Comments on: My Autumn with the Moguls http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/ Meditations on strategy and life Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:06:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ainsworth http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8640 Ainsworth Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:20:28 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8640 Two issues with that: 1. I maintain that information has always been free. Knowledge is obtainable, just the means of obtaining it have changed. People who really wanted to learn could learn. They read. They listened. They kept an open mind. It's true that these days any person can go to wikipedia and read about open heart surgery, but 100 years ago if you wanted to learn about medicine you sought out the local doctor. The result is the same, the means have changed...and that leads to: 2. The information that is available is not necessarily useful information. How much of the death of information out there can really be utilized by the average individual? Even more than that, how much of it is truly correct? We think we live in a scientific, rational world but there is still a great deal of estimation and guessing, even in the scientific field. I wouldn't quite say that the diamonds in the rough have just been dumped by 10 tons of manure in the last five years, but there's certainly a lot of bullshit that has been added. People will consume what they like. People like McDonalds. Need I say more? I'm sure your intelligence is high but you have to think like the average person. The truly business minded know how to appeal to the masses with a big happy smiley face while secretly making off like a demon. Never think that the pure, righteous, "content-driven" provider will succeed. Content matters but it's part of a package, and part of that package includes marketing. Two issues with that:

1. I maintain that information has always been free. Knowledge is obtainable, just the means of obtaining it have changed. People who really wanted to learn could learn. They read. They listened. They kept an open mind. It’s true that these days any person can go to wikipedia and read about open heart surgery, but 100 years ago if you wanted to learn about medicine you sought out the local doctor. The result is the same, the means have changed…and that leads to:

2. The information that is available is not necessarily useful information. How much of the death of information out there can really be utilized by the average individual? Even more than that, how much of it is truly correct? We think we live in a scientific, rational world but there is still a great deal of estimation and guessing, even in the scientific field. I wouldn’t quite say that the diamonds in the rough have just been dumped by 10 tons of manure in the last five years, but there’s certainly a lot of bullshit that has been added.

People will consume what they like. People like McDonalds. Need I say more? I’m sure your intelligence is high but you have to think like the average person. The truly business minded know how to appeal to the masses with a big happy smiley face while secretly making off like a demon. Never think that the pure, righteous, “content-driven” provider will succeed. Content matters but it’s part of a package, and part of that package includes marketing.

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8639 Ryan Holiday Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:06:21 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8639 Are you really saying that information today is the same price (transaction costs + opportunity costs + price + etc) is the same as it was when Lincoln was president? Or during the second World War? Or before the internet? That is ridiculous. And have you ever thought, that maybe, just maybe, people will consume what they LIKE if they were ever offered the chance? Are you really saying that information today is the same price (transaction costs + opportunity costs + price + etc) is the same as it was when Lincoln was president? Or during the second World War? Or before the internet? That is ridiculous.

And have you ever thought, that maybe, just maybe, people will consume what they LIKE if they were ever offered the chance?

]]> By: Ainsworth http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8638 Ainsworth Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:57:36 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8638 I honestly don't know what your point is then. One could argue that the Internet provides a clear window to the world that was once monopolized by the industry, but the simple answer to that is "so what?" People always follow the crowds but the crowds don't follow content - they follow whatever the people in power dangle before them. You might as well be a Cousteau diving deep below the ocean ; you can watch the big fish devour the little thanks to your brand new technology, but you can't really change the ecosystem. I have no doubt that information continues to become accessible and integrated with our everyday lives, but the idea that it puts the middleman out of work doesn't seem to be a logical conclusion to that. If anything, the less substance and direct trade there is, the more there will be a need for middlemen to juggle all the ethereal transactions. Perhaps some people will lose their jobs by single incidents like the Madonna one, but those same jobs will be scooped up by other people, with new titles. Please note that I am not suggesting you are powerless to do anything. There is always room for fresh talent and creativity and some of your stuff is thought provoking. Nonetheless, the attitude that we are at the tide of a great new era is a hyperbole. Change is gradual, if anything, and when the people in power have the billions of dollars to control the media, they will not have to be as flexible as you hint they do. If anything, please remember that the cost of information has ALWAYS been zero. It's easier to find now, but people still play with their pornography and facebook and 99% of them simply want to fulfill their needs, get a paycheck, and continue their happy little lives. I honestly don’t know what your point is then. One could argue that the Internet provides a clear window to the world that was once monopolized by the industry, but the simple answer to that is “so what?” People always follow the crowds but the crowds don’t follow content – they follow whatever the people in power dangle before them. You might as well be a Cousteau diving deep below the ocean ; you can watch the big fish devour the little thanks to your brand new technology, but you can’t really change the ecosystem. I have no doubt that information continues to become accessible and integrated with our everyday lives, but the idea that it puts the middleman out of work doesn’t seem to be a logical conclusion to that. If anything, the less substance and direct trade there is, the more there will be a need for middlemen to juggle all the ethereal transactions. Perhaps some people will lose their jobs by single incidents like the Madonna one, but those same jobs will be scooped up by other people, with new titles.

Please note that I am not suggesting you are powerless to do anything. There is always room for fresh talent and creativity and some of your stuff is thought provoking. Nonetheless, the attitude that we are at the tide of a great new era is a hyperbole. Change is gradual, if anything, and when the people in power have the billions of dollars to control the media, they will not have to be as flexible as you hint they do.

If anything, please remember that the cost of information has ALWAYS been zero. It’s easier to find now, but people still play with their pornography and facebook and 99% of them simply want to fulfill their needs, get a paycheck, and continue their happy little lives.

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8637 Ryan Holiday Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:36:45 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8637 I'm not making that mistake at all. I understand that things as they are now could in no way replace what we used to have. But just because it doesn't exist today, doesn't mean it won't tomorrow. However, a lot of marketing relies on what we think other people are doing as opposed to what other people actually ARE doing. The internet changes that. We can actually see who is watching what, what is popular what isn't. From that I think we will start to see a rise in information cascades, people having to follow crowds to make sense of the mass on information presented to them. Marketers used to serve that purpose, but they are obsolete. I’m not making that mistake at all. I understand that things as they are now could in no way replace what we used to have. But just because it doesn’t exist today, doesn’t mean it won’t tomorrow.

However, a lot of marketing relies on what we think other people are doing as opposed to what other people actually ARE doing. The internet changes that. We can actually see who is watching what, what is popular what isn’t. From that I think we will start to see a rise in information cascades, people having to follow crowds to make sense of the mass on information presented to them. Marketers used to serve that purpose, but they are obsolete.

]]> By: Ainsworth http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8636 Ainsworth Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:16:42 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8636 You're assuming the vast majority of the masses care to scrounge the Internet for solutions. No matter what, people will always be looking for a place to spend their money and as long as marketers promulgate the "thing that YOU need" by offering some service, someone will be willing to pay. Shit, even pet psychics make a killing in this world. Back on the subject, if I was some 13 year old girl and I have $15 in my pocket and I see the scrawny body of some young hot pop star adorning the local CD store, I will buy that record - because it's the Thing to Do. Never forget the advertisers' very powerful ability to drive consumer wants. (read Galbraith) Yes the music industry has taken a hit but A: They are reeling but far from fallen before this "new regime" you speak of and B: You can hardly apply a single medium towards all aspects of capital...that's far too much generalization. You’re assuming the vast majority of the masses care to scrounge the Internet for solutions. No matter what, people will always be looking for a place to spend their money and as long as marketers promulgate the “thing that YOU need” by offering some service, someone will be willing to pay. Shit, even pet psychics make a killing in this world. Back on the subject, if I was some 13 year old girl and I have $15 in my pocket and I see the scrawny body of some young hot pop star adorning the local CD store, I will buy that record – because it’s the Thing to Do. Never forget the advertisers’ very powerful ability to drive consumer wants. (read Galbraith) Yes the music industry has taken a hit but A: They are reeling but far from fallen before this “new regime” you speak of and B: You can hardly apply a single medium towards all aspects of capital…that’s far too much generalization.

]]> By: LostSailor http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8635 LostSailor Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:38:51 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8635 The same mantra has been around since the early days of the internet, even pre-Web. Please don't confuse cost and price. While it may be true that the price of some content and information is approaching zero, it is not true to say that the cost of that content or information is approaching zero. The same mantra has been around since the early days of the internet, even pre-Web. Please don’t confuse cost and price. While it may be true that the price of some content and information is approaching zero, it is not true to say that the cost of that content or information is approaching zero.

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8634 Ryan Holiday Fri, 12 Oct 2007 16:08:01 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8634 Don't you think that if I was allowed to, I would have already? I will say this: If you can't see how the decentralization of video from the last centralized source (YouTube) is important, you probably shouldn't be reporting on technology. Don’t you think that if I was allowed to, I would have already? I will say this: If you can’t see how the decentralization of video from the last centralized source (YouTube) is important, you probably shouldn’t be reporting on technology.

]]> By: Jordan Golson http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8633 Jordan Golson Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:41:23 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8633 Ryon, so please, enlighten me. What does it mean? What is this mythical third part that will change everything? It's possible that you see something that I don't, but at this point, I think you're full of shit. Ryon,

so please, enlighten me. What does it mean? What is this mythical third part that will change everything?

It’s possible that you see something that I don’t, but at this point, I think you’re full of shit.

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8632 Ryan Holiday Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:06:52 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8632 I don't know Andrew, it seems to me that law is pretty much the epitome of a sector that specializes in obfuscating and controlling information. And thus, as people begin to translate for free and widely distribute information, they will be one of the main industries getting fucked. Law has no assets. It is completely based on the idea that your average person doesn't have the time to wade through thick law books. But now, Google does it for me. I don’t know Andrew, it seems to me that law is pretty much the epitome of a sector that specializes in obfuscating and controlling information. And thus, as people begin to translate for free and widely distribute information, they will be one of the main industries getting fucked.

Law has no assets. It is completely based on the idea that your average person doesn’t have the time to wade through thick law books. But now, Google does it for me.

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8631 Ryan Holiday Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:02:57 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/my-autumn-with-the-moguls/#comment-8631 Jordon, This is precisely why ValleyWag sucks. None of you have any idea of what any of this stuff means. The third part of the YouTube/Adsense deal, which isn't being publicized will completely alter the way video content is distributed and how creator's connect with the audience. It's not small potatoes at all--it just redefined the very aim in creating video. Jordon,

This is precisely why ValleyWag sucks. None of you have any idea of what any of this stuff means. The third part of the YouTube/Adsense deal, which isn’t being publicized will completely alter the way video content is distributed and how creator’s connect with the audience. It’s not small potatoes at all–it just redefined the very aim in creating video.

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