For the last twelve years, I’ve avoided punching a time clock, or actually any other form of organized employment other than the occasional board meeting. I’m a social animal, and really need interaction with other people. My wife is a fine and lovely companion, but we have little to argue about, and I already know most of her opinions. Social interaction is about the only thing I miss about work. During the whole Monica thing, I was dying for a water cooler to hang near and hear what people were saying, but it wasn’t happening.
Then there’s FaceBook. I’ve sort of casually drifted into it, but I realized it’s a replacement for the water cooler. Email is sort of direct and almost intrusive compared to just dropping a line on what’s up. So it’s like work, without the work, and only with people you like. Interesting.
Fifteen years ago, I was flying around the world, trying to convince people that this internet thing was worthwhile, and would change our live in huge ways; the democratization of the media, an end to TV induced “post literacy”, new social venues for oddballs and specialized interests and a whole world of advantages.
The irony is that all of it has come to be and yet I’m still just stumbling onto this stuff I was forecasting so long ago. My nephews and nieces get huge chuckles watching Uncle Jeff stumble through getting the iPhone or Mac to do what I want, never mind the Tivo or satellite, considering I was there at the birth of all this stuff.
Anyway, I’m not sure how it makes money, but FaceBook is yet another amazing example of how cool interconnectivity is. I wish I could get in touch with the thousands of dismissive skeptics who told me I was nuts and that this internet thing would never catch on. In 1993, I tried to help raise venture capital money for what is now the largest ISP in the world (currently part of Verizon) at a valuation of eight million dollars and got no takers. Eight million. Funny how thing turn out.
