When I added the tagline "The revolution will be monetized" to this technology blog, I thought I was pretty clever. But a Google search deflated that pretension, as the phrase had already been used. That's when I changed "revolution" to "evolution" and stumbled upon the general direction this blog will apparently take.
Revolution implies dramatic, historic change that can be pinpointed on a timeline. But evolution is something that is ongoing, always happening. It exists on a continuum, with no beginning or end. It's a river, not a rock.
Evolution is what we are experiencing with the rapid advancements in technology, evolution in how we live and think. Our technological progress reflects -- and is -- that evolution. I believe as the Internet and the mobile phone grow in importance to our lives, we will become more aware of virtualization.
What I mean by virtualization is the abstraction of material things -- physical cash becomes a series of digits in a bank account and a paperback becomes an e-book. While nothing can replace physical experience, and having tangible assets in the bank, such as gold and silver, hedges against financial disruptions, the virtual worlds which we increasingly inhabit are bound eventually for us to start thinking more abstractly and less materialistically.
Materialistic thinking tends to focus only on the self, what we can get for ourselves, even if it is to the detriment of others. Abstract thinking expands our perceptions, opens us up to all that is beyond ourselves. More thoughfulness and greater awareness can only make us better people in the long run.
So, the evolution will be monetized. And don't forget it.
