Comments on: No Socialismo, o Muerte

By: Corporate Antisocial Behavior: the Enemy is Us. « ITSinsider

Corporate Antisocial Behavior: the Enemy is Us. « ITSinsider — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:31:49 +0000

[...] in the enterprise. Social just has too many negative connotations in corporate circles from socialism to socialites. I once heard from a Wall Street executive that he was no longer permitted to use the [...]

By: Tomas Kohl

Tomas Kohl — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:00:30 +0000

@adriana: how much (of being individualist) is too much, these days?

By: Adriana

Adriana — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:54:07 +0000

Amen, brother. I had the same reaction to Hugh’s cartoon but I already get accused of being individualist enough so didn’t want to push it further. I also balk at various uses of the word social, especial social capitalism, social responsibility, social enterprise. I can just about live with social media and social web although I think in the future they will just cease to mean anything as those things are/will be ’social’ (i.e. connecting individuals) by their very nature.

By: Tomas Kohl

Tomas Kohl — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:53:44 +0000

Thanks for stopping by, guys!

@euan: my pleasure I am happy my incoherent rant has achieved anything at all.

@brendan: excellent point. Though I would argue that the level of “social control” companies were used to has diminished. See the Free Agent Nation and similar books. And I am all for diminishing this type of control

By: Brendan

Brendan — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:11:12 +0000

What about social control? Meaning the act whereby people check the actions of their social peers. As life moves more online not only your real life persona is judged by your environment, but also your online persona.

Furthermore I think you are focusing a bit too much on socialism. You can also look at something you could call corporate fascism. I see you making an argument on your blog for open relations with customers. Well most corporate companies and even modern societies are not ready for this concept.

Large corporations are built on the organisational concept of armies. Open, transparent communication lines are a threat to this type of organisation. Large corporations are built on orders and on following orders. Only at the top and in the assisting staff is any real thinking done. And then within very narrow confines.

The above type of company is not going to change very easily in its ways. And I know, because I have worked for plenty of them. And I can also guarantee that some of them will learn the ways of the new and still stay in the old.

Anyway, my point is that all this new technoilogy and the opportunities it offers do not change one fundamental principle: It’s all about power, and those who have it will not give it up easily. The “social media revolution” whatever that may mean is a threat to that power. And it will be dealt with accordingly. But the biggest threat will be the social control I mentioned firstly.

Nothing control as well as a group of people who can watch each other. You never know what the neighbours might think.

By: Euan W Semple

Euan W Semple — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:28:43 +0000

Thanks for making me think harder!

http://theobvious.typepad.com/blog/2008/04/more-on-the-wor.html