Where have all the rebels gone? Activists, Disruptors, and Technology
The ongoing revolution is yet to be understood, and we are not in the thick of it yet.
Whether or not you realize it, there has been a revolution across the western hemisphere, and the world at large. Though slow to those generationally removed from today’s realities, the conventional definition of revolution in itself needs to be revisited.
“Revolution” is defined as “a forcible overthrow of a government or social order, in favor of a new system.” Furthermore, “A revolution is a very sharp change made to something. The word comes from Latin, and is related to the word revolutio (which means a turn around).”
Though revolutions may take many forms including but not limited to economic, political, industrial, and socio-cultural revolution, the end result may be the same, but the means in today’s world are different.
Historically, common is the belief that history is written by the victorious. However, this assumes limited access to information and dissemination across the proletariat. Needless to say, entire regimes have been brought down not by guns or tanks, but by dissemination of information by the masses. The greatest fear of any regime is who knows what, where, when, how, and why. There is a reason governments cut off regional internet access whenever there is an internal insurrection. The decentralization of information access and control has led to an increasingly engaged and aware proletariat.
Access to information has also led to economic disruption. More information often means more available options for consumers, labor, society, and beyond. Regional or cultural boundaries break down, and the old guard in a last-ditch effort to retain control will fight tooth and nail in an attempt to protect the status quo. One look at Washington and you see two generations removed with an ever devolving narrative with no practical solutions to socioeconomic, cultural, and political problems. In other words, the generation that created the problems are the same geriatrics trying to fix what they created with yesterday’s solutions. The greatest barrier to progress is the old guard that has created barriers to entry for a new generation of leaders. Preservation is the antithesis to progress.
Technology democratizes while creating a level of information distribution unseen in the history of our world. Activists and disruptors are able to communicate, collaborate, create economic opportunity, disrupt entire industries, and reshape narratives via technology. A dissident is able to communicate and collaborate with a global support network, an economic disruptor is able to create economic opportunities in underserved communities, and distributed networks can work to ensure the right message reaches the right people at the right time. An Uber driver in Kenya can earn an income, while a Phlatbed user can have items picked up on-demand in New York City or Dallas Texas. An activist can live stream events in Syria on Facebook or Youtube, while an educator can teach an English course via one of 2U or Udemy’s educational programs to students around the world These are a few of many examples occurring round the clock globally. Yet, there is an older generation of incumbents that still refuses to acknowledge or accept the change that has happened on their watch.So stop wasting time, which side are you on?
Cheers!
#phlatbed #gigeconomy #disruptor #futureofwork
