Curation Revolution

Sometimes the proximity of things you write creates a new idea. Two recent ScenttTrail Marketing posts got smashed up today:

The New Altruism: Wright, Shermer and Benkler


Why Internet Marketing Must Disrupt To Win 

These recent posts got me thinking (always dangerous lol). What if we can use Altruism as a disruptive force?

Pepsi achieve disruption in the Cola Wars with the magical User Generated Content platform Pepsi refresh (see this great AdAge summary and infographic for more http://adage.com/article/viewpoint/a-teaching-moment-professors-evaluate-pepsi-refresh-project/237629/ ).

MasterCard is disrupting my TV time with the weird guy singing about standing up to cancer (http://mastercard.standup2cancer.org/ ) and nonprofits are becoming disruptive as RobinHood.org and ChairityWater.org prove. 

Can Altruism Disrupt?
Altruism may be the ONLY marketing act sure to disrupt from now to the end of time. Sure Altruism has HUGE proponents in Google and Facebook, but as Benkler discussed in the video included in my The New Altruism post PAPA GOT A BRAND NEW BAG.

I've been wondering why we seem to have suddenly made this turn toward altruism when Benkler explained it so beautifully. This trend isn't a turn, a tune or a change. The majority of people, like 70%, have always wanted a fair expression of altruism in their lives. 

We assumed, and you know what happens when we Internet marketers do that, everyone was the 30% of self-interested pirates. Benkler makes the same point as Gladwell in Tipping Point. Given the right context we jump the turnstile, we break the window, we join the 30%. 

We are NOT all one thing or another ever. We are a strange mix of all kinds of things. Art, science, anger, love and magician and bully are present and, given the right circumstance, will visit and sometimes make it feel like we are THAT or THIS. 

Not so much as it turns out. Perhaps I have unique perspective on the question of who I am. In quick succession I lost my role in the company I co-founded, the love of my life and heard "cancer" and my name in the same sentence. Tough couple of years taught me some HARD things about ME. I can be an ASS and a kind, loving, generous person sometimes in the same day, hour, minute (lol). 

Pema Chodron taught me to forgive and Eckhart Tolle taught me to live in this moment, the one happening NOW. Both these great teachers help create the complex self Benkler discusses. 

 Perhaps this self-awareness is why DISRUPTION is so important. A company, brand or product willing to disrupt is unsure, acting in the NOW with courage. They may FAIL, some believe Pepsi did, or they may just create a new less selfish and more connected future. 

I may not get to that future with you or your children, but it is coming and I will spend every dime I've ever saved and every moment I have to help altruism DISRUPT because life is short, magical and full of joy. Why wouldn't we share such a disruptive message?

What about you? What have you disrupted or been good to lately? Share your experience with Altruisim or cause marketing and I will curate in. Thanks, you ROCK. Marty