this industry, slowly but surely. I've had some fantastic advice this week, but none better than from this man, I don't know him but he's a genius. Check this below, it's helped me, maybe it'll help you.

"Maybe you can't make money doing what you love

The thing is, it's far easier than ever before to surface your ideas. Far easier to have someone notice your art or your writing or your photography. Which means that people who might have hidden their talents are now finding them noticed...

That blog you've built, the one with a lot of traffic... perhaps it can't be monetized.

That non-profit you work with, the one where you are able to change lives... perhaps turning it into a career will ruin it.

That passion you have for art... perhaps making your painting commercial enough to sell will squeeze the joy out of it.

When what you do is what you love, you're able to invest more effort and care and time. That means you're more likely to win, to gain share, to profit. On the other hand, poets don't get paid. Even worse, poets that try to get paid end up writing jingles and failing and hating it at the same time.

Today, there are more ways than ever to share your talents and hobbies in public. And if you're driven, talented and focused, you may discover that the market loves what you do. That people read your blog or click on your cartoons or listen to your mp3s. But, alas, that doesn't mean you can monetize it, quit your day job and spend all day writing songs.

The pitfalls:
1. In order to monetize your work, you'll probably corrupt it, taking out the magic in search of dollars
and
2. Attention doesn't always equal significant cash flow.

I think it makes sense to make your art your art, to give yourself over to it without regard for commerce.

Doing what you love is as important as ever, but if you're going to make a living at it, it helps to find a niche where money flows as a regular consequence of the success of your idea. Loving what you do is almost as important as doing what you love, especially if you need to make a living at it. Go find a job you can commit to, a career or a business you can fall in love with.

A friend who loved music, who wanted to spend his life doing it, got a job doing PR for a record label. He hated doing PR, realized that just because he was in the record business didn't mean he had anything at all to do with music. Instead of finding a job he could love, he ended up being in proximity to, but nowhere involved with, something he cared about. I wish he had become a committed school teacher instead, spending every minute of his spare time making music and sharing it online for free. Instead, he's a frazzled publicity hound working twice as many hours for less money and doing no music at all.

Maybe you can't make money doing what you love (at least what you love right now). But I bet you can figure out how to love what you do to make money (if you choose wisely).

Do your art. But don't wreck your art if it doesn't lend itself to paying the bills. That would be a tragedy.

(And the twist, because there is always a twist, is that as soon as you focus on your art and leave the money behind, you may just discover that this focus turns out to be the secret of actually breaking through and making money.)"

Seth Godin Genius

Seth Godin is a marketing & PR genius, if you don't check his blog and you work in the Music, PR, Promo game, you need to have a gander at his blog

(I shouldn't give away such valuable information but today I'm feeling nice)

"No such thing as price pressure.

Your sales force and your customers may scream that you need to lower your price.

It's not true.

You need to increase your value.  If people don't want to pay, it's beacuse you're not delivering enough value for the money you're charging.

You're not selling a commodity unless you want to." - Seth Godin, June 20th 2008