Disqus - Latest Comments for charlesfrith

Re: What is Twitter for? Pimping your blog!

charlesfrith — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:45:02 -0000

Isn't RSS for pimping your blog? ;)

Re: modfetish.

charlesfrith — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:15:52 -0000

Terrific.

Re: pretentious and pop

charlesfrith — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:39:23 -0000

Ossum

Re: ITS AMAZING.

charlesfrith — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:09:18 -0000

Intriguing. Surely its chillier in Chicago NYC no?

Re: DAS WUSSUP. - New energy drinK that I’m first to try or...

charlesfrith — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:46:19 -0000

Ossum

Re: Twitterfall

charlesfrith — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:10:34 -0000

Ah. Good. That's what I hoped so feel free to support any points you feel. I look forward to tomorrow. Thanks Adam.

Re: Twitterfall

charlesfrith — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:30:03 -0000

I don't think I'm serving the parasite or the host by urging that we take control of our own actions with regard to fossil fuel consumption. There's a lot of crossover links there into the economic mess we're in and I think you know there's very little between us with regards to who is screwing who.

You may be right and I've pointed at it already that the likely conclusion for fossil fuel resources will be a war but that doesn't mean we can't live our lives in a manner that is noble and equally that we can't urge our fellow humans to consider the implications of all this.

I do grasp as do you, how the economic model is structured so that debt is seen as honourable. Its for that reason that most cash is sneered at while credit (debt) cards have the marketing machine behind them. (Fascinating story about the origin of credit cards in the US)

There was a reason why the merchant class became a threat to the "nobility" (funny how they still get the cool name) and how once the wealth shifted to them around the 13th 14th it set off a lot of events including the emancipation of land slavery but in any case I've been listening to some of Doug Rushkoff's fascinating interview subjects this afternoon with some more understanding as to why the commons were places for collecting firewood and picking berries and not much removed from the creative commons we now find quite useful to get around copyright laws that are themselves an enslavement of sorts.

So the real issue between us now is types of methodologies to live a morally defendable life against indiscriminate fossil fuel usage?

If that's the case then let me have a think about it because there's lots and I don't doubt that the vampires are quite happy to develop another rentier class for exploitation.

But I do need to know if that's where we differ because otherwise I'll get a load of links that I generally don't disagree with though this slow connection means I can't view all immediately. But yes..of course money is debt. It's genius as a system of enslavement. Though its a different issue from climate change as whip to sustainable living carrot discussions.

Re: Digital at the IPA (By Tim Malbonster of Made By Many)

charlesfrith — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:32:46 -0000

Like you Neil I hoover up a lot of information on the net and I still think this is the best summary of how to grasp digital.

It also captures everything that should be changing about the increasingly obsolete 20th century mass marketing model. Thanks for the Dave Winer link. I'll go check it out now.

Re: inane drivel

charlesfrith — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:19:53 -0000

I find it depressing. I'm the first one to enjoy the moment (had lunch with a couple of elder ladies yesterday discussing social ecology and guitar making) but I find this planned and enforced fun is desperate. Even more so in the case of a parking operator who outside of a cement box wouldn't know the meaning of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ from parking in the world trade towers when the first bomb attempt took place.

Christmas is pretty well established in Asia now too but at least the language barrier and wholesale lifting of culture for retail objectives is obvious and taken less seriously than back in the UK. It's like Halloween and Valentines day but ironically nobody celebrates the day itself. That's the only taboo.

Re: Twitterfall

charlesfrith — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:05:57 -0000

Comprehensive but still at odds with my main assertion Adam. Here's why. I'm debating my political position from logic and not evidence. I don't have the evidence (but (I do have the resources) to rebuff any assertion that climate change is taking place. But I do have logic. Do I know Climate change is taking place? Well it's irrelevant. Climate change has always taken place and to conclusively prove that our behaviour is impacting the earths environment is futile. But its a reasonably hermetically sealed proposition to say that infinite consumption (and economic growth model) points towards our own demise as a species. Unless say nano bio technology enables us to diminish our own size and consumption of finite non durables. That's a far out idea but its one of my best.

“Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes.” — George Soros

So what is the correction of our mistakes Adam? Just some sort of scientific conclusion that points towards volcanic activity as the source of climate change without leaving a solution for the poisoning and consumption of the planet's finite resources? That would be the definitive example cutting of our noses to spite our face.

I do agree that its likely our fate is inescapable (war is probably the most likely outcome in the fight for resources) but to blithely continue as we are, is simply not motivating for me as a lifestyle. Neither is contesting what you highlight as often bogus scientific practices to elevate the climate change bogeyman. I'll say it one last time. I see a logic problem. Not an evidenced based discussion. The final evidence is in the final analysis. It's too late then. That's why I walk the earth like Kung Fu and a morally superior swagger ;)

Re: Twitterfall

charlesfrith — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:20:59 -0000

Yes lets do climate change. Although I will say that the Chomsky movie you watched is a bit of a pop culture one designed to get the kids involved and it's a little primary for your needs. Chomsky is most compelling in big long series of paragraphs during speeches. His magic works in that way and the movie is little more then a vignette of soundbites despite railing against that very topic. I also feel you didn't really acknowledge the points I made about the social utility of Twitter but then I don't feel we're on opposite sides of the pitch but probably quibbling about the rules of the game.

Unlike Climate Change :)

I know your position. Or rather I know enough of your position to disagree though even that has changed somewhat today. I'll explain. We've never discussed the issue though we've discussed other issues in the past but I read pretty much most of what you do or at least have a quick scan through disruptive stuff. I'm not so much into the economic porn nowadays as everything that needs to be said has been said. Though some of the bloggers I respect are getting increasingly punchy about the greed by Goldman et al. Which would have been heresy a couple of years ago.

Anyway, I guess I should say that I'm going through a waterfall of recontextualising a lot of what I think. Somebody sent me The New Noah e book which I speed read just now and it's a bit more brutal in conclusion than I have been to date. But lets wind back because I'm sure you might misunderstand me too. I'm not sure about climate change either. I'm pretty sure about a dirty world. It's a fact that the Eastern coast of China is swathed in rotten pollution and that the oceans are housing continental sized pools of tiny floating plastic debris. I don't like that. I think it's not important to prove climate change I think its important to live an examined life which would mean having a position on excessive waste, finite resources and yes carbon output. Whether its provable or not long ago failed to motivate me.

I guess I'm seeing some exploitation of the carbon footprint/trading issue by the usual money obsessed through your bookmarks and feeds and assuming you're getting irate over an issue which to me feels irrelevant. It doesn't take a Copernicus to observe that we have finite resources and we're treating them as if they're infinite. I don't see what's wrong with having a frugal and considered approach to consumption. I also think there's lots of ways to make it a profitable model for all involved although not profitable in the sense that we were raised. We can easily shift value from fiat currency to other attractive ideas and I always think advertising is useful in that context. Let's face it. Brainwashing got us into this mess and brainwashing can get us out of it?

Or have I completely misunderstood you? Either way. I prefer having this discussion in a public forum as you never know. Maybe someone else will fall off the tree of lurking and join in :) Unlikely though. I do have a delicious Goldman Hong Kong story for you that I'll need some discretion over how I share it with you but it should chime with you given your understanding of psychopathy....Come the revolution Adam. Brace yourself ;)

Re: Green Is Green

charlesfrith — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:11:12 -0000

I'm having a lot of trouble living in the present. It's pretty data intensive if you knew how much trouble comes my way so I am trying to avoid predictions but as a self confessed smart arse (who needs a new speech as my good friend just informed me) I still think I know a bit about where thing are heading. Anway...I'm feeling guilty (it's the bloody Catholic altar boy in me) about being so feisty with you and you've been gracious so sorry about any calumny I threw your way because I do it all the time hoping somebody will take the bait (they rarely do) but you did and that's neat....Anyway. If I'm confessing I should let you know that I always said your work is top notch when I worked for JWT in three different countries...but then people always said .."yeah, we know" ...but nobody does anything about it and that's why I'm obsessed with change. So are you going to help me? ;)

Re: Hong Kong Wetland Park

charlesfrith — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:58:00 -0000

Thanks for the write up. It looks worth a visit.

Re: Twitterfall

charlesfrith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:33:26 -0000

Great comment. Perhaps we should slug out our Green issues here too :) In any case I do feel some natural responses. I think we're heading into a golden age. It's not techno utopianism but the benefits of the information so out weigh the drawbacks that I'm hopeful for what I see as a diminished group think ordained by MSM. I revisted manufacturing consent by Noam Chomsky and really it's not hard to see how easy it is to scare whole countries into knee jerk reactions. i mean, if it were down to the Twitterati we wouldn't be in Iraq or Afghanistan. Frankly Twitter does a better job than MI6 when assessing intelligence through collective intelligence. Going back to the secret services it's an insult to the intelligence isn't it? I ripped that off a memorable Punch cover and I love it a lot. Erm..what else. OK of course there's going to be mistakes. There will be examples of mob rule group think where we'll hang some Gary Glitter figure only to find out at a later stage that the person is innocent. But, and this is a dangerous statement. It's all for the good. Humans are fallible and we learn from our mistakes. Maybe slowly, but in the big picture of things I'm hopeful. Just be ready for injustices on twitter because we'll regret them. But the track record so far isn't too bad no?

Re: Twitterfall

charlesfrith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:56:24 -0000

Hey Adam. It's a bit short and stuffed with people who don't know or don't know they don't know but it's important to know the other side ;)

Re: X - Rated

charlesfrith — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:24:19 -0000

Bummer. I love long comments. I love any comments actually. Bit of a comment slut me ;)

Re: The Client's A Wanker

charlesfrith — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:19:55 -0000

Ha..ha. Great to see some client talent in the blogosphere. If only we could have a humorous take on market research blogging. But then charisma bypasses don't make for compelling content but it would be the ultimate link test :) Keep up the great work.

Re: Green Is Green

charlesfrith — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:59:52 -0000

As if by magic Marian my friends at The Independent are running this story about Green equates to religion. Which I think supports my point that Blue has faded into the background. Any thoughts?

http://bit.ly/4vuMhj

Re: fake it to make it

charlesfrith — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:30:22 -0000

Splendid stuff Eaon. I'm like The Burns today too :)

Re: X - Rated

charlesfrith — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:51:50 -0000

If 9/11 hadn't happened Rob. I think her death was the single most culturally important event of our generation. Put aside that I felt rotten about her premature death because it was so unexpected and because paradoxically I didn't take any interest in her documented life apart from the Royal Wedding (which was magnificent) and so we're left with a woman who took on the establishment, was effectively the essence of a kinder gentler Britain that John Major espoused and I think most importantly her death confronted a lot of people with something the British dont do at all well. Their emotions. (Actually had a talk about this with my French loathing French neighbour who pointed out we're cold. Anyway. You're right. They fucked her alive and they fucked her dead corpse. People are often flawed but she was beautifully so. The only other member of Royalty I've seen who had that special star quality was the Crown Prince's wife in Siam. Alleged to bath in milk I can verify her skin was extraordinary on sight. A useless piece of information. I'm drawing up my list for you too Rob.

Oh. One last thing. I don't watch telly. I find it limits my thinking although to be fair it also means I come up with ad strategies that have already been done :)

Re: fake it to make it

charlesfrith — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:20:14 -0000

Ha. In a similar theme I was identifying closely with this a few days ago.

http://bit.ly/2UoCq4

Re: X - Rated

charlesfrith — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:12:30 -0000

Thanks mate. You know I can't help but think for a while now that the "Yay" on Twitter used by people who would never show excitement in real life is actually an inner hidden Yay (I say it in real life but not on twitter). By this logic I'm aware that probably I want to know more about this society of the spectacle X factor but am too sniffy to admit it.

However Princess Diana was different. It wasn't a game show and for some inexplicable reason I slept the night she died with the radio on (Radio 4) I must have caught the first reports because I awoke to a news bulletin and inexplicably started crying. Unusual for me because I never bought a tabloid and really she only came on to my radar when she died. It felt premature. It still does.

Re: Green Is Green

charlesfrith — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:35:03 -0000

Thank you for dropping by Marian. I appreciate you taking a stand and sticking to your guns. I accept your points that water is a bigger issue although if we are going to take a chronological view of resources I'd say that oil may have sparked the beginning of the next world war already (those are the words of others I'm quoting when I've talked about the 4th world war being an information war) so black is the colour in that instance but of course I take your point. I think the charlatan word was a bit harsh so I'll take that back however I think one of the key qualities of future watching and possibly more interesting is to explain the points that we are absolutely sure we don't know about. In any case. Once again thanks for dropping by. I'm usually frustrated that the shots I take at others aren't taken up and so I'm happy you've seen fit to reply. One last point that I want to reiterate is that conspicuous consumption is or should be a relic and its extraordinarily hard to feel 'validated' in life without actually buying stuff. Try it for just a few days to see how powerful it is and so I'm passionate that we have a huge education job for people to feel that it's not a case of I consume therefore I am but more about I am and therefore we matter. :)

Re: The 50 Hottest Brands on Twitter Right Now

charlesfrith — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:48:15 -0000

The conclusion I take from this is that brands aren't talked about as much as brand owners would like. Or at least non 2.0 brands aren't.

Re: Post-Agency III: Naming Names

charlesfrith — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:11:41 -0000

Excellent article. I appreciate the links.