His Al Goreness’ big foamy finger on Web 2.0 and Green issues

[Do I Have an Addictive Personality?]
Photo owned by rhobinn (cc)

He who hath created the Internet doth proclaim we should STFU and focus on Green. His Al Goreness starts:

“Web 2.0 has to have a purpose.”

He continues using a big, pointy foam hand:

“The purpose, I would urge all of you — as many of you as are willing to take it up — is to bring about a higher level of consciousness about our planet and the imminent danger and opportunity we face because of the radical transformation in the relationship between human beings and the Earth,”

The NY Times says it succinctly:

In other words, Web 2.0 should be used to fight global warming. He didn’t say exactly how, but that didn’t stop the audience from giving two standing ovations to the Oscar-winning movie director, venture capitalist, money manager, book author, cable television mogul and Nobel laureate.

Where’s Bono when you need him? Maybe he has the missing cue cards. De Masterplan. Web 2.0 should be about bringing a “higher level of consciousness about our planet”? WTF? Isn’t that what parenting and educating our kids on the goals of society is all about. Web 2.0, 3.0 – or whatever Bullshit Bingo His Goreness is serving is just a toolkit. Ways of empowering individuals and organisations with an arsenal tools to manage and analyse data to synthesise information. Web 2.0 is business.

Businesses are all about profitability, achieved through innovation and increased efficiency. If that innovation uncovers an advance that ends up changing our daily lives for the benefit of the planet, then great stuff. Ethics in business conduct – yes, but profits drive innovation. In fact, as push comes to make increased use of our very rare resources (manpower included), those Web 2.0-ish tools will be used naturally as the economic benefits make them viable.

His Goreness makes tidy speech goals aimed to bearhug his Green supporters, but his vague approach says more about his belief in viability of Mammy-State Green businesses. Your Al Goreness, leave raising the consciousness of Green issues to the family and society at large. Great enterpreneurs will see promise in the problems our planet faces today. They will be the ones that will solve those problems through innovation and create value and jobs where hithertofore there was none.

November 10th, 2008 at 2:34 pm • Filed in Business, Geekery, Politics



Comments

4 Comments to “His Al Goreness’ big foamy finger on Web 2.0 and Green issues”

  1. roosta Says:
    November 10th, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    In fairness to him there’s nowt wrong with utilizing the capabilities of “web 2.0″ to spread information and engage debate to promote Green ideals.

    In that article it didn’t expressly say that Gore was against the web for business or otherwise, just that it could be used more efficiently to spread Green ideals…which would compliment and help the family/society in its role as educator, surely?



  2. Alexia Says:
    November 10th, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    He clearly states that Web 2.0 “needs a purpose”, therefore he’s saying that it currently doesn’t have a purpose, right? He’s preaching that the Web 2.0 needs to be focused on Green issues. That it needs a noble goal.

    While I think it’s great to see that he’s influencing the business tech using the VC route as a vehicle, he’s ever so sketchy on details.

    Doesn’t this seem like a massive PR play too, though? VCs invest in businesses who have viability on their side. One of the biggest business cases a prospective company can make is a solution to a substantial environmental problem in a sustainable and profitable manner. Surely, sustainability in both operation, environment and value to the economy is a win for all? Bullshit Bingo, be damned!



  3. Deborah Says:
    November 10th, 2008 at 7:48 pm

    Great post Alexia. I am generally quite a tolerant person, but no one and I mean no one, pisses me off quite like this asshole. Paul makes me leave the room if his name comes up in conversation because he knows I’ll go off. You said it all for me, in a much more eloquent and objective manner! :)



  4. roosta Says:
    November 10th, 2008 at 10:51 pm

    He clearly states that Web 2.0 “needs a purpose”, therefore he’s saying that it currently doesn’t have a purpose, right? He’s preaching that the Web 2.0 needs to be focused on Green issues. That it needs a noble goal.

    I guess so. I wouldn’t be keen on him demanding the hijacking of web 2.0 and its ilk for solely green concerns.



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