Feb 24th, 2009 |
Joshua-Michele Ross, one of my colleagues here at O’Reilly, published an article in Forbes last week with that eye-catching title. The subtitle is “How to rethink work in the 21st century,” which fits nicely with the new mini-track Jen wrote about recently, Web 2.0 at Work.
Josh’s article also expands on the informal theme of Web 2.0 Expo San Francisco we’ve adopted for 2009: Work on Stuff that Matters:
A few weeks into 2009, the message has become simple: We cannot continue “business as usual” in the face of dwindling oil supplies, environmental degradation, climate change and a worldwide economic meltdown.
Working on stuff that matters is a personal choice–not a project checklist.
I’ll spoil the ending for you and post here Josh’s wrap up:
Underlying the power of Web 2.0 is the idea that every contribution made on the Internet–from an action to a link to a blog or any other commentary–adds value and significance to the network.
Every choice and action counts. This dynamic is true, too, in the “real world.” Where we spend our money, our labor and our attention define the world we live in. It is the aggregate of our choices that brought us to this place. It is only through individual choice that we will emerge on the other side.
The current recession obliges us to rethink business practices. As Stanford University economist Paul Romer has said: A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.
When things are tough, it’s hard to picture a crisis as something of value, but history has shown that to often be the case. Innovation and clarity of purpose are necessities now, not nice-to-haves. The idea of Web 2.0 gained traction in a similar climate, so I’m looking forward to the next wave of web growth that we’ll see exemplified onstage at Web 2.0 Expo, both this spring and later this year in New York, as the “stuff that matters” principles take hold.
I am from the UK. Would you recommend going to San Franciso or the later expo in New York?
Hi cypher,
Both shows are going to be very strong but the content is adjusted for the different marketplaces. We don’t yet have our program up for our NY event but note that it does have a slightly stronger media, marketing, and agency focus than the SF event. Also to note is that this industry moves so quickly that the trends and themes we look at in November will have evolved.
My personal recommendation is to come to SF. Not because one show is better than the other, but because if you have the means, join the conversation today! The earlier you get into the thick of it, the more you can contribute in the months and years to come.
Hope this helps.
Thanks,
~ Janetti