The 'D' Word Again...

Peter writes ...

It is that 'D' word again; disintermediation.

It is also a reminder to me that I am perhaps over-emphasizing the small, the upstart, the campfire. If you already have an established brand, however this was achieved, then the possibilities of the internet open to you.

So, step forward Clive James, The Rolling Stones, Darcey Bussell, Stephen King, Manchester United, Take That, U2, JK Rowling, Mick Hucknall and so on. In the information age you will, or do, sell direct.

And so it may well be that one day, soon, Manchester United will stream matches all over the world, selling access for a few dollars each to millions. And yet, it should also be acknowledged that selling, that commerce, is only part of what is going on here. This is most evident in Clive James's site where he is mainly concerned with the continuation and development of his creative self. That simple germ, the desire to be creative, seems to underwrite so much of the explosion of social activity in the virtual world. And in this Clive James is no different to all the unsung bloggers, to all the anonymous open-source creators, to the commentors and the MySpacers: he just wants to develop his creative self.

To understand this, business theory will no longer suffice. We have to reach for The Gift.