Comments on: Transformation Starts in the Mirror

By: Suzanne Bowen

Suzanne Bowen — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:39:24 +0000

Through social media and networking online and offline, we found Vocati Communications, an IP communications company who makes money from its services and then takes some of that money to help students, entrepreneurs, and such in Haiti, Colombia, etc. They find these who need help while they are building networks and services in these areas. They are on fire with passion about their business and helping to change the world. I found TeamForrest and Comtel Networks who hosted an open source telephony-based telethon in April to help a Florida organization who helps kids age 8-13 who are in trouble with the law and at school.

There is nothing wrong with inventing a product or service, marketing it well, knowing that people buy it and find joy in it for at least a few minutes. Because, then, one has money to use a part of … to help others. Ken, I’ve been through in my life, divorce, homelessness, joblessness, to many jobs and burning the candle at both ends, being rich rich, ignored, laughed at, patted on the back, argued with, deleted from or added to social networks, and praised beyond imagination. Still to be alive is a grand thing.

From one preacher to another … “Every second alive is one more second to do something good if we choose to.”

By: Lewis

Lewis — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:20:49 +0000

Hi Ken, as I think you already know, I am with you all the way on this! Great observation and thanks for all of it. It’s something I need to be constantly reminded of. Despite the fact I feel I ‘know’ it all though, I still need something else to make me act confidently and decisively on it – perhaps because I feel that so much of the time I am a small voice facing a disinterested majority who are still more interested in the gadgets and toys, which frankly bore the pants off me. I am constantly amazed at the amount of frenetic excited hyped and psyched technobabble on the ‘social’ media that seems to be constantly trying to tell me that I am not cool if I don’t know what they are talking about. Nowadays I just glaze over and pass them by, but I find myself more and more arrested by messages from the heart. Not the furry animal in a Santa hat type (puke!), but the ones that are really putting the true social into the media.

So thank you again, Ken, for a powerful reminder of what it’s really about!

By: Publicy - The Speakers Company

Publicy - The Speakers Company — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:40:15 +0000

[...] What keeps me going, and what will get me started again soon – honest, is the basic desire for building and maintaining relationships. Ken Camp touches on it in this post. [...]

By: What A Long, Strange Trip 2009 Has Been

What A Long, Strange Trip 2009 Has Been — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:43:06 +0000

[...] my friend Ken Camp has a great piece on transforming the world by looking in the mirror. I encourage you all to read it and really let it sink in. My way of transforming the world will [...]

By: Euan W Semple

Euan W Semple — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:14:58 +0000

Great post Ken. Interesting to refer to socialism done right. Like I said in my own post about the various “isms” that could be applied to what is going on here it still jars but I hard not to like that dictionary definition

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 06:25:07 +0000

Thanks JR. As always, your thoughtful comments further the conversation and bring new ideas to mind. I agree wholeheartedly about the past 3 decades. It’s been an era of greed, lust, advertising and noise. I think we’re turning a corner as so many of us take control back and begin doing what must be done in spite of our government and the irresponsibility that’s been so rampant. We really are all leaders today.

I alos loved your being heard vs.being one of the herd comment.

I’m looking forward to an evening when Sheryl and I can sit and chat with you and Gregg. How about a Skype video visit one evening?

By: JR Snyder Jr

JR Snyder Jr — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:12:42 +0000

Excellent points on how we’ve been living in a three decade era (more or less) of everything being packaged, marketed and sold to a degree that the individual voice has been drowned out by mass media and celebrity culture. I see this decade as the apex and the end of that.

In my mind the crucial choices that will make the difference in being heard or being one of the herd, no matter how large or small, will be how responsible we are as individuals in using the technology we choose. This is a very cogent piece on how technology can be transforming if used in socially responsible ways, not always in big ways, but also through small daily contributions. Also puts oomph to the expression “everyone is a leader,” although overused, it really does have meaning.

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Thank you Jonathan. I know spending many months in the job hunt myself, and still hunting in many ways, how I think about the technology world we live in has evolved pretty dramatically this past year.

Also, I really liked your post(s) on location based services. That’s the area in mobilty that I think will be very hot in 2010.

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:23:06 +0000

Eran – Thank you for the kind words. You’re one of the many friends I prize because you ask interesting questions and make me think. Those friendships are powerful and important. And we all add to our collective wisdom.

By: Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Ross — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:32:53 +0000

Thank you, I got the link to this outstanding blog piece thru Eran on Twitter.

This has crystallized a lot of internal thoughts for me regarding the differences between application and technology and where I am going with my job hunt.

I will be following to see what you have to say: meaningful and challenging.