Story:
Evolve the ideology of Capitalism by challenging the Face of Business.

The following discussion does not describe the ‘triggers’ that sparked the drive to change, so much so as it was those ‘triggers’ that were the underlying reason Keepitposted™ was founded in the first place.

FIRST THOUGHT:

“If we are to rebuild for our future, we must set our foundations strong”

Unknown Author.

BACKGROUND THOUGHT – A HOLISTIC APPROACH:

What is a holistic approach?

Keepitposted™ believes, to resolve any problem, you first must understand the bigger picture, ‘the holistic nature’ of a greater problem. Only then can you dive into the depths and complexities in order to find the core issue at the root of it all. As with any problematic system, there are likely to be many key components. Where each issue has enough influence to affect its neighboring components and then this impacts other neighboring components, and so on. Thus, it is often not necessary to reinvent the entire system, but resolve a few key concerns, each capable of resounding influence and change throughout the entire system.

Like a mathematical problem with a myriad variables, where each variable can be tweaked and changed or replaced entirely, causing a ripple effect throughout an interconnected, cross-pollinated and semantic system, and thus, changing ‘the nature of beast’. This is a ‘Holistic Approach.’

What are the goals of a holistic approach?

As a trained Architect, I think of solutions to all problems using a holistic approach to the system with appropriate methodologies.

-       If we are to build or rebuild; the most important thing we can do for our future generations, and ourselves, is to ensure that that which we create, is built upon the strongest of foundations.

-       When we build or rebuild; prior to the first brick being laid, before the first code typed or text written, we have journeyed far enough to see beyond the scope of the problem and have dived deep enough into the problem itself, to understand the most crucial, and most influential of variables,

-       Only when we have understood the scope of the problem, and identified the most crucial and most influential of variables, can we begin formulating a solution with any hope of it being strong and stable enough to support, and thus, resolve those problems we seek to overcome.

Why is a holistic approach so important?

It has been my experience, brief as that may be, that the best solutions arise though discoveries made upon the journey to a solution and not, by focusing on what a solution may be. This approach often yields results that we would have originally considered outside the scope of the problem itself.

“Experience the journey, don’t seek the experience.”

A ROOT CAUSE:

There are many variables as to why Keepitposted™ chose to focus its efforts into creating a new online business district and why it believes a new online ‘CBD’ has the potential to resolve many of our current economic problems, but non more so than the ideas of ‘Ownership’ and ‘Barriers to Entry’.

Be it real estate, stocks and shares, or intellectual property, ‘Ownership’ sits at the heart of capitalism, and if ownership sits at its heart, then creating ‘barriers to entry’: impeding, restricting and or reducing the ability for other individuals, businesses and or organizations to own, or succeed in achieving, and thus obtaining the ability to own, does creating ‘barriers to entry’ become a primary objective to a capitalist’s success.

This ‘root cause’, is illustrated by those competitive gaps specified within the ‘context’ of this ‘story’, highlighting a significant problem to the stability and longevity of our global economic systems.

For example, consider the requirement of monetization. Each and every online platform that currently exists, that was originally conceived and designed to enable and or empower its members, had at some point in its growth, needed to consider monetization. It is at this moment, that existing online platforms literally begin building their own barriers to entry, by ‘tapping’ into the business of those members they originally sought to enable and or empower. Why?

Lets consider the following:

In order to form a balanced, synergetic relationship between enabler and the enabled, (a platform and its member) there must be a state of equilibrium on both sides. Whereby if one side creates real, tangible value for itself, then this must also be true for the other. Like two equations that equal each other.

So what can we consider ‘tangible value’?

We can actually answer this question, with a question: What is it that is most valuable online?

The answer is simple: Quality Content. 

No matter the enablement or empowerment an online platform may offer, if it is unable to obtain quality content – in this current state of capitalism mentality: in which monetization is driven by finding ways of ‘leveraging’ the work and efforts of others, with the purpose of enabling the ‘enabler’ to exert minimum effort and yield maximum profit, – then its ability to sustain itself long term, let alone value itself, are dramatically reduced.

So where is the imbalance? 

The imbalance exists, or is created, when an enabler begins to consider deriving its value from:

1. The content in which it contains – in which its members have contributed and or,
2. From the members themselves, that chose to join the enabler through common beliefs and mutual respect and or,
3. From the effort made by members who make sales on the enablers platform,

For example:

The content members contribute, giving the enabler their perceived value is in fact not and should not be considered value associated to that enabler, but instead associated to that member who contributed it. For the enabler to then, for example: place adverts around or on that content, in order to earn money from the sale of that advertisement is, as Keepitposted™ believes, ‘tapping into the business of others’.

So how do we rebalance the equation?

The solution: Consider the platforms underlying business and what tangible value each bring to the table. (We will discuss this further when reviewing ‘Challenges and Solutions’)

A FLAW IN THE BINARY SYSTEM:

I have always found it incredibly interesting to dive into the absolute basics of a problem, to understand the very nature of what it is that we are actually trying to resolve, from a historic point of view. My favorite starting point has thus been to understand the meaning and intention of that or those words used to convey a message that is our current problem.

So, what does Capitalism actually mean?

Derived from the words: ‘Capital’ and ‘Ism’:

From the word, ‘capital’ meaning, “wealth in the form of money or other assets owned by a person or organization for a particular purpose such as investing, (?) Or starting a company,” and the word, ‘ism’ meaning, “a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, typically an ideology or movement.”

New Oxford Dictionary

‘Investing’ – within the context of capitalism, means – “to expend money with the expectation of achieving a profit” (i.e. more money).

New Oxford Dictionary 

Thus, through understanding of the above two constituents to the word ‘Capitalism’, it is revealed to us: 

Two systems of purpose and or intent, where capitalism = money and,

1. The existence of money is to be used to “invest” for the purpose of creating ‘more’ money, and
2. The existence of money is to enable the ability to create something: such as, “starting a company”.

What is interesting to note however, is that the definitions of those constituents to the word ‘capitalism’, does not describe its meaning in terms of sustainability. Or in other words, does money not also exist to SUSTAIN something: such as that ‘company’ we recently created, or perhaps, a ‘LIFESTYLE’?

THE NEXT FRONTIER:

As our ability to transmit information over the internet becomes ever faster and ever more accessible to the masses, so more and more creative entrepreneurs, their businesses and their brands have turned to social and network orientated platforms to advertise, market and create brand awareness for themselves.

As the focus of Keepitposted’s™ efforts surround those concerns of: barriers to entry and that of ownership online, solutions to these problems are paramount to those foundations Keepitposted™ is creating.

So what is this concern? 

The concern is that, if the mentality of those ideologies we (the enablers) have of our global marketplace and of those marketplaces we create, do not change with a long-term outlook: that elevates or eliminates those barriers to entry and those stresses effecting the sustainability for the continuity of new businesses, our economic outlook for the foreseeable future is unlikely to improve.

THE TASK: 

To derive and develop a system, platform and or environment capable of ‘Stepping Out the Business of Others’, reducing and or eliminating those barriers to entry that hinders the success, growth and evolution of an entrepreneur. This includes but is not limited to:

-       Eliminating the need for paid memberships,

-       Eliminating the need for any advertising to be on site,

-       Eliminating the need for any commissions to be taken from sales made through that system, platform or environment,

And, at the same time, ensure that that same system, platform and or environment is capable and able of being both feasible and profitable.