Inspire

Chris Abani with Powerful Stories on Humanity on TED 2008

Most TED videos are informative and inspiring in my experience. This one featuring Chris Abani was enchanting and touching. Makes me quiet inside.

Neal Stephenson Presentation on Media, Science Fiction and Genres

Neal Stephenson - author of Snow Crash and one of the inspirators for the web, Metaverse and Multiverse - shows us his views on (inner) geeks, science fiction, different genres, tv, cinema, books and taking your audience more seriously on an intellectual level to boost identification. Hurray for all the geeks ! 

Highly Innovative Video Combining Animation and Real Life

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

My Personal Vision on Mobile Phones, Mobile Internet and Authenticity

Connectivity breeds positive outcomes.

I would like to extend this idea a little to a possible logical (positive conclusion). At first for the rich countries, later on for underdeveloped countries as well. Here goes:

The overarching theme of our times in my view is authenticity and self realisation. The mobile phone and mobile internet in this respect is a key driver and enabler/facilitator. Why ?

1) The more we share (the more open we are), the more transparent we are. Open APIs, GPS data, photos, videos, blog posts, tweets, clickstream data and increasingly attention data concerning what we read and watch (see APML) are examples. This sharing (increasingly using our mobile phones) stimulates authenticity and honesty as inconsistenties and lies are exposed to ourselves, our family, our social network, our peers and even the market/public as a whole.

2) Information overload begets us the question of what is important to us ? Choices… Choices are based on your identity (who am I ? what are my values ? what is core to me ?). Filtering (using our mobile phones) based increasing identity awareness stimulates authenticity. If we are overwhelmed with options, possibilities and choices, we are drawn to ourselves.

3) Change is everywhere and seems to speeding up. This creates stress in people. In most cases, people can find their core personality in these circumstances as it makes us naked in our needs and wants. As a result, authenticity comes to the fore. As a mobile phones is present with us almost all the time, it seems likely this will be a key gateway to learn about ourselves in these circumstances.

4) Increasingly, (mobile) technologies are on the market for the automated detection of deception and lies. Examples are Facial Coding techniques integrated into and applied to videos and presentations. If you lie, certain particular facial expressions are salient. These expressions can be logged and analyzed using technology. Increasingly, these techniques will be incorporated into mobile phones. As a result, authenticity becomes not only a valuable choice (see point 1, 2 and 3) but also a necessity in certain instances.

5) Mobile phones transform conversational techniques due to ‘presence’ capabilities. If my loves ones and social network can follow all my updates and actions on Twitter, my blog, Facebook etc…this transforms my real-life interactions. The basic questions are skipped as they are already clear using mobile phones and mobile internet. In the past, the basic questions were a necessity due to the lack of the mentioned apps. As a result, real-life conversations focus on more deep questions related to emotions, feelings and intimacy. Shallow, factual questions are more unnecessary. All of this might stimulate authentic conversations and authenticity.

In short, the mobile phone is not only a fantastic connectivity and thus productivity, growth and empowerment tool but also increasingly IMO a tool for higher levels of trust, authenticity, self realization, transparency and honesty.

This is not a sure scenario, just a likely scenario IMO. It is evenly possible to construct an opposite case/scenario with fear (instead of hope and trust) as a key theme as a result of using a mobile phone and mobile internet (including Internet of Things/UbiComp). Fear due to increasing control by classic institutions and even ordinary people. Fear -> more closed systems -> negative outcomes across the board including Less authenticity. Yet again, I am an optimist :-)

What Is Healthy Food ? A Perspective from TED

Film: Auf Der Andere Seite

Just saw a great movie called Auf Der Andere Seite. Nominated for the European Film Award in 2007. Topics included are: politics (immigration/integration, EU) pain, redemption, coincidence or synchronicity, symmetry, rules/bureaucracy, love, purpose and acceptance. Beautiful and touching.

IFFR Highlight Part 3: Darjeeling Limited

Just saw another great movie called The Darjeeling Limited. India, friendship, brotherhood, trust, openness, spirituality, good music and a great story.

IFFR Highlight Part 2: Persepolis

Politics, beautiful music, history, psychology and animation...all in an original, touching and award-winning movie called Persepolis

Die Stille Vor Bach : One Highlight from IFFR 2008

Yesterday I saw a highly original, engaging and rewarding movie called Die Stille Vor Bach. If you like creativity, art, classical music and/or Bach, this one is not to be missed. It just blew my mind. Visually stunning, good conversations about the meaning and role of music in life, musical masterpieces and different references to the history of art.

Recap and My Top 12 Movies of 2007

After a very hectic working period I am back with some reviews of the year 2007 and some predictions.  I will jumpstart with my top 12 favorite movies for this year.

But first a recap and a necessary explanation for my readers. In November, there was among others the third Mobile Monday Amsterdam event (again successful with 220 attendants), my presentation on Nijenrode University on digital marketing within the Metaverse (this link on SlideShare for the whole presentation), my whole-day workshop at HRO on the Metaverse, different columns for Emerce, Reclameweek, Marketingfacts, Energize, ICSB as well as FEM Business ranging from marketing, communications, trends, web 2.0 and the best books for managers on digital media. Furthermore, my Twitter life didn't stop due to its incredible richness and innovativeness (last night was special due to the spontaneous OLPC campaign (One Laptop Per Child) resulting in 17 free laptops for the poorest in our world). Furthermore, I have visited Valencia in Spain (great city, architecture, food and atmosphere outstanding Felipe Science Museum, especially on genetics) and Paris (LeWeb3 event with some fantastic speeches by Nokia (their OVI release is a key milestone on the evolution of the mobile internet relative to Google and Apple), Doc Searls, Joi Ito, Hans Rosling, Jason Calacanis, Friis, Dave Winer, Ragmaswami). Here can see all the videos / presentations from LeWeb3, recommended viewing. On top of that was my 'normal freelance 40-hour work week' at Direct Wonen doing my digital marketing and redesign tricks, so you can probably imagine why there was no time left for me to blog :-)

And now...my top 12 movies of the year 2007:

1. Das Leben der Anderen / The Lives of Others
2. Pan's Labyrinth
3. The Prestige
4. Atonement
5. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
6. Sound of Sand
7. Transe
8. Last King of Scotland
9. Becoming Jane
10. Control
11. Sketches of Frank Gehry
12. Eastern Promises

So what are your favorites of the year ?