Socio Analytica

I have been trying out Bright Kite for a while now. If it were not for the fact that it has some issues with Verizon (Verizon causing the problems apparently), I might be using it more. It is a little bit like a location-based Twitter. You can set it through SMS, e-mail or web-based interface to set your location at various degrees of resolution depending on the level of relationship (Friend, Anyone, etc.)

I think it is really best to be used in a fairly populated area or at a conference-type of environment. By posting location you can see who else might be or was at your location. However, it is useful to see where people you know might be, particularly if you want to get in touch. For example, if a person you are tracking is in London as opposed to San Francisco.

There is a sense by some that this is “stalker-ware” but I think this is only the case in general. You are the one that sets the position, and if you are even going to bother to set your location. Like Twitter, it is essentially a micro-blogging platform with location added in — Bright Kite pushes the idea of setting location without a GPS. While I would not like to “stalk” my friends it is a good way to get a sense of where they are if I want to get in touch.

I have a few invites if anyone would like one.

Tags: Blogging, Community, Web 2.0 by mlwhall

This article from Knowledge@Wharton: Leadership and Change talks about the need for 4-way integration of Work, Home, Community and Self. Stewart Friedman talking about his book, Total Change argues for this integration. I really believe that this is crucial — I have tended to argue that one should integrate their personal or home with their institution of greatest influence (work, church, politics, etc.) But the integration of these four areas resonates with me. Given my work in values, the personal is essentially implied here. And I have kind of merged Work and Community.

I think the key issue here is integration. While you may have some different “preferences” many of the common values will be the same just the order may change. The danger that I see people getting themselves is that they believe that the values and the institutions in which they interact are somehow separate. The priorities will can and often change but the core values stat the same.

First, it is very difficult to separate or compartmentalize like this. And if one is able to do it, it will likely create a high level of internal conflict. It creates a kind of institutionally enforced schizophrenia. Moving between these compartments can create tension and conflict. This frustration can, of course, come out in ways that do not create the best environment for those areas.

Tags: Analysis, Behavior, Community, Identity, Leadership, Values by mlwhall

It seems that there is a mini-storm, particularly in Social Media circles in the area of microblogging. Microblogging is essentially small updates for readers that fit in a relatively short space (read: words or characters). Twitter, Pownce, Plaxo and Facebook are all examples of microblogging platforms or have them as part of their web app or service.

One might say, “why don’t I just have a lot of short posts”. And one could do this. However, micorblogs offer something more, a kind of community where one can interact with friends, etc. I would liken it to a town square or maybe coffee house or diner. You may run into people you know or strike up a conversation. And people may drift in and out. It is not IM, but you can do it from anywhere — yet it is dynamic.

It is a unique way for people to transmit their values in real time. And to a group of people…Maybe you could think of it as a mob values aggregator!

Tags: Behavior, Collaboration, Community, Culture, Relationships, Social, Values, Web 2.0 by mlwhall

Interesting thought — Twitter as coffee shop or town square.

Tags: Community by mlwhall

Facebook seems to either sparking a trend or is at least on the beginning of one. It is the creation of a framework for apps. I suppose Ning and some others; the gadget frameworks (Google, Yahoo, Mac, Vista); and the start pages (Netvibes, Pageflakes) might be the beginning of this. However, Facebook has really seemed to spark some energy. Thomas Power of Ecademy made a comment (on Facebook) that it was kind of like a videogame for adults. It at least seems to be more of an adult version of MySpace. I cannot tell if Facebook is just the darling of the moment or whether it has legs. But for the moment it is definitely capitalizing on a trend.

Tags: gadgets, apps, applications, facebook, myspace, ning, yahoo, google, mac, vista, netvibes, pageflakes

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Tags: Community, Culture, Technology, Web 2.0, Web/Tech by mlwhall

• Canada:
  • London, Ontario, Canada
• Mexico and Central America
  • San Jose, Costa Rica
  • Cueranavaca & Mexico City, Mexico
  • San Salvador, El Salvador
• US:
  • Pomona (Los Angeles), CA
  • Crown Point, IN
  • Indianapolis, IN
  • Brown County (Unionville), IN
  • Santa Clara, CA
  • San Jose, CA
  • Napa, CA

Tags: central, south, america, us, san jose, costa rica, el salvador, san salavador, mexico city, london, ontario, california, napa, santa clara, indianapolis, travel, live

Tags: Community, Culture, Identity, Personal, Random Thoughts, Relationships, Social, Values by mlwhall

As is suggested in my Bio, I am a single father of three kids (Grant, Rachel, Paige), two dogs (Scruffy, Sakima) and a kitten (Simba). I live in Napa, California (USA). I have a girlfriend of two years, Svea. This, I suppose,  is the beginning of one strand.

Maybe this will be the beginning of getting some clarity or meaning in my life. Maybe it will also help me identify what my faith or spiritual journey is or is going to be. A strong "faith" has not been a major or even minor part of my life. I would say that I am not without questions and desire for something as yet undefined. However, I would say that I am a "spiritual" person, but it is difficult to build a community with others in this area if one cannot easily define themselves in relation or context with others.

I find myself looking for and needing a sense of community, and it does not seem to be popping up in other areas. Work, kids, even external family. Exploring faith is a place where people of different backgrounds can come together and explore and hopefully add meaning in their lives. I see my meaning coming from more than a faith focus. But this seems to be one area that is calling to me.

I am trying to be careful not to talk about religion. While that is an obvious subtext to the above, I have had some mixed experiences relative to organized or institutional religion. I find that adding that view just gives me too many reasons to abort exploration. Having a love of history that includes some of the actions taken in the name of religion is enough to make many people do an about face. At the same time, it is difficult for me to deal with people that have unquestioning faith. Faith for me is about a journey. Someone that blindly walks the path is just as easy to veer from it. Checking for directions seems to me to be a good thing.

Tags: faith, meaning, values, family, religion, spirituality

Tags: Behavior, Commentary, Community, Faith, Meaning, Personal, Random Thoughts, Relationships, Social, Spirituality, Values by mlwhall

It is funny. I guess I see my life, or maybe even just points in life and how you get there as strands or threads such as with a string or a rope. They hopefully come together in a way than can keep us a little stronger. Whatever that means. (Side Note: It seems a little odd that I would start this in the anniversary of 9/11.)

I find myself now in a very trying place in my life. I am in a place that in many ways I could never have imagined. Now seems to be a good time to examine those strands. I feel that if I lay myself bare for a bit, that I might be able to bring the strands together in a meaningful manner. And hopefully a little stronger.

I feel that I might be able to get some meaning or maybe at least make some sense so that I can move on. I believe that people often are in places that make one feel stuck or in rut. What I am talking about is much more than that. It is different strands unraveling at the same time. I believe that I am in this place to learn from it, and that it is not all negative.

I think that getting it out on paper (or at least on a blog ;-)), I might be able to make more sense of it. I tend to have a problem with the victim mentality that society seems to find itself in too easily at the moment. But boy, there is a part of me that feels I am experiencing a type of self victimization. However, I like to subscribe to the notion of critical self reflection (CSR) which for me might keep from this path. I think it difficult for the victim to learn from the events that put them there. It is the taking responsibility and gaining insights from the events that makes us stronger.

Tags: faith, strands, CSR, critical self reflection, religion, spirituality, meaning

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger!"

Tags: Behavior, Commentary, Community, Faith, Meaning, Morality, Personal, Philosophy, Religion, Social, Spirituality by mlwhall

I guess the “discussion” on family values was a key lightning rod from many years ago that got people thinking about values and politics. Of course, it was much earlier than that when this has been brought up. For example, Aristotle talks about areas of excellence that the Citizen, or member of the city-state should have to be a model individual in society. In the sense of family values thinking, this was also restricting of the group being focused on. A Citizen was basically an adult male of a certain level of means and breeding.

“Family values” suggests that there is basically one set of values that should be the model for all families which is a kind of ludicrous notion. However, there was/is a segment of the population for which this resonated.

But it does highlight a couple of key themes in politics, the need to communicate ideas and concepts in a manner that is best understood by the constituency you want to reach. This would include modifying your language to heighten the receptance of the message with the chosen audience.

Language is one way we express our values (family or otherwise). By understanding the language or culture of a target group, one can modify the message to best connect with that group.

Rather than sending out a mass mailing, you can send less mailings but based on targetted language to target groups that are congruent with that language. Somthing akin to laser sighting for the mailings.

Technorati Tags: politics, values, language

Tags: Behavior, Community, Culture, Politics, Research, Tech, Technology, Values by mlwhall

I was reflecting on this post from Chris Garret overat Performancing. It really rings true for me. There is so much I would like to cover or write about but it just does not seem there is enough time! It used to be that the whole point of blogging is that you could get online [...]

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Tags: Collaboration, Commentary, Community, Personal, Random Thoughts, Technology, Web 2.0 by mlwhall