Andrew Keen: Expander of Minds

I was utterly fascinated by learning about Mr. Keens view of Web 2.0. Mostly because it was the exact opposite of how I thought of the internet before hand. I always had this starry eyed vision of the internet as a great tool. But of course with any new empire that is built there are consequences to certain actions. So when Andrew Keen discusses the idea of the "cult of the amateur," I had to take a step back and think, am I one of them?

After doing the reading and discuss Mr. Keen, I find myself at a crossroads with use of the internet. Although my favorite part of Web 2.0 is that it can bring people together, and bring information and culture to corners of the U.S. (an example being my hometown up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan). But at the same time I think Keen makes an excellent point about the need for experts, not amateurs. We need to know that the information we are getting is from a reliable source, not gossip, not hearsay, it needs to be from someone who knows what they are talking about.

I never saw it as big as a problem as it truly is, but amateurism is on the rise and only growing stronger. And who's really getting bent over? The user! We think (I'm guilty as well) that we are using the internet as a tool to get beyond the big wigs, the corporations, "the man," but really we are just giving time & money to a very select few companies are who are the ones really profiting from the internet, not us. Most of those being Google, Facebook, YouTube, etc. I am glad that Keen has been exposed to me, because he has opened my mind about the content and relationship I now share with the internet. I find his topics interesting enough that I have purchased his book!......off Amazon. Oh irony.