| In the beginning, God (a benevolent dictator) created an | | | | internet and the technology of Blogger and Word |
| idyllic garden for Adam and Eve. He wanted them to | | | | Press to make it possible. It is being promoted via |
| be safe and happy forever. He warned them not to | | | | Social Networking technology such as Twitter, |
| eat of the tree of knowledge (milepost 1.0) because it | | | | Technorati and others to come. The truth is, we are |
| contained the knowledge of good and evil. They ate | | | | still on the leading edge of this expansion. |
| the apple and gained knowledge. He expelled them | | | | If you don't think it is a Reformation, think again. Look at |
| from the garden of Eden because that was His law. | | | | what is happening around you. Our world is changing |
| The benevolent dictatorship ended. Adam and Eve | | | | very rapidly. Old institutions like newspapers, |
| and all of their offspring were subjected to the | | | | magazines, the postal service, banking, Ford, General |
| never-ending conflict between good and evil. | | | | Motors and Chrysler are expiring right before our eyes |
| Time passed and Tribalism evolved into Feudalism as | | | | while the new digital world is flourishing. |
| the primary form of government. That was up until | | | | Even our governments locally and internationally are |
| about 570 years ago when Johann Gutenberg | | | | floundering and with good reason. Socialism has failed |
| perfected the printing press and moved us to the next | | | | every where it has been tried. Representative |
| milepost, The Tree of Knowledge 2.0. His invention | | | | Democracy is failing because politicians and citizens |
| made possible the mass availability of the Bible thereby | | | | have learned they can vote benefits for themselves |
| spreading knowledge of good and evil. Other books | | | | ignoring the good of the whole. The one good thing |
| were also made available that resulted in new ways | | | | here is we know that self interest works. How we |
| of thinking and new forms of government including | | | | direct self interest in a positive direction is still to be |
| Marxism, Socialism, Fascism and our own | | | | determined. |
| representative democracy. The level and complexity | | | | The Tree of Knowledge 3.0 is the milepost of the |
| of the conflict between good and evil escalated. | | | | New Reformation. Many governments including our |
| Today, with personal computers and the Internet we | | | | own, are trying to prolong the life of the old institutions |
| have arrived at The Tree of Knowledge 3.0. | | | | with bailouts and government regulations. They will lose |
| First, look at what is happening on the web. There are | | | | in this effort because the transformation is inevitable. |
| about 1.5 billion users on the internet and it is reported | | | | Our politicians don't get it either. They try to prop up |
| to be growing about 18% per year. Statistics vary, but | | | | parties and failed solutions with the same old rhetoric. |
| there are over 100 million blogs online and over 77% of | | | | While I can't predict the future, I am convinced that: |
| internet users read blogs. Today it takes less than 5 | | | | Individual freedom and voice is more important to |
| minutes and no financial investment to start a blog. | | | | people than ever before. Look at the the blogs, |
| In Gutenberg's time, printing a book was faster than | | | | YouTube, Twitter, MySpace and the rest of the web. |
| transcribing but still very time consuming and the | | | | Specialization drives us towards ever increasing |
| number of different books published was limited. | | | | fractionalization in our society. We have moved from |
| Today publishing on line is cheap and fast. It is available | | | | broadcasting with 3 major TV channels to narrow |
| to the world at the push of a button because | | | | casting with 400 channels. |
| distribution is "digital." This truly is The Tree of | | | | There is something to be said for James Surowiecki's |
| Knowledge 3.0 and with it, I fear we have ratcheted | | | | "The Wisdom of Crowds". |
| up the level and complexity of the conflict between | | | | Hold on tight, we are free falling into an incredibly new |
| good and evil. | | | | and important part of history! |
| It didn't happen overnight. It needed the computer, the | | | | |