Recently Christopher Penn (who I’ve posted about before on this blog) put out a call to action to all of us who have special powers: we have the power to talk to thousands, if not millions, through the Internet:
Think of it kind of like this, C.C. If you woke up tomorrow morning with the ability to fly, or read minds, or any of the “superhero†powers, how would you use them? What would you do with them?
New media’s power kind of crept up on a lot of people, not the least of which are new media’s producers. If we had suddenly woken up one morning and had the ability to talk to the world, we’d probably think of it more as a superpower than an evolution of technology. I’m suggesting that we step back and examine what we have in that context – wake up today, tomorrow, whenever, and see the power we have, then decide how to use it. [from his comments]
At the PESC conference this week, one of the key points I made about podcasting and new media was that it gives us our voice back, gives us the same power as multibillion dollar corporations to express ourselves and be heard. This is a superhero power that is unlike any other we’ve ever had the chance to use. We’ve pontificated long enough on the meaning of new media, the implications, and its myriad potential uses.
The time has come to make use of our powers. If you believe, as I do, that everyone who picks up a microphone or camera, is a rockstar and superhero in waiting, now is the time for us to unleash our powers as fully as we can on the world. Produce media, gather audience, gain mindshare, and let new voices be heard. The PodCamp UnConference series is a good start to this, but there’s more to be done, more to share with the world.
Take a look at our world. Look at the headlines on the news, in the papers, on the radio. The world desperately needs us – all of us – to share media that gives a truer, broader, and more authentic big picture than we currently get from mainstream media.
Are you ready to show your superhero powers?
I really like the way he reframes our abilities with this wake-up-and-discover-new-powers metaphor. What is good about this call to action (CTA)
- It is positive;
- It asks you to draw on skills and talents you already have;
- It removes an internal (mental) obstacle rather than asking you to move a political, economic or cultural one;
- Irrespective of whether you take it up or not, you’re feeling better about yourself and the world;
- It doesn’t restrict how you act, merely triggers the action..
In the end, I won’t be changing much about my use of megaphonia. I already use it for good and to try and change the my world. But what I do think I will do that is different, is that I will think up something I can do that is quick, simple, good and makes the my world a better place (at that moment). I like the idea of the wake up and send out a sonic blast through my immedia (immediate media). I don’t think the world needs saving, it just needs more people (I’m saying this to myself too) that realise they have the power to create the world they want. There is plenty of room for all of our realities to co-exist. And that is the nature of my superpower (and others): creating our own universes and having them co-exist. That is the way I view the changes to entertainment as well. We can create different points-of-entry (POEs) or a different lens to experience a property. We don’t have to experience it in the same manner as everyone else, because frankly we don’t! The use of multiple platforms, technologies and art forms, simply manifests what happens internally. Well…that is my use of my superpower for this minute. 🙂
Check out Chris’s post: http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/04/26/superhero-reveal-yourself
P.S. Freaky: I just clicked publish and then checked my email. A spam email arrived with the subject line: CHANGE THE WORLD. Thanks cyberspace. Will do.