DISQUS

You are writing by the light of the axe, Scott. Thanks for being so honest. This sort of post is what ManWeek is all about. But you are also writing about living the sort of life that men (and women) can and should lead. We just have to be brave enough to do so.

I think some of this shifts as we become more comfortable with our "blogging selves" - or as we reach a level of maturity with our writing.

A lot of people try and write for their audience ... but I always think that we should write for ourselves. We should write the type of blog that we like to read. Otherwise we end up self-censoring the good stuff.

No easy answers on this one ;)

Zac was called out nicely on his attitude and rounded it out in the comments as the discussion grew. Sure classes can be boring - but they can also be fascinating - with the right attitude. The challenge is not in learning what is spoon fed, but choosing your own educational adventure - deciding that your own path is one of challenge, opportunity and exploration.

Unfortunately we have had a good 20 years of "reform" in higher education that has largely turned universities into institutes for vocational learning. This is reinforced by the "user pays" mentality of the client-students who have expectations of a return on their education investment. And while Zac may not fall into this category, my experience (as both a teacher and business employer) indicates that we are producing a workforce which is largely unable to learn, having been spoon-fed for far too long.

Like anything in life, you only get out what you put in. And education is no different. Investing in relationships with your teachers can be hugely rewarding. Where else will you find people so willing to share their knowledge and wisdom with you? I say, take it while you can get it!

Nicely said, and nicely done, Mark. We all, often, miss out on living our lives and sharing the best of ourselves until these crises hit - and often, by then it is too late. Thanks for sharing such an intimate moment.

When you live in the echo chamber it CAN get a little noisy. But you know what? Just because WE are sick of these words doesn't mean they don't still hold value for others for whom "social media" sounds like a vast, uncharted wilderness.

Of course, you can just use one of my favourite words - unsubscribe ;)

Love it, Mark. You know, you could be unleashing a storm.

Put your money where your mouth is, big boy.

OK ... and this is just my view ... but community is about belonging.

As Mark's earlier post indicated, we do leave other traces regardless of our name/handle. So while, 4chan may be "anonymous", there are certain "voices" which are readily identifiable. And of course, "social" means different things to different people - shouting down a street is likely to be considered ANTI-social in some neighbourhoods ;)

But bring it up another level. What is the currency of the exchange? What is the story that contributors tell on the site, in their head, and to others? I am not sure ... but I THINK that community is only created when there is an exchange of value between participants. What that value is, is defined by the context of the community. And a core part of the exchange is trust.

Without that, without the abrasions that mark us out as individuals (whether words, names, turns of phrase or other markers), then we cannot have community. So I am still on the side of anonymity being the antithesis of community ;)

@Julian ... don't agree with you on that one - but I guess it depends on how you define "community".

Great presentation, Mark. Thanks for sharing (wish I could have been there).

Mark ... while you may feel there are holes in this story, you are missing the fact that this is driven entirely by trust. David Armano has invested a significant amount of time and effort in building a substantial community around his website ... he has created strong personal connections with a number of people - and strong arm's length connections with many, many others. For those who operate within this network, trust is given and revoked based on connection and belief. It relies on those who we know and on those who know others. It is how movements happen.

BusinessWeek would have been involved because David also writes for them. He knows some of their senior writers.

I have met David a couple of times. We have shared emails about our lives, careers and the sometimes mundane nature of social media. We have become friends despite huge geographical distances and the tyranny of timezones. If he says a friend of his needs help -- that's good enough for me. And that's the way it should be.

I love that Katie remembered youpissedmeoffyoubastard. It is just a shame that he no longer posts. It was gold while it lasted.

I have too many to list, really. But I am fickle ... on the crush list one week, and in the "so over it" list the next ;)
You my friend, are an evergreen.

What a social butterfly! Nice to see you putting more than a dozen words together again!

Awesome work!

Andy ... good to see you covering the Z-list. It is certainly giving me plenty to read and think about!

Hi Michael ... great discussion! As David says, check the blogrolls of the sites listed above. My faves (not including those listed above) include:
http://www.ownyourbrand.com/
http://www.ck-blog.com/
http://heehawmarketing.typepad.com/
Enjoy!