Why are Napster, Gnutella and similar sharing programs so loved?
For the same reason that Microsoft is so hated.
Microsoft, though dealing with the most advanced technology,
is imbued with the old Superior-to-Inferior philosophy, a philosophy
that is still prevalent among the big corporations of our day.
Napster and similar sites follow a philosophy more in harmony
with today's technology and society: Peer-to-Peer philosophy.
These differing philosophies show up in company organization,
management and marketing. I concentrate here on peer-to-peer
marketing, which is a synonym for helpfulness marketing.
Superior-to-Inferior Philosophy
What is a boss? Someone who is superior to you.
What is a corporate hierarchy? A ladder of successive superiors.
What is a monopoly? A superior who has the last word.
The old industrial corporation conformed to a Superior-to-Inferior
philosophy. It believed in the following 3 maxims:
1 - BIG IS BETTER - The bigger you are the more superior you
are. And if you are on top - a CEO or chairman - you benefit
handsomely. This is why corporations participate in mergers and
acquisitions. This is why companies seek to be monopolies and
multinational conglomerates. This is why they have mass advertising
campaigns.
2 - CENTRALIZATION BRINGS CONTROL - They follow the old command
and control concept used by military organizations: Superiors
lay down the rules and inferiors follow them. The hierarchy is
sacrosanct. You hear a lot these days about pyramidal hierarchies
being squashed into flat pancakes. In big corporations this is
not so. Microsoft offers an outstanding example of a penchant
for control. It has developed the Ebook Reader, which exerts
control over how you use an ebook you have paid for. Would you
like to share this ebook with friends? This Reader makes it difficult
for you to do so.
3 - BIG DADDY KNOWS BEST - Superiors have superior information.
Superior corporations (big ones) have superior information that
inferior corporations (small ones). The top level superior corporations
(multinationals) write press releases that make the news, write
articles to advance their ideas, get personalities to sell their
products on radio and TV. They tell inferior consumers what is
good for them and what to buy.
Superior-to-Inferior Philosophy is Dying
Times are changing. At one time the Superior-to-Inferior philosophy
worked. It worked well. But it is less effective today. Eventually
it will lose most of its effectiveness. There are 2 major reasons
for this:
1 - RISE OF TERRORISM - The terrorist attack on September 11
brought our vulnerabilities to the forefront. Which buildings
in New York were attacked? The biggest. Suddenly big is vulnerable.
Now centralization is bad. Better to allow subdivisions to operate
on their own. Big corporations present good targets. Merging
is a dangerous activity.
2 - TECHNOLOGY OF CONNECTEDNESS - The Internet is THE technology
of our age. The Internet gives a voice to everyone. People may
connect to other people in many different ways: websites, publications,
email, forums, newsletters, discussion groups, organizations,
government agencies, international groups.....Every single person
is connected. Superior-inferior classifications are dissolving.
When you add to the Internet, the cell phone, wireless and other
hand-held devices, the opportunity for the ordinary individual
to be informed and to inform others is multiplying at a dizzying
rate. Who is superior? Who is inferior? Everyone.
Peer-to-Peer Philosophy
Both terrorism and the technology of connectedness are leading
us inexorably to adopt the Peer-to-Peer philosophy. Its 3 maxims
are:
1 - SMALL IS BETTER - Small units make small or insignificant
targets. What terrorist would target a home business? Small units
act and react fast. There is no chain of command to slow things
down.
2 - DECENTRALIZATION BRINGS POWER - The far flung Internet is
less vulnerable to terror because there is no central control.
A terrorist may destroy part of the network, but not the whole
thing. Huge Microsoft wants to introduce centralization with
its Passport software, which is expected to store everyone's
password. Hack away at Microsoft (which has already been done)
and down goes the Internet. Best to resist all attempts at centralization.
Decentralization also means small units can develop expertise
in specific niches.
3 - COMMUNICATE WITH ALL PEOPLE - Instead of disseminating information
from superior to inferior, enable all people involved to communicate
with each other, to learn from each other, to work independently
with each other. The emphasis is on people, not robots. Robots
are merely substitutes for inferiors. People-people communication
is the best means for learning, working, and improving.
Basic Marketing Pointers
As the Peer-to-Peer philosophy takes over, the effectiveness
of Big Business will decline and the role of Small Business will
increase. A home business will be an excellent idea. Here are
a few guidelines for your Small Business, based on the peer-to-peer
philosophy:
1 - Rely on people, not robots
2 - Make every employee a decision maker
3 - Increase outsourcing to keep yourself small
4 - Use people-to-people communication to learn and to help
others learn
5 - Build small communities that encourage member independence
6 - Sell information expertise (e.g., ebooks) with a minimum
of copyright control
About the Author
Paul "the soaring" Siegel
mailto:paul@learningfountain.com
See Helpfulness Marketing at http://www.learningfountain.com