Float Dissolve

Step One: Shut the fuck up about Web 2.0
Step Two: Listen to people.
Step Three: Stop staring at screens
Step Four: Take a walk and pay attention
Step Five: Stop reading everyone’s stupid theories about the future of the internet
Step Six: Take a bicycle ride
Step Seven: Take notes on everything
Step Eight: Stop going to stupid conferences where everyone thinks they know what’s going to happen
Step Nine: Smile and say hi to everyone you meet, even bugs
Step Ten: Make up your own list and don’t ever mention the phrase Web 2.0 ever again, it’s stupid.

Just in case you haven’t heard, Americans (in our stereotypical scheme to own EVERYTHING) are trying to own the internet. Yes. The internet. That’s crazy you say? Who would try and do something so stupid? Look no further than America.

Home of the free, as long as we own it and can charge you for it.

The inventor of the internet says that’s a bad idea. I think he might be on to something.

When you pay attention to something (and when you ignore something), data is created. This “attention data” is a valuable resource that reflects your interests, your activities and your values, and it serves as a proxy for your attention.

AttentionTrust and our members believe that you have the following rights:

1. Property

You own your attention and can store it wherever you wish. You have CONTROL.

2. Mobility

You can securely move your attention wherever you want whenever you want to. You have the ability to TRANSFER your attention.

3. Economy

You can pay attention to whomever you wish and receive value in return. Your attention has WORTH.

4. Transparency

You can see exactly how your attention is being used. You can DECIDE who you trust.

When you give your attention to any entity that’s an AttentionTrust member, these rights are guaranteed.

I posted a question on Grupthink and was pointed to this as one of the answers. I started using their Attention Recorder plugin for Firefox and am collecting the data with a Root.net account.

Let me know if you do too so we can Exchange.

(Infected by Jody)

Related to my post about the movie teach and the future of education in general I have come across MIT’s very wonderful concept and website:

Naturally it is licensed with a Creative Commons License, because they know what’s up.

I am extremely excited about this. Now I just have to pick a course to take.

A very interesting, inspiring and motivating site dedicated to its namesake. They’re currently looking to raise $150,000 to start a worldwide conversation about the future. Two contributors have offered to contribute 3:1 for all donations.

(Infected by Evolve Happy)

Horrible logo but very cool stock market game for websites based on traffic. It’s free and you get $10,000 when you sign up.

Oyogi is a searchable question-and-answer site that allows people to interact with each other in order to solve problems and obtain answers to questions.

I really like this idea. It still has that fresh, new website smell. Everyone is an expert on SOMETHING. Take advantage of it and share what you know. Great concept.

(Infected by Emily Chang)