After spending my thinking-and-writing energy on the idea complex related to The Flow Society from last summer up until March this year, I went down for some practical applications. And now we’re rolling! I just want to spend this month’s contribution updating you with what is happening in-and-about these Community-Oriented / Crowd-Empowered projects – open branded, given to the Commons, creatively.

All projects are related in one way or another, and they count to four:

#TheFlowSociety - This is the Generic Curative Collector of the Conversations and Insights generated around the topic as such – and has its home on http://flowsociety.org 

#FlowSocietySeminars - This is a series of “brainjams”, physically (hyperlocal) and virtual through webinars and web meetings, for collaborative insight driven by the ‘hive mind’ – current sessions listed on the web above

#FlowDoneSystem - This is a method and approach taking the best of worlds of all the productivity and efficiency techniques, in an own remix open for development, and using a series of web and mobile applications, giving a great clue to “how to survive, live and prosper in the flow society”

#PomodoroMix - This is a musical project helping you to enhance focus when you come to the “doing”, helping you to reach your own “flow” to the heights, depths and strengths – helping you to stay “in the zone”

So, taking it from the top.

#TheFlowSociety 

All articles produced so far are now collected on The Flow Society web. The process undergone beyond this, is to revisit all written, and turn articles to edited and reworked pages, forming chapters – and finally going PDF and Print in a book on the “theory/idea” and the different sub-topics of The Flow Society. This will be done during the year, with version 1.0 of the publication to be ready with a date more clearly set beyond the crucial seminars for feedback and response of the material this far. Going from idea to application in the concrete.

#FlowSocietySeminars 

Yes. Since last time of writing, a Seminar Series has started ‘in real life’, in a ‘hyper-local’ setting. The Flow Society was first introduced in a Pecha Kucha presentation in Linköping, Sweden, in the beginning of April, which later turned into a longer TED-style presentation introducing a series of ‘brainjams’ running until end of May. This series started at the newly opened “Coffice” at Norrköping Science Park - a hybrid of café and office, where I am collaborating with Norrköping Science Park in this series of four sessions. When insights from these workshops have matured, a series of open webinars, with follow-up tighter/interactive web meetings will be introduced. These webinars and web meetings will be aimed both at my regional/national scene (in Swedish, May and the global (in English, May 9). The open webinars will be as said – open for everyone. The web meetings will be by invitation only, and aimed to reach value in the individual/team cases with direct dialogue and support in the concretes, getting practical and providing solutions for each and everyone in the everydayness.

#FlowDoneSystem 

Still tweaking in ‘private beta mode’, the Flow Done System is in development, and soon ready to be introduced for a wider audience. It will be suggested as a way to ‘Organize Everything’, with some cloud based apps and services used to getting it all together. The main inspirational sources are GTD and Pomodoro Technique, with some remixes and twists. What we deal with is a trinity of three cornerstone to get from Here to Done, In The Flow – The What, The How and The When, together with The Who, The Where and The Why as essential prerequisites. “The What” is manifested through “documents, notes, items and files” at different stages and in changing combinations. “The How” is outlined through a series of to-do-items and issues related to “Projectizing” stuff, with Action Loops. “The When” is a mix of the booked and unbooked, and to find when is the best to do different stuff and in what order – where “Pomodoro Timeboxing” forms an essential part, living together with the calendar. Who are solo or “getting things done together” in ”confluence”, Where is “the place you work best with the stuff at hand”, where last but not least – the motivating Why is what glues all labour of love and meaning together. Finding your “YouFlow”, with the team in “UsFlow”, in harmony with the ”WeFlow”.

#PomodoroMix 

In order to get things done with sharpness and focus, the “timeboxing” technique of Pomodoro is of strong recommendation. In an everydayness surrounded by internal and external possibilities of distractions, it is hard to “keep focused” and being in the flow. Music finds an answer to this for many – and I talk of my own experience. When caffeine effects are no more, I remember getting thru pressing deadlines with pumped up electronic beats of varying kinds, and lacking energy and inspiration some ambient soundscapes can get you in the mood of creativity – depending on what task at hand. With the Pomodoro principles of estimating turns of “pomodoros” – 25 minute working sessions, with five minute breaks in between, repeat four and then take a longer break, and keep records of the todos planned and unplanned, together with distractions to coach yourself to better focus – this is improving both joy, lust and results in the doing. The first demo pomodoro mixes has been presented at http://pomodoromix.es, and essentially as an effect of conversing it over an SMC lunch here in Norrköping of SMC Östergötland at the end of March, a development took place of the concept. First, I recorded some demo stand-alone mixes of 25 minutes each, but the response was that it would be a distraction to have a “ringing bell” after 25 minutes, or doing something actively beyond each pomodoro beyond the actual work – so I decided to mix them together in one flow, with five minute break tunes in between, in a less intrusive way. The result of the standalone vs the mixed together, can now be enjoyed over at http://mixcloud.com/pomodoromixes (four mixes of 25 minutes standalone, supporting a pomodoro set) and http://soundcloud.com/pomodoromixes (mixed together including the breaks of five minutes, with a mix of totally 1 hour and 55 minutes accordingly). Enjoy, andlisten for yourself!

Getting it all together – supporting a societal transformation towards an open world

All this comes from the conclusion of how I can “contribute the best towards a sustainable world” - to support those being there transforming our societies through entrepreneurial activities! And also got a strong motivator when I acted with own sustainopreneurial business activities, hitting the barriers of institutional orders and structural rigidities. We need a world more open for flows to embed, include and welcome sustainopreneurial ventures, and thus my work to observe a world going with natural processes in the ecosystem at large, instead of working “against” them. The “natural state”, I believe, is “flow”, and I am here to enforce such a societal development, with a world open in the end.

[NOTE: Seminars have passed. All postings so far on this curation web have been reposts up to this last post.]
I hope to see and hear you through one or more of the up and coming webinars! As said, the first webinar in Swedish May 8, 8.00-9.00, and every Tuesday morning through May beyond, and in English every Wednesday 17.00-18.00 CEST (8AM PDT / 10AM CDT / 11AM EDT / 4PM BST / 20:30PM IST). Seats are maxed to 100 – first come, first serve. There will be a number of smaller, more interactive, web meetings as well – by invitation only. More details to be found over at http://flowsociety.org/flowsocietyseminars/.

Welcome in th Flow! 

Image credit: Flowsociety.org

So, I have tried to outline some strands of conversations to try to understand “The Flow Society”. I hope by now you have gotten my main point.

I don’t understand it!

I do not have a “coherent theory” firmly rooted in any kind of “sociological meta-theory”, and transformed into a new one. I only believe one thing – this is a process of re-discovery, together, a co-discovery, and finding, just maybe some co-re-discoveries . Core Discoveries!

To get back to basics, to what was, and get it to now. I have introduced my preliminary clues to unfold the rest with. With? Yes, with you.

I ask for your help, the community of conversants that want to follow my Path of Joint Understanding.

Where applied action, and primarily INTER-action is the key - to Act Together.

Results oriented.

Yes, with tangible results, not the least in firm resources all kinds in the other end.

But when it comes to the “theorizing” of ‘The Flow Society’, I will collect all stuff written up until now, revisit, shuffle around and about, to knit a weave of that Raw Material of my SMC posting. To land as I feel now, in a singled out “Manifesto” of some kind – when the time is right, and all ends meet getting to one piece.

Where is the hive of joint understanding for this?

I already know a few spirits, seriously interested into getting this to the next level, so let’s get a critical mass, and pile our pieces of the jigzaw together, and see if we can Connect-the-Dots of what we have, wherever you are.

You are cordially invited to join the thread to make that weave - #TheFlowSociety!

So, that’s that – and, yes, “there is a site for that” – but not an app, at least not yet .

That Community of Writhing-Together-The-Theory will grow elsewhere [EDITOR'S NOTE: This "elsewhere" reference is "here" - this is a republished post], and not here in my SMC article series, anymore. From now, grown through applied action, and the stories retold from that applied action, only empirical material is generated to fuel that theory building.

From Theory to Practice – in Applied (Inter)Action

Ok. “Applied (inter)action”, you wonder?

Well first, before getting into next level of detail for that action – let me get it straight.

I am here to summarize what I already have identified as the strongest potential core in finding the path of survival, living and prospering in this society in profound transition.

In short, grasping the core spirit of the message –

• The authentic YOU in you, which you find.
• The crucial WE which you have and keep.
• The core connections of US, which you form.

And with this, there, these and that gotten together – just getting from here, to done, in flow.

All soundtracked by the beat, the harmony, the rhythm. Your music! Feeding your focus in a world overfilled with clutter, distractions and messy fuzziness – you need a move in serenity.

Let me take that rap from the top. Say it again!

First.

Find your YouFlow

Vision comes from action, action comes from vision. Let them go together. And finally, if you want, you will surely find your life vision, why you are here. And with that, an ignited passion, joy, endurance and patience to just go from vision, to goal – and finally knowing exactly what-to-do, in that Presence of the Now. Meditate and run. And let go, in all the modes in between.

Know your WeFlow

Communites you identify with and you experience platonic love of, when being around. Affinity rules, you know: We are family. And your family has a family, in turn also a part of an even greater family.

The Family of Humanity.

But there are communities of all kinds. Shared interests, the geekiness, the nerdiness, the narrowness of that deep doing of those some-things of you. Your expressions, which you do not care of what impressions you make – play for the play’s sake.

Come Together in your UsFlow

But there are those of strongest proximity. The Family, The Friends, The Teams – wherever they are and however they look! Together, we can make it done.

With that said -

These three Pillars Set, with solid fround, rooted within you and what’s important for and from you, and with who. Begin there, and end there! From birth to death. But, all in between?

Getting from here and now.

With Flow, to done.

Yes, then, you are #FlowDone! And you can get a system for that!

Hereby Introducing – The #FlowDoneSystem

What I’ve found working, are systems and approaches to Get It Out - a practical, hands on supporting system, to structure just in the “right level”, all your Flow of Everydayness.

A supporting structure – not a structure that “takes over” and “own you”, but a system that gives you a true sense of ”liberating you”.

A system and a way to go along, that lifts you, empowers you, fills you with joy and a clear mind. With a core of your spirit as calm as a resting lake in the midst of a chaotic deep forest. In that clearing, looking up, stretching out your arms to embrace the sky – with a perfectly clear view of the sky and the sun.

Life.

And what is good for it.

Translated  into something practical.

In short – what I have found and co-discovered, is a mix/remix/mashup I have baptized in an open brand.

A sustainability innovation to keep your health, enforce your well-being, empower your creativity and set your productivity at the optimum level.

The #FlowDoneSystem.

It helps you out in a naturally formed #FlowWork – either as an employed, running your own #FlowBiz. Alone, or together in that #FlowTeam.

In Confluence. Flowing Together.

I will introduce and present the flow done system, systemagically and with maximum clarity, in a separate article series, which will be introduced and “back-boned” on and through my recently reset and revamped “Personaly Community Hub” - http://andersabrahamsson.org [EDITOR'S NOTE: The #FlowDoneSystem will be covered mainly here on this site, with notifications and summaries on my personal site].

Stay Tuned!

But – you can always begin with reading the introductory summary of the principles, the core elements of the system and approach, the principal #FlowChart, and “What’s Next” in a dedicated article on my blog, here and now!

But I really ask you – when you get that system working, for you, in your own setup, ultimately getting all the big challenges ahead separated into the chunks of the doable, with bursts of delivery:

Can you focus and GET IT DONE – alone or together?

Here it comes, even more specified – you heard me. The conscience question.

Can you REALLY focus in FULL for 25 minutes IN A ROW?

[silence]

I hear you .

Now, truly. And authentically.

I. Am. Here. To. Help.

I have the tools and approaches on a sufficient level already, with that system.

And, so do all who flow with music !

Especially …we – who tell stories with and through music.

We are a strange breed called “Disc-Jockeys”. And that has been a Core Passion for me, this year coming to 30 years in celebration.

On its latest part of the third decade of DJing, the last part of that 29th year, I found – in a Blast of an Epiphany, “Just Like That” – the unification of this Core Passion with me, and one other Core Passion of finding a path towards a Sustainable World, an Open World, a World in Harmony – all systems GO! From Core Passion, to Core Purpose. That “How-of-the-Finding”, with its extended background story, will be told also, in separate Stories of Life. How it was found, and why I so firmly believe in this instant finding and connection of the dots.

Let’s summarize – in your system and life, to prosper and enjoy the moment, naturally, just there:

I have given you my last of this line of open concepts and brands:

The #PomodoroMix!

Feed Your Focus – Soundtrack Your Flow.

Work-a-Music, with 25 minute mixes, four complimentary mixes, working in focus-boosted chunks, separated by five minutes of breaks.

And after four Pomodoro Sessions with Headphones or Speakers, you have completed a Pomodoro Set, where you truly deserve a longer break, a micro-celebration. Maybe 15. Maybe 30. Maybe 60. Or maybe 90. Minutes. Of dance, food, drink, exercise or play with your dearest. Or a night’s rest.

Or, if maybe in a dawn insomnia, getting kicked out of sleep instantly, with no chance to fall back to sleep, maybe just get that stuff out in a very early morning shift, with just you and your pen and white sheet of paper in company – gadget-less. And a piece of beat-less ambience of a soundscape – either from the whispering forest alone, some bird’s sing, the beat of your heart – or with headphones, human-created music of tranquility.

In the fresh air, with only the dark sky above – and that thermos jug of tea to maybe keep you warm. In the flow of life, there is really not any nine to five. It is from now to then.

But the music is there to keep you on track, to energize, to keep up that beat, to maintain and enforce your smile in your labour of love .

OK, enough italics. I think you got my point .

With that, I rest my case. Let’s submit this article.

At the end of the fourth Pomodoro Session of 25 minutes, the full article now got completed, this time soundtracked by two hours of bliss from one of my fav DJs and producers at the moment – I tell you who over at http://andersabrahamsson.org/category/music-and-mixes.

Yes, I love that feeling. To get into the flow, and go from where I were, to the here of done.

FlowWork. FlowBiz. And sometimes, hopefully also some FlowCash in the end for some new loops of Flow.

But overall – a FlowLife!

Vivere In Fluxum.

Image Credit: Bigstockphoto.com

_
This article was originally published as a part of my work in the Social Media Club Editorial Team, March 8, 2012.

”The next revolution – World War III – will be waged inside your head. It will be a guerrilla information war fought, not in the sky or on the streets, not in the forests or even around the scarce resources of the earth, but in newspapers and magazines, on the radio, TV and in  ’cyberspace’.

It will be a dirty, no-holds-barred propaganda war of competing world views and alternative visions of the future.”

Marshall McLuhan, Culture is our Business, 1970

A little more than one year ago, in November 2010, I embarked on a journey to conceptualize “the Flow Society” – that came out from an In-Depth reflection beyond the impressions of all the expressions from one of the biggest Internet- and Web-related events of the year in Sweden. Internetdagarna. The Internet Days, arranged by .SE, our foundation running our cTLD in Sweden. As a part of the formal Blog Crew, I found the most important message to bring about was to echo and relay Marshall McLuhan’s Epical Summary of the “State of the World”, as said back then, 1970.

This still prevails – I saw no reason other than to repeat it. Again.

Yes, we are there. Still. In a world with many fighters there, in the quest to influence your world-view.
And it really is that time of the year, in January 2012. You have State of the Union. You have the Davos gathering of formal leaders of all kinds, trying to grasp the World Economyin a Forum. Beyond the holidays, following the startup of the spring season in the midst of the winter (or in the summer climate if you are in the Southern Hemisphere). Setting Adrift on a Future Memory Bliss, in a Chaordic World, asking themselves and ourselves - what shall we do? Yes, all in all – End of January.

But this year, 2012, I feel is very special.

Very.

Just some days ago, we entered the Year of the Dragon. This year, the Mayan Calendar marks an end of an Eon. But no worries, kids. We WILL have A-Party-Of-The-Year December 22, 2012, turning the tide around the next Winter Solstice, concluding that the Mayan Culture was a bit of lazy only coming to this part of their long-term planning. It is not an end of the world. It was just “ah, let’s make that calendar for the next Eon when THAT time comes”.

Now, listen carefully to my whisper.

I want to speak out to my Community of Readers (whatever you are – Friend, Fan, Follower, or just a Random By-Passer finding this text here and now – and especially wherever you are!), in a “State of The Flow Society”-speaking-format (humility forbids me – of course not with the rhetorical master-power of Obama and all the rest through the years of “State of the Union” speeches…)

I hereby experiment using the same “format” as all the kinda “speeches” containing important messages. But with my own quirky twist that is just … me .

So.

I want to re:visit / re:connect to FDR.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Why?

Well, since I used the “four freedoms of the European Union” to make the first loop of my co-discovery of “The Flow Society” – then nothing can be more natural to take a truly Wider Picture, to let FDR:s original Four Freedoms set in the midst of the WWII inspire and make a structure to the next level of Flow Society conversations, to continue in the spirit of FDR, and continue to work in the Name of the Same Quest for Everlasting Peace.

Yes, Imagine. We’re still working on it.

But – we have to work on it for ourselves. Beginning with ourselves. Be the Change You Want to See in the World.

I begin with myself. Every morning, every minute, every second during the day – in that quest to try to be that change. Sometimes very much on the Path, sometimes just off, with all my imperfections – but with an authentic and honest intention to follow through.

I know, I will get by -

With a little help from my friends. Thank you all ! You out there. I Love You. For Real.

That said -

Here it is. Enjoy!

STATE OF THE FLOW SOCIETY – 2012

Freedom of the Flows – Towards an Open World

In January 6, 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt held a speech where he identified the Four Freedoms – since then they have influenced so many things in our world when it comes to governance, institutions and global order. Freedom of Expression and Belief. And working towards a World, Free from Want and Fear. We still work on it, to say the least.

Today, I want to share my thoughts in relation to the four-folded vision FDR gave us. But in context with the Global Ongoing Peace Engine “The Social Web” and the hope it comes with to restore and revive what was – A World In Flow. Let’s take a short recap with an extremely small set of samples of “our history”.

In the beginning, there was the Big Bang.

Once upon a time, there were hunters and collectors.

My great-grandparents told me there were farmers where we lived.

There was a story about a factory somewhere.

Then we got lost with The Flow, and started to put more trust in The Structures.

What About Now?

The story continues:

Flow of Expressions

So you wanted Freedom of Expression, Franklin?

Well, you still have not got it. Censorship is Censorship is Censorship.

Let me take you back in the time of before. Crea(c)tivity. The spark of creation. First, there was the spark, the idea, and then it was the result.

Yes, as said – The Big Bang. The sun. The solar system. The earth with its magma. The element of fire. And then – the soul and spirit on fire among us. The Fire-Starter.

We had some higher primate of a kind (can we be sure what kind?) who was the first to bring down the sun to the Earth. Or “set the world on fire”. Their world, as they knew it. Up until then we have had a cold cave. But that person, the Fire-Starter, got dragged out from his then warm cave by his or her or hen’s “peers”, who were so afraid, that they put that individual creature in the neighboring cave – Cold As Hell (Eh?). But when discovering the good things with the fire, that other individual was probably already dead, and then they patented the use of Fire. Yes, this short imagination ended with a satirical twist.

Fast Forward – Now.

Tribal leaders gone wrong, are everywhere.

But let me say one thing before I take this passage onwards. My readings and interpretations on The Flow Society, are intended to get “what is”, not “what should be” or “what is good” or “what is bad” or “what is right” or “what is wrong”. For this speech, I leave this attitude and approach totally aside. I say, totally.

So this is to be viewed as an Absolute Rant towards all enemies of the Open Society and World, regardless if they live in a corporate hallroom or act through the Politburo. The Five Year Plan is dead. Do you hear me? The FIVE YEAR PLAN IS DEAD. But you can have 250-year intentions, but planning to the detail as before? Never happen. Never happened. In fact, deviations were always there. The disruption, from the Fire-Starters. And natural events, turning things upside down.

No, you cannot control information out there “in the society” in a channelized manner like before. The Arab Spring was just the beginning. Soon there will be Spring everywhere. The Global Spring.

So, let’s put on the t-shirt and go out and enjoy the warmth!

I ask: Who Owns The Sun? The Water? The Wind? The Earth?

I state: Do not let something as trivial as entertainment, industrialized for the masses, violate such absolutely basics as the freedom and right to express yourself.

Flow of Ideas

So you wanted Freedom of Belief, Franklin, and let all worship God in their own way, wherever?

Well, the Abrahamic Religions have, and very much, still, cut the roots of their origin with the core message of Mutual Compassion, and present unnecesary blood spills all over the streets and squares, regardless of it being Belfast, Lower Manhattan or the Gaza Strip. The ones who claim “deity is none but your self, universe, E=MC[squared], and what science can tell us”, in some kind of extreme denial of alternative and possible realities (some might call them Hardcore Atheists) some times have a very hard time listening. And especially, keep a door open to maybe the theoretical possibility to some alternative universes theoretical physicists play around with. And in the midst of the Flows in the I and C part of the new economies in the BRICS acronym – what do we have there? India and China? The Prana, The Ki and The Chi concepts in the majority of the western interpretations cannot pass neither the Aristotelian nor the Platonic lenses. Brazil, Russia, India, China, Southern Africa, with an everso increasing counterpart to the growth religion of GDP set by Economists.

And yes, hm – what do we say about Africa? What do we KNOW about the plethora of belief systems still prevailing in Sub-Saharan Africa at large? Go educate yourself. Google around and dive into Wikipedia. Enlighten yourself.

In summary:

Stop.

Listen.

Be tolerant!

What if we all are a dream of the dolphin, and the only way out is to talk to the dolphins to get the worm hole through with we can talk with God her/him/henself? What if God “are” just vibrations of the Subatomic Quantum Field we actually do still sense when we need it? What if all stuff is just echoes of the Big Bang, not just found in the White Noise from your TV with no specified signal, and we are all a divine/profanic creation made to understand the meaning of itself?

Stop.

Again.

Now:

Philosophy and Religion Aside.

The times they are a-changing. So are our global flow of communication.

Cutting the threads of our Global Nervous System “the social web” – or crippling it in one way or another, would delay the movement towards peace, with the strongest hope for it ever seen – The Social Web. Dialogue replacing Debate. The Art and Science of Thinking Together. What do we really need, and need only?

Love.

I ask: Above us, is there only Sky? Below us, is there only Earth?

I state: C-O-E-X-I-S-T (echo, delay, repeat, loop, until – “with peace”!)

Flow of Opportunities

So you wanted a world Free of Wants, Franklin?

Yay!

Here, Hans Rosling for the stats made easily digested, and Muhammad Yunus for his conglomerate of “all things micro empowered” in his Grameen Conglomerate, just to mention two Innovators for sustainability. All together, them and them only, with their peers and teams surrounding them, can prove that “The World” is moving in the “Right Direction”. The year of the “Dragon” in all respect, but the “Tiger” Economies in the Far East have shown that “transformation”, where basic needs can be reached with greater and greater progress can move faster than e. g. my own country Sweden back in the time when struck with famine some century ago. And I say “transformed”, not, under-developed, not over-developed, and especially not “developed”! Who wants to live in “developed”? MY want is to live in a developing world wherever. So, God/Universe/Whatever forbid – The Third World?

Hey!

There is only one world! The sixties are fifty years ago. We have seen the concept of “leapfrog development” in reality over and over again, repeated, region after region, country after country, city after city, village after village.

What is left upon us is to constantly apply the creativity, and let all who have it – that is, everyone, especially kids with their unrestrained playfullness – get tools, prerequisites, approaches and environments supporting it.

Last year I launched the vision of #OPPP - One Pad Per Person.

Let that vision proliferate this year, and maybe be the best platform for “leapfrog innovation on steroids all categories” for all people, everywhere. And with that, bridging divides in all dimensions, involve all who are in want and need, include the excluded and truly have a “participative world” . A world where the vision of Steve Jobs, In memoriam, dreamed up centuries ago – get realized through $25 open source-powered app engines with joyful touch screens empowering everyone, everyone.

I ask: What can we do with stuff around us, together with people we trust?

I state: When your own understanding of what is truly possible gets to “unlimited”, and beyond that moves with you with an immovable conviction – Let your Vision and Deeds turn into Great Businesses in the Quest for Sustainability!

Everywhere.

In short!

Businesses with a Cause!

Flow of Peace

So you wanted a world Free of Fear, Franklin?

A dismantled world?

[---meditate and breathe here, Dearly Beloved Reader - in the spirit of "begin with your self", yes: Close your eyes. Ask yourself one question: Do you have inner peace?]

Then, put on “War” with Edwin Starr on the highest volume, and re-read your Gandhi, MLK and Lennon to get some energy for next action, in your everydayness of getting things done. And in that quest at the same time turning the mindsets of those who choose violence before mutual respect, love and reason.

And smile. Peace, begins with that, according to Mother Theresa.

Inner and outer smile alike.

Best to be equipped with both, as you walk down the street when your meet your fellow stranger.

Then, work with yourself, every day, to keep the dark side away, and fill your self with hope.

We can do it, if we really want.

(And: A nice soundtrack in your everydayness is not bad, that either . Dance is a very peace-triggering ritual when done in crowds!)

I ask: What do we want?

I state: PEACE, FFS! (Say it again

The Punch Line: Keep the Flow – in Harmony

When you find yourself on the right path, and that is your authentic path, in harmony with your perceived destiny, continue to JFDI – Just The F**k Do It.

And along the way – it all begins with us, and ends with us.

That, for sure, I can state with even greater conviction than all the above.

I hope you disagree, so that we can start with a learning exchange . Otherwise, the world would be boring .

Keep on, with joy, persistance and endurance.

Thank you for listening to what I had on my mind, in my heart and spirit and what is felt everyday in my body.

In short, what keeps me going!

I finally ask: What Keeps You Going?

I state: Only you know. Wanna tell me ?

–

So – that was what I would call a speech where I have stated what I feel is the State of The Flow Society, 2012. Just scratching the surface. But with keys to unfold the future openings for flows, beyond.

Now Let’s Get Into Action!

Now, a practical end-note, with three Next/Action-oriented bullets:

Firstly – there is a clash of tags. The conversation related to The Flow Society will from-here-and-on be tagged #TheFlowSociety. There is a syntax clash here, you see. ‘#FlowSociety’ doubles as a prolific brand within the sports of Lacrosse. A sports with much Flow me see, so we need to separate so we do not confuse the backflow . The hub of conversation and understanding is at http://flowsociety.org – go check, in the not-even-Alpha of 0.08. February project in focus. Yes!

Second - what was just flagged as a very juvenile and lean startup last time of my posting in the end of December, 2011, now lives on, still in quite much silence, but strong among its first adopters – in their headphones! Soundtracking your Flow – Feeding your Focus. What? The #PomodoroMix. Yes - http://pomodoromix.es. Work-a-Music! Follow, Like, Let It Prosper! For your own sake . Get Into The Groove! And Express Your Self!

(A crucial note – it doubles as a Practical Project I use in order to generate Empirical Material through ethnographical story-telling to learn more about “the Flow Society” in the abstract sense. It’s all about music – but in context to help out the #FlowWorker through the day – wherever he/she/hse/esh/that flows around! Streamed in all its beauty . The First Official #PomodoroMix Four Mix Set supporting 4 times 25 minutes of total focus to get things done is out! To provide an example. Go check!)

Thirdly - I really must say, LAST but not LEAST. In a series of insight breakthroughs, sweaty due diligence, some heavy lifting of experiences alone and together with others, I’ve come to the point I can now go beyond my own lab to a more systema-g-ic introduction of my OWN remix done – yes a third and last open brand project of 2012, introducing a new concept - #FlowDone!

It is a very practical and hands on approach, where, maybe, coming to here …

You Ask:

“OK – So how Do I Survive, Live and Prosper in the Flow Society?”

My Answer Is: Through #FlowDoneSystem - getting from here, to done. Alone, and Together.

Did I say #FlowDone? Then, ‘Nuff said.

–

From an extensive background with all my postings from 2010-2011, with a crescendo of an Epimagic Posting ending the Year 2011, going into 2012 with a New Annual Synopsis and Abstract of what to come.

Enough with theory and essays.

Now, I will get very much more hands on and co-discover a practical handbook for you, guidance all over – one post at a time.

As easily digested and accessible as a couple of Talking Cats on YouTube.

End of story, to a New Beginning.

, <3, ?>!, [ : ], |:)(:|
(or Peace, Love, Understanding, Unity and Respect in Full Text ,

Anders

… In Fluxum

(lat. ‘In The Flow’)

–
Image Credits:

Prelude (Andante):

Pow!

There it goes.

Well, almost – I mean –

2011.

And – Wow!

What a year.

Let’s make 2012 even better.

Like that. Pow-wow.

It has come to the time

Beyond the approx. 13.7 billion years BBB (Beyond Big Bang)

To look back on the last twelve lunar orbits in 2011

To see what can be the first input

To the next earthly orbit 2012

Pow-Wow!

Let the party begin!

Yes. Ok, so with that Prelude, I have thus attempted to invoke the spirit of a POW-WOW ! The Gathering of the Elders. Let’s smoke Peace Pipe, will we ? Sit Back, Relax, Breathe, Enjoy.

But.

Before reading further: This article is soundtracked. On demand. The tunage chosen will get explained in a separate article in due time, that will serve as a crucial footnote to this one, in time.

The vids chosen carries first degree relevance to the Core Message, you see. Just sayin’ .

Let’s Groove!

Pulling The Bullets From 2011, Shooting in the Light of 2012 – “What’s Next”?

Through the course of time, exactly one year ago up until now (as one of the original members of the Social Media Club Editorial Team) I have delivered essay-isque contributions in the number of 11, this making it number 12.

(Sidenote: The only monthly, from December 2010 and onwards, I did not deliver was the October 2011 that I missed since the Local and National SMC Processes swallowed it – more on that later…)

The publishing route have been dominated by two main themes / core concepts / ideas- #FlowSociety and #Digipart.

And in between – some independent single issues, but still very inter-related musings in the vibrating field in between these complimentary concepts, such as Community, Social Business, and introducing the vision of #OPPP – One Pad Per Person.

When diving in that systematic Ride of the Wave of trying to comprehend the ‘meaning’ of the first tag - #FlowSociety – departing from the intuitive-sounding one-liner “From Structure Society to Flow Society”, little did I know that it would end up in an initiative that will be introduced through today’s posting – a place fostering collaborative understanding of the very same concept.

I began the year with another ‘systemagic’ series of postings in the name of the second tag - #DigiPart – the collective Ephos delivered with as much Ethos, Pathos and Logos as possible, following the outcried Call for Action – for “Global Digital Participation”.

With an intermediate conclusion: Global Digital Participation is An Absolute Prerequisite For a Fully Inclusive Flow Society.

Yes, In retrospect, I now see the reverse order, making sense, with the last put first, and first put last.

For a full-blown Flow Society to absolutely emerge, we need to have full inclusion and participation, all dimensions, analogue of course to begin with.

But not to say the least, digital! It’s all a matter of common sense (together with sensibility and spirituality?) – getting Back to Basics, in fact.

The Flow Society has almost always been (t)here more or less.

We just need to rediscover it.

The Skewed Trichotomy of Money, Products and Services – And What’s In It For The Peoples?

When I embarked on the Path of Excess of embracing the Flow Society Write-Ups, I began with a metaphor related to “communication” – comparing the Old and New Media Landscape with water: ”Channeling the Communication” (and thus, to the greater part in vane, in attempt, by man, to try to control) vs “the Hydrosphere” – meaning, the Total Communication Flow (almost uncontrollable and mostly self-organized.)

Pantha Rei – You Cannot Step Into the Same River Twice.

I had an original idea to divide sub-themes beyond the introduction, one article a piece, following the outline inspired by the Four Freedoms of the European Union – the “free move of people, capital, goods and services”.

That attempt to conceptualize next level took a halt beyond that “People” theme – Which introduced The Flow Workers and #FlowWorking as concepts ready to embrace a phenomenon already established, to enforce it – where ‘The Office’ is a ”Mind, Emotion and Spirit Set”, physically wherever, not a ”Place To Be.”. Keep Flowing, Wherever Best, or Good Enough.

I landed in a temporary conclusion summarized by the feeling that an ‘economy’ focusing value-creation will see the line of concepts Money, Goods/Products, Services – and Experiences, Events, On, and On, and On – blur and eventually in the end vaporize into “All Things Trade and Transfer”. Thus, rather talking about #FlowTrade to capture it all, and be more specific and granular in the details according to context and situation. Once again – emphasizing TEMPORARY conclusion, where I especially feel a need to clarify further and beyond in relation of the ”Trade”, where the trend moves towards more immaterial than material.

As said, in a “froze-dried wisdom” I recycle: A conclusion is a place where you stop to think.

Fair enough if you act upon it, but landing in a fixed conclusion and neither think along and beyond, nor making and doing something and about the ideas – doing good, doing great – will just make   evolution stop. Yours and all peers, and ultimately the humanity.

Continue to create value, in focus, not success.

In short: Keep up the Flow!

Interlude (Adagio): The Flow of Ideas – A Humble Throughput And Creditation For My First Year of #SMCEdTeam

Behold! The Multi-Billion Eye of the People of Breathing Gaia! We respond! We hear! We see! We feel! We Are Family! There is that Buena Vista Social Club, There is that Dance Hall Club, there is that Club of Clubs, Ace of Aces, Heart of Hearts, shuffeling the Deck of Cards.

And there is a Club, Socially Mediated. I thank all living and formerly living mediums bringing me the mesages! Yay! To be con’t. Standing on the Shoulders of The Giant Called the Global Community.

Poetry In Motion.

Never miss a beat, a chord, a riff, a tune, a tunage. Silence Must Be Heard. So you can attract the Enigmatic, Epic, Magic – and transcend them into Doable, Understandable, Explainable and Amazeable Concepts.

DANCE!

(…with THAT Poetry Slam – Wham Bam Thank U Ma’am, saying:
Thank YOU Social Media Club – and the Editorial Team, extended – for a First Year!)

The Distraction, Disturbance, Distortion, Disruption and Destruction of ‘The Flows’ – or “Sex, Lies and Videotapes”?

Now, a semi-analytical Rant about all those who try to stop the Rave.

I will not spend much words, energy and attention on this one, it will only feed the Dark Side of the Force too much.

But there are those out there, by description being heard ”as grumbles from the future graves of the Structure Society”. I do not put any value-statement to it here in this article in order not to loose my main points of my curation and summary of 2011, but if you think the 2-page .DOC “SOPA for Dummies” (Google It) tells a story that there are “Idiots” in the “Governance”, just spread the word for a Good Dialogue (and maybe identifying the 2011 versions of the Enemies of the Open Society, to echo Karl Popper).

I just say: The Video/Music Illustrations – hereafter tagged the #ArticleSoundtrack – tells a parallell story “if you get it”, brother/sister Detective ! They hold some clues I will be explicit with onwards – e. g. in relation to the topic of Creativity, and its consequences for Culture and Development as a whole – and that on my own blog.

Applied Initiative #1 – 2012 – Ideas: Fostering a Collaborative Understanding of The Flow Society – #WIIFM / #WIIFU / #WIIFW? – Introducing flowsociety.org

OK, so we had some articles pushed through my part of the collaborative “Edit Flow” and the “Editorial Calendar” of #SMCEdTeam of the Year, we got that all ready. ‘Nuff said. Let’s talk business. Or rather, let’s talk community!

Next step is to collate all my #SMCEdTeam articles, from all the year, curate the core content, and create a CC-BY-SA licensed new format of publication I have had in the lab for some years. Now ready to fly, with the format, content and message in Harmony.

The ‘eBooklet’ in the core, in virtual format as well as physical, easily transformed for transfer in various contexts analogue and digital, with various purposes, functions and uses. Introducing: An Idea Worth Spreading. First step, first incarnation, is the Blog-to-Page Engine now findable on http://flowsociety.org – aptly named ”Understanding Flow Society”.

#WIIFM – “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME”? Profound Understanding for a World in Change, fostering something that can be easily Explained and Understood. For all. But it takes the complex round to land in the simple said-and-done / doing-it-all-the-time-and-everywhere,methinks. Thus, my call for help. With a little help from my friends, named and not yet named.

We need to think, act and compare together. So – the “we” is the thing in it for “me”. Community First!

Let’s TALK business!

#WIIFU – “WHAT’S IN IT FOR US”? Now I stretch out to our “US” – the Team I already Know and Trust. My direct first-degree relations, the Strong and Weak Ties and Connections out there. Do you hear my calling? Are you in one of my Circles of Trust? The Web in the Loop aims in the ultimate end, to make an on-topic oriented version, capturing the spirit and main principles of both Wikimedia Foundation, Wikipedia, Wikiversity, Wiktionary – beginning with a Wikibook… that eBooklet compiled together to begin with as a conversation/community building platform .

Not-for-profit-purpose. For-prosperity. But still.

Let’s DO business!

#WIIFW – “WHAT’S IN IT FOR WE”? Peace! Intended. Or shall I say PEACE, Goddammit! Inner, and Outer. People understanding the Serenity Prayer, regardless of Belief System – Atheists as well – heavily included in a C-O-E-X-I-S-T think-and-act. For the Inner Peace, that is. Where I think it begins – to reach ”Outer Peace”.

Let’s HAVE this business – for CHANGE!

I will return-on-topic here in my first 2012 January #SMCEdTeam contribution. Just sayin’.

Serenity Calling – the Serenity Prayer Remixed

God?

Allah?

With Messages Delivered by Moses, Jesus or Muhammed?

Massau?

The Message of Buddha?

Whoever of the Trinity – Brahma? Vishnu? Shiva?

The Message of Tao as delivered by Lao Tzu?

The Message of Confucius?

The Positive Powers?

The Spiritual World?

My Mental Powers?

The Force?

My Family, My Friends, My Closest, My Dearest?

The Universal Force of Love?

Mass/Energy in an Optimal Combination?

The Life Support Systems All Dimensions?

Yes, Something? Someone? Some? Any?

[Now – the wikification – add your own Symbol here]

Do You Hear My Calling?

I just ask -

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

On a last note here in this context, just saying – I will truly give digipart.org a push-the-button 2012 thru, via the for-the-moment locally oriented socweb.info as a leveraging factor – core sub-projects to the main project of collective intelligence-creation of the Flow Society.

But – now to the untalkable, un-say-able, by experience-only insight creating Practical Project to truly learn and understand The Flow Society via first-hand experiences!

A last word before the Party Like It’s 2012-12-22 can begin!

Applied Initiative #2 – 2012: Dancing in the Breaks – or When-EVER! NYE, OH YEAH! – Introducing pomodoromix.es

In Fact. De Facto. I have a conviction that you truly cannot understand whatever phenomenon beyond the first hand and degree experience, and then reflect around it after deep immersion beyond warm, passionate embracing turned into applied action.

Do you learn to swim via an encyclopedia? How do you “survive in the Flow”?

Begin by trust ‘it’ – and yourself, ourselves and your fellow man. Yes.

I will give you a present in this spirit, to begin with – an Open Brand [ob]

(Trademarked by its saying and meaning, but Open to Use with the Best Intentions in its Brand Spirit  – and not Sue or Abuse .

I have baptized the meme:

The Pomodoro Mix [tm/ob]

With claimed Virtual Destinations in sample so far:

#pomodoromix – @pomodoromix – @pomodoromixes – http://pomodoromix.es –http://pomodoromix.org

Remember where you heard it first. Here and now.

I will use this case (built with the same Wiki/Open Source Spirit as everything else I do and imagine, and envision – as in the ”Flow Society Understanding Hub” just mentioned – will you help me co-create a Foundation of it ? – as a first hand learning experience to write up contributions onwards to the Flow Society, by every step from launch and massive value created for all stakeholders, present and future. Emerging from a co-creation, the co-understanding.

Now, The Pomodoro Mix [tm] Escalator Pitch – (Re)Tweetable:

”Work-a-Music. Soundtrack Your Flow – Feed Your Focus. 25 minutes a mix, 2 hours a set! Introducing: The #pomodoromix – http://pomodoromix.es”

Answer to the Mockery:

“Can you REALLY Focus and Concentrate for 25 minutes a burst? O-R-L-Y? I mean – OH? REALLY?”

I say “Yes”, when you say “Yeah, Right”.

The rest is Pure Music – since Music is the Answer.

Thus, unspeakable. Behold and Enjoy, - Ye Trustful!

Finale (Prestissimo – Crescendo):

To an end for a new beginning!

— FFWD >>

Yes!

As Fast As Possible, But Not Faster!

Because.

You need to Stride In Peace .

You need to Keep The Love <3.

You need to Strive For Understanding (?!).

You need to Foster One Unity [ : ].

You need to Show Mutual Respect |:)(:|.

Yes, In the Name of Love: All You Need Is Love.

One Love.

Where the Experience of Survival is the Gravity of Love.

Recycled, Repeat.

OK. Got it.

Now what?

For Auld Lang Syne, My Dear?

No. I want to give you a Bridge over to 2012 as a Finale.

Cry, Baby, Cry.

Dance, Dude, Dance.

Laugh, Gal, Laugh.

Live, Human, Live.

Love, Creatures, Love.

Like no one sees you

But your true self, mirrored, and the powers for the good of your choosing.

See you at the other side. Of NYE, that is . Have a blast! Happy New Year!

Pax Universalis – Vivere In Fluxum!

(Universal Peace – A Life In the Flow!)

Take care!

Peace,

Anders Abrahamsson

a k a @sliceonline / DJ Anders / and now, resurrected: “Papa Abbie”

–

This article was originally published as a part of my work in Social Media Club Editorial Team, December 28, 2011.

In a couple of entries, I have delivered some essays in attempt to conceptualize and understand a societal change summarized in a one liner - “from structure society to flow society”. Beyond an introduction, the conversation was taken to the next level by dividing it into sub-themes in the following article. It was guided by the European Union pillars of the “four freedoms” – the inner market freedom of movement of people, goods, services and capital.

Flow Working…

The first article going deeper into subject was focusing people – and especially “the working man” in the flow society, introducing the concept of “flow worker” – and “flow working”. Geographically independent free agent equipped with a laptop and a latte near you!

… and now Flow Trade

So – going on, we have the people making a living, the empowered flow worker, yes. But we also have the means of making a living in the society – what we make (money) by what we trade (goods and services). It was a tempting thought to structure focus on subsequent articles by dividing the subject in three articles more, with a bias in focus, respectively, of flowing of goods, then flowing of services and ending the first round of conceptualizing the Flow Society with the (new) flows of capital. But when giving it another round of thought, I came to the conclusion that I could not separate the reasoning from the one relative to the other.

In the end, it’s all about trade. The win-win of the exchange where I have something you don’t, and vice versa. Enters some articles dealing with one sub-concept – #FlowTrade! The core of an Economy and Society in Flow.

The Summer of 1994 – Tributing Symbols of Independence

One central aspect of moving from a structure society to a flow society, is the increased influence of the individual versus other forces of power in society – moving towards the “ideal democracy”, where everyone is empowered with the means to take control of your own chosen destiny. The Americans would say a life liberated to engage “in the pursuit of happiness”.

Back in 1994 I spent a summer in the US as an intern of a big corporation (no name mentioned, that’s not the point), and I realized working in that Big Organization was not my deal. In fact, it even got physical with me, experiencing stress symptoms that never went away until the internship had ended. During that period of life, crucial in my life-shaping experience shifting towards a life devoted to entrepreneurship for sustainability, my host family and I took a tour to nearby Philadelphia (they lived in Mount Laurel, NJ), and when I took that guided tour through the Independence Hall I felt a strong spirit present. That humble little City Hall – far from Ego-Boosting Palaces built by dictators in tribute to themselves – was a symbol of the self-empowered, self-governed individual.

Later that summer, I went from the East Coast to the West Coast, where I spent a week in Silicon Valley. Renting a mountain-bike on the Stanford Campus Bike Store, I discovered the surroundings of that Renaissance-spirited entrepreneurial hive on the two wheels. I decided to take on some hills and valleys of sweat to get just a little bit outside and reach the PARC – Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. The same feeling struck me there, as in Philly. Here we saw another humble building hosting great ideas, thoughts and spirits. An idea and vision of the computer, made personal – and understandable for the layman. PARC was the innovative hub to get us e. g. the GUI and the computer windows system, later on commercialized and put in the hands of the people by Steve Jobs and beyond that Bill Gates. Bye Bye C:\ Prompter! Welcome the Truly Personal Computer! The common denominator – independence and individual empowerment. And, yes, I connect that with the feeling I had working in that organization, making it all so clear – the connection of independence, autonomy and well-being!

Decentralization and Distribution of Power

The trend follows on. Power gets decentralized, and distributed. Systems move from Mainframes and Big Grid, to small and self-governed – but still connected. Think of all modes of production in the modern mediated society. What used to take hallways of  technological equipment, now make room in your pocket. Being a live video broadcaster, music producer or print publisher needs no annual-salary-level of basic investments. We see a similar trend in the field of energy production and distribution – a local power source from e. g. solar instead of centrally delivered power.

This also has paved the way for a new wave of entrepreneurship – you can in very cost-efficient means get your product and word out to leverage your innovative startup with a fraction of the cost needed compared to earlier decades. Truly disruptive and contributing the structural change, and opening up for flows of participation not seen before.

Redirections of Flows of Cash – Transaction and Investment Innovations

This decentralization and distribution of power also has made an influence in the monetary and financial systems, so I will end with some few notes on innovations in this sector, related to one of the “freedoms” – capital. In my next article in my #FlowSociety series I will deliver some thoughts further related to #FlowTrade with “goods and services” theme – all in all taking the details to trace and capture the whole.

Mobile payment. The greatest illustrator of individual empowerment maybe is the trend of “banking the unbankable” through the mobile device as a transactional hub. With systems like M-PESA in Kenya, with virtual cash topped up protected by a pin-code on your mobile, or iZettle, the credit card swipe now made possible through an extension of your iPhone, a new breed of traders has been made possible. The street musician now can accept credit card donations instead of cash!

Microfinance. The social web has also empowered the financial structures – peer to peer lending from a cash-have to a cash-need, where e. g. Kiva.org has set the global microfinance movement on steroids. See the contribution Kiva has made in the ever-so increasing support of micro-entrepreneurs everywhere via this visualization! A better illustration of the boundary-less and distance-neutral flow of power globally is almost not possible.

Crowdfunding. Another example of great development where an earlier exclusion of people now has been replaced with inclusion is the crowdfunding movement – getting access to investment and finance without deeper connections in the formal financial corridors in the system. Pioneered by Fundable.org (now history) in 2004, and later on set on speed in the social media-empowered age, with startups like KickStarter and IndieGoGo in the US 2009, together with e. g. SponsUMe in the UK and FundedByMe in Sweden, people now can stretch out their hands to their social peers and beyond, to exchange benefits at different levels to finance your creative project or business startup.

Global Digital Participation and the One Pad Per Person Vision

With all these mechanisms lowering barrier of entry to influence, we have a couple of the most proponent driving forces in the societal transformation – from a state where controlled and controlling structures are loosing in significance, and open self-organized flows of direct, human, peer to peer interaction increases in power. Not to say the least, the whole movement associated with the ”Arabic Spring”.

Aakash, the $35 Indian Android Tablet.

Thus, it is of increasing importance to involve, include and let as many as possible take part of this profound transformation – and thus my passionate engagement for Global DigitalParticipation. In practice, translated to what I introduced as the vision for a means of web access for everyone, the #OPPP vision – One Pad Per Person. In this context, we can conclude that this vision was shown to be more closer than we thought – given the fact that a $35 android-powered tablet has been introduced in India, a development that will enforce that our coming generations will regard static print media as “pads being broken” .

A final word in relation to that video clip of a natural born digital native, the deserved mention in it: Thanks to Steve Jobs for your life’s work, being a key player into getting us to where we are now – defining our new realities – our ”system of operation”. Keep up the flow, wherever you are, Steve!

[image credits:
http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-458562896
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UbiSlate7.jpg]

–

This article was first published as a part of my work in the Social Media Club Editorial Team, November 23, 2011.

The author Anders Abrahamsson – In the Flow
(in between writing Part Four and Part Five of this article)

You are going to get notes on the where and when in this write-up on the Flow Society. The process is the point. The talking is the walk. That’s why.

You’ve seen the two first steps of capturing the conversation themes in this article series on the #FlowSociety.

The first article, a general intro, that mentioned the societal flow of communication as to have a first clue – using the “hydrosphere metaphor”. It also outlined how the articles will come out and about, method-wise. The reflection process before and behind the words – “enactive research”.

And the next article beyond that, taking and breaking the #FlowSociety theme up into four prospective sub-themes, outlined through the help of one entry level – the ”Four Freedoms of the European Union” - the free move of people, goods, services, capital.

You guessed it – I will now take a focus on each and every one for the coming four, in separate articles pushed through in my #SMCEdTeam monthlies.

The times they are a’changing, and the answer is blowing in the wind. Or floating in the water . Ok, let’s cut to the chase.

Part One – on the #troffice in between Linköping and Norrköping – “Here comes the Flow Workers!”

[Earthlog 1230ish CEST, September 22]

- Situation – flow of events: I just checked out from a WordPress 101 class coming to its hands-on last loop to transform and empower long-term unemployed in the general deeds captured bySocial Web Guide / Digital Participation national campaigning, heading back from Linköping to Norrköping.

- Spiritual – flow of energy: Deadline on this article keeps my focus boosted while sitting on a train with a computational machinery on top of my lap.

In my last article, when mentioning The Flow of People in that dedicated section, I took a bias towards the view of “People” as the Flow of Workforce. Of course, we the people have always been so much more than that, but since work is such a central part of our means to keep ourselves alive, living and prospering at all dimensions – not to say the least existentially – I tend to find exactly that #FlowWorking is one of the most tangible and strongly experienced part of what the #FlowSociety can and will take us. I try to merge all the granular details of a society in transformation in all-so many levels, and paint a picture of a whole, with the changing face of “work” as something really profound happening in our contemporary world.

Part Two – in the #soffice at Casa Abrahamsson Johansson – “It’s not so much about ‘the where’ anymore”

[Earthlog 23ish CEST, September 22]

- Situation – flow of events: I got home from being a part of the arranging team of #TEDxNorrköping, where I was twit-jockying myself through the Magic/Epic Première of the event taken to my locality, themed ‘Motivation and Creativity’, taking place in Louis De Geer Concert and Congress conference facilities.

- Spiritual – flow of energy: Fighting a #TEDx post-delivery tiredness beyond the awesomeness, mixed with satisfied harmony beyond delivery, giving me the high spirit that comes from of a successful event – now getting some few lines more, sitting in my living room sofa, before crashing in my bed.

Here in Sweden, a couple of years ago, one of the brothers Härén, Teo, was publishing a book/launching the term “here-working” (‘härarbeta’), as being “work where you work your best”. Pointing at all devices and circumstances liberating us from a fixed geography called the “office”. This reality is here for more and more people. But I feel, with the flow of work in itself in society, I think it is of lesser degree of importance to put focus on the “where” of work. You can work with your laptop wherever nowadays - so what? That’s becoming more and more commonplace now. What I’ve experience is that the whole ”finding, agreeing, delivering and evaluating” process of work and collaboration with teams and clients, with and on the social web, has made work more “self-organized”, and “easier synchronized” with online collaboration tools. And not to speak of the importance the web has in itself while socializing and finding your prospect turning into a deal – by just being there, in the web of flows, creating an arena and space for you to be struck with the powers of serendipity (‘meaningful discoveries’) and synchronicity (‘meaningful coincidences’).

Part Three – in the #troffice again in between Norrköping and Nässjö – “Getting supportive structures for ‘Creatives’ everywhere”

[Earthlog 0645ish CEST, September 23]

- Situation – flow of events: Up early, early, to catch the first regional morning train southward bound to get my daugther to Norrköping from Växjö for the weekend.

- Spiritual – flow of energy: With a clear intention to finish the first editable draft of this article before this trip is over, putting my power to the last paragraphs of write-up. Very tired. Deep need of coffice, had no energy to get up in time to make my own presso at home at 5 am, so that have to wait until Nässjö when changing trains.

Many of the categories of the doings of these freelancing “free agents” are related to knowledge/skill intense service deliveries demanding a bunch of creativity in the delivery. “The Creative Class”. So, when it comes to attract these forces in the respective locality, it is of importance to have a supportive (infra)structure. There is more and more common to set up “Hub Working” offices where you use it  part-time, and pay accordingly. But – any café with enough power sockets, free Wifi, not too noisy, and a hospitable, warm community of people surrounding you, is enough!

To find these spots suitable for the #FlowWorking, weather being a #coffice (Café Office), #loffice (Library Office) or why not try a #goffice or #poffice (Garden / Park Office) , you need help to find them and get recommendations. I have sneaked out, and carefully begun to review these spots systematically on different platforms. Foursquare is one, and to come is also the swedish review site Reco.se and the app WorkSnug (an augmented reality application where you get reviews by pointing your mobile camera direct at the urban landscape and you get a layer of information about places suitable to work for the mobile tribe of flow-workers).

But, it’s not only the places of work that has become flexible – it’s with whom you work with and for, and the hours you choose to work. Depending on the project at hand, different missions demand different skills. So, before, in the #StructureSociety, you worked with the same people, over and over, in a fixed organization – and, especially, in a fixed way of organizing as well. Routines, often stifling innovation and creativity. Nowadays, you can put together a temporary constellation – often with the power of the net as well to find the skills needed. With the “nine to five” there no more. Night Owls and Morning Birds are both welcome – the importance is to deliver at deadline, not when at day (or night) you choose to place your energy in order to deliver. Not just work where you work the best, but when and with whom.

Part Four – a new #troffice from Nässjö to Alvesta – “Find your #YouFlow, then your #HowFlow to get by in your #NowFlow with a #WeFlow”

[Earthlog 830ish CEST, September 23]

- Situation – flow of events: Got that Cappuchino in Nässjö Station – #TGFC (Thank God For Coffee) ! Last half of the other train leg got drowned in a Power Nap. With this new train, coming to my last leg on my trip to Växjö.

- Spiritual – flow of energy: Adding a recorded DJ set from my gig at Augustifesten earlier this summer in my headphones (filled with progressive classics – right now a cool cover of Jaguar, the Underground Resistance classic – WOW! Goosebumps!), I get the musical counterpart to “flow” in my headphones, together with the Cappuchino now pushing me to the landing of the article – for sure! Yay!

In my summary/synopsis/abstract of potential big strands on conversation to grasp the Flow Society Concept with in my last article, I raised a flag of warning that there is a risk of an increased gap with those ”In the flow” and those ”Off the streams”. Both physical with access to the “cloud” in itself (still the dominating situation in the “developing economies”), and with a mismatch in skills, attitudes, values and experiences set to “get there”, a big gap to close for many before embracing the new logic of getting by to make the new ends meet. And that is not only on an individual level, it is also the organizations not finding new modes of working, to adjust accordingly.

Now, I would like to raise another warning as well. With this new attitude of doing stuff wherever/whenever, it is possible to drown yourself in new gigs and deliveries, with the abundance of possibilites arising when you really “get there”.

Firstly, you are your own boss – and there is an ever increasing threat to your “focus”. You really need to find your “inner flow” - what you are, what you stand for, where you want to go, what change you want to make in your everydayness. What is and will be your legacy? Beyond some deep meditation rounds and finding that inner voice, you begin with identifying your inner flow. This is a topic all too important just to mention in a paragraph like this. I will blog more extensively on this point of the “existensial dimension of ‘being’ in the #FlowSociety” – I call it finding your ‘YouFlow’ – in my own blog http://andersabrahamsson.org.

Secondly, with your ‘YouFlow’, you need to find your ‘NowFlow’ and ‘HowFlow’ as well – using supportive tools (Gotta <3 Evernote, I say it again!) and approaches (for me, an own remix of GTD, mostly “natural” with the “structural” of it in Evernote and the delivery through Pomodoro Focus Boosting), to leverage your power and potential. And that is for your singular tasks and missions – but we do things together as said – so you also need to find your ‘WeFlow’ - The Confluence of the Team.

In between my lines of expression here, in the log notes, you all see this coming through, surfaced. Identify and be aware of your Situation, and find your Spiritual “be” and “are” - The Mindfulness of Flow. To support, fill up, keep and increase your Flow of Energy to power up your awareness and presence in the Flow of Events.

Part Five – at the #stoffice in Alvesta – “Flow Sessions Over – Setting the Punch-line!”

[Earthlog 09ish, September 23]

Situational and Spiritual – Flow of Energy and Events:
With the happy skipping and jumping beat of “Jay Lumen – The Switch”, in an ingenious mix of the Swedish wunderkind Style of Eye, which I had in my ears and spirit when getting off the train in a swift move entering the Waiting Hall of Alvesta, waiting for the last short 15-minute piece of ride with the regional train from Alvesta to Växjö, I feel I am now ready to take this Flow of Words to an end, for a New Beginning of Something Else.

Integrated.

Message set, and lined out.

In Constant Flux – Yours sincerely signing off to spend time with his daughter.

Then, beyond that – Edit, Rinse, Repeat.

[Finally done in #coffice, #boffice, #troffice and #soffice Sept 25 in between 6pm and 11pm]

Submit.

[your voice inserted here - what do you respond?]

Love is All you Need (ad lib / fade).

–

Note wtih vocabulary, so far from B to T:

#boffice = Bus Office

#coffice = Café Office

#goffice = Garden Office

#loffice = Library Office

#poffice = Park Office

#soffice = Sofa Office

#stoffice = Station Office

#troffice = Train Office

…

[to be extended to embrace everywhere on Earth - you are invited to tag it up ]

In my last monthly entry I introduced a conversation about what prospectively could be meant with ”The Flow Society”. In the much-repeated claim that we undergo a great ”paradigm shift”, you always have to ask yourself “from” where and what, and identify “to” this and that. Hopefully added with some why’s. My claims at this stage are humble and inviting.

Yes, you.

Do add a comment, do ReTweet, do share away on your favourite virtual hangout. The more who participate, the better. I rely on the Wisdom of the Crowd. Bring yourself into the party !

A Recap of the Hydrosphere Metaphor

Yes, in the ”from”, last time, I defined the 20th Century paradigm of a societal model to rely mostly on hard-wired and strong-framed”structures”, and thus talking about ”The Structure Society”. To illustrate the transition from the ”structure society” to the ”flow society”, I introduced the‘hydrosphere’ as a metaphor (“the world of water”), applied to one societal flow – the Flow of Information and Communication. The old societal (mass-)communication thinking – and doing – often included the talk of “channels”, in this sense man-made structural artifacts purpose-made to control water. The new societal communication vocabulary also talks about streams, flows and feeds – borrowed from the “water world”.

Yes, the Flow of Communication.

But what else can we capture as sub-themes of “the Flow Society”? Let me dive a bit shallow in the academic trenches. When it comes to the systematic study of society, we have the discipline of sociology. Not surprisingly, theories – and theorists – of a society in increasing flux and change in this post-modern phase, and mostly driven by the modern information and communication technology as a main driving force and enabler, comes from this area of systemic knowledge generation. First and foremost mention Manuel Castells, with his hallmark trilogy “The Information Age” much and often recited especially during Web 1.0 at the shift of the Millennium, who talks about ‘Space of Flows‘ and ‘Space of Places‘. Added to that, a seminal work is added by Zygmunt Bauman, talking about ‘Liquid Modernity’ (sometimes also talked about as ‘Fluid modernity’).

It would go beyond the focus, purpose and scope of this article to get into these theories into width, detail and scale in this article, so let’s reserve that for another virtual context – I will post about these ideas and in relation to the Flow Society conversation on my own virtual destination to begin with (my Personal Community Hub http://andersabrahamsson.org), and if a critical mass of virtual conversants join in, I have reserved a domain for that purpose (http://flowsociety.org for a prospective community, with their corresponding social services – if you follow the Twitter account @TheFlowSociety to begin with, that’s a first “Survey of Interest”, isn’t it ?).

The Four Freedoms of the European Union as an outlining guide

A part of this “post-modern” state of change is the decreasing importance of the Nation State and increasing importance of greater regional political structures and globalization at large. One such, is the European Union. In its founding process, a core idea was the “Four Freedoms” – the free flow of people, goods, services and capital. It has developed in parallell with the net with its email, WWW and sociality in this last phase of emergence as an arena of horizontal peer-to-peer conversation flow, self-organized in scale-free networks of people and computational nodes, hubs and spokes. Let us experiment with these four flowing entites of value and add the Thoughts of Flow to the reflections around them as a first attempt to identify some valuable core sub-themes.

- The Flow of People

When referred to the free flow of people, it is often thought of in capacity of work. One key ingredient in the idea of the “net society” is the reduced importance and dependence of geography – and its impact when it comes to the changing face of work.  During the first and second industrial revolution, there was first a strong dependence to an energy source, and physical production force and real capital, with an admin supportive department attached to the Factory Production Lines. The White Collar tied to an ‘office’ and the Blue Collar tied to an ‘assembly line’, and both separated from other spaces of ‘home’ and ‘leisure’/'spare time’ (be it the café, pub, restaurant, theatre or sports arena). With a transition towards more knowledge intense, more service-oriented, more soft than hard values produced in chains and further on mostly in networks, teams and virtual collaboration, this need to be tied in an ‘office’ separated from your ‘home’ and ‘leisure’ spots has been disappearing. When the ‘Latte Surfer’ is sitting there at your nearest café, working as a Free Agent in a collaboration only sharing a social/mental space “in the cloud”, we have a “how” of work in its biggest change, both in structure, place, form and process. I define this mode of working as “Flow Working”. The Flow Workers, a new net tribe. Yes, follow #FlowWorking on Twitter – tagged when I do it, at least .

I wrote this first part of the article on a train, and the second part in my sofa at home. ‘Nuff said.

With this geographical independence also comes structural independence. The Free Agent is living the freelancer life, and it gets more important in which community and networks he/she moves. The Flow Worker join and/or initiate different independent, singular projects, rather than working with a single company – with a defined beginning and end, and expected result. When done, it’s done – move to the next. With more fluid constellations, appropriate for the task at hand. A very obvious and clear leverage factor for getting this going is the supporting structure the social web and its media services for collaborating and organizing provides. You can in fact deliver invoicable value without even meeting once “in real life”!

- The Flow of Goods

Maybe this is one of the most dominating identifiers of this new state of Global Flow. What gets produced is more important than where – we get things produced where the conditions are e thbest. An ongoing meta trend has been the “Hollywoodization” of the global economy and society – local production of World Class on the global scene. Highly concentrated production of a category of products, sometimes in a very defined and relatively small geographical space – think of computer components of Taiwan, for example. But also different parts of the value chain gets globally distributed in certain spots – for good and for bad, especially with the negative effect on the climate with the increased transport need from here and there. A final product can be made of components coming from hundreds of places, and system assembly of getting it all together in another handfull, and logistical hubs of redistribution are separated in highly specialized spots of the physical value creation overall. Yes, Flow of Goods really define the Flow Society as such.

- The Flow of Services

To get things going in this modernization of a fluid economy, you have services made of a complex structure of workers everywhere. What comes with the net is also the ability to have services produced in one corner of the world and the value experienced and paid for in another. Once again this geographical independence comes into play. With qualified means of service delivery, such as consultancy delivered though Skype sessions and Webinars, or graphical design carried and delivered by web servers, once again delivered by a single agent – or a constellation of many – this could be done from and to everywhere. And also opportunities showing up to be a part of this flow of service delivery on this new dynamic and complex market, comes with serendipity and synchronicity depending on you, to be visible and move around on these social virtual arenas. In short – you never know when and where the next gig is showing up!

- The Flow of Capital

With global cash flow deregulation the financial flows also has had the opportunity to move in new patterns. The virtualities of our social life, to get one example, have made possible new forms and formats of “crowd generated resources” – in short crowdsourcing, and then especially crowd funding. The contributions of the many to get one single outcome – where maybe industrial age financing was the reverse: The financing from a few to get a wide range of outputs through The Factory.

Maybe we can talk about this as the “PayPalization of the economy” – where the final target for the financial goal (or the Free Agent Invoice) gets processed through this service, when and where available. One important part of leveraging this process is the new form of Mobile Payment for the “unbankable”, e. g. as seen in the developing economies like M-PESA system in Kenya. Pay with pin-code protected virtual currency through an SMS!

The Flow of Society – and The Flow of You

In this new society taking shape, maybe it has been more important than ever to know your inner compass, On Where To Go. Let me save that theme for my next article – opportunities have never been bigger to shape and construct a new reality for you and your peers. Your own destiny, your own future. But at the same time – the risk of getting outside the “right flows” have never been bigger too. It comes with a big responsibility to find means and ways to be inclusive, to see that people are not left behind and without. Thus the aligned, corresponding theme of action in my Words-As-Deeds in the area of Global Digital Participation that set out the journey of my monthly contributions here on SMC, coming to one year ago now. It is no coincidence that the highest level of “knowledge and wisdom” in the Knowledge Stair of Digital Participation comes with the title “Get Into The Flow!”.

We have the dimensions of Me/You – but also We - One Global Community, and Many Communities in the World. And forming the team of Us, jointly delivering value not just for our own wallet, but also for our own community and our own peers, both local where we live and sensing our global citizenship. All things are connected with all else. In the end, it comes back to me and my welfare in one sense or another, when the hazardous risk of taking care of the recycled metals of value from my disposed cell phone, once got together with components made in Taiwan, now ending up on that landfill outside Accra in Ghana, when that young Western African boy breathes in the fumes of the burnt useless plastic in hunt for the valuable copper. But one problem always corresponds to a possible business opportunity. What can we make of that situation? A scope and purpose for a Social Business?

Let’s co-discover for real, from here, dear reader.

Regards from a Worker in the Flow, getting a piece of work together in the Train and Sofa Office – #troffice and #soffice, yes . Walking My Talk – to Discover and Explore What Isthrough What Done.

–

Follow The Convo!

What is your Flow?

[image credit: johnriv on flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnriv/1316039898/]

–

This article was originally published as a part of my work as a member of the Social Media Club Editorial Team, August 31, 2011.

One of three core ideas

In Search For Meaning – and a Concept

Embarking On A New Conceptual Journey

First clue: Communication in Society and Market – as a ‘Hydrosphere’?

Communication in Flow – All in Flow?

What’s Next?

If you want to follow me, exploring further in between my monthlies here, and converse more closely for additional collaboratively generated insight breakthroughs in the end being linked to and ending up here – do jump into my part of the pond (or rather Universe at Large over at my recently Personal Community Hub, micro-released in a sneak out the other day – http://andersabrahamsson.org . 

You have a standing invitation to join My Flow.

What and Where are Yours?

–
A contextual foot note:
This article was written in an attention environment where my main focus where at the newsflow in old and social media from the most horrifying terror crime that have taken place since Second World War in the Northern Europe. My thoughts and condolences go to all who died, their family, their friends and their nearest/dearest, and the whole Norwegian country now in a collective sorrow and grief. All who strive for a just, open, free, tolerant, democratic, love-filled, respect- and peaceful global society and community (where my contribution this month is reflecting my personal strives taking extra energy and force onwards, emerging from the course of events in my neighbour country) – KEEP IT UP!

[image credit: http://www.internetdagarna.se/track/anvandarnas-internet/flodessamhalle]

”The next revolution – World War III – will be waged inside your head. It  will be a guerrilla information war fought not in the sky or on the streets, not in the forests or even around the scarce resources of the  earth, but in newspapers and magazines, on the radio, TV and in  ’cyberspace’.

It will be a dirty, no-holds-barred propaganda war of competing worldviews and alternative visions of the future.”

Marshall McLuhan, Culture is our Business, 1970

Masskommunikation. Sug på begreppet. Massmedier. Medier och kommunikation till massorna.

Lägg det ihop med nittonhundratalets mörkaste tidevarv - som eskalerade i det andra världskriget - som fortfarande på ett principiellt plan delar samma kvarvarande mörker i länder som Kina, Iran, Burma och Nordkorea. Kollektivet till varje pris över individen. I sin tur ”representerat” i en överhet som beskär och kränker grundläggande mänskliga rättigheter – bland annat yttrande-, mötes- och åsiktsfrihet. Maktinnehavet i dessa samhällen vilade och vilar på olika grader av våld.

Mänsklighetens moderna historia är kantat av konflikter av olika slag, där den våldsamma konflikten mellan två eller ett fåtal individer i det civila, eller de som drivs av organiserad brottslighet, inte kan mäta sig i omfattning och effekt med den systematiskt våldsamma konflikten mellan stater kallad krig – eller i extremen inom en stat kallad folkmord. Inte undra på att så mycket av krigiska synsätt och världsbilder ärvdes ända in i ”demokratins århundrade” – där flest demokratier skapades under nittonhundratalet än under samtliga århundranden innan.

Marknaden som krigsskådeplats

Vilka synsätt? Det lyser uppenbart igenom i begrepp som ”marknadskrigföring”. ”Att erövra och ta marknadsandelar”. Men även mer underförstått i ”kampanj” – som i nuvarande betydelsen är de samordnade och systematiska aktiviteter som sker under en begränsad tidsperiod för att bilda opinion. En gång i tiden var den samordnade och systematiska aktiviteten – med det franska begreppet ”campagne” – ett fälttåg. Och är det inte det vi känt på något sätt när kampanjmakarna har manglat över oss unisona budskap där våldet i praktiken enbart är utbytt mot manipulation och förförelse? Budskap som kommer till oss, utan vårt medgivande och i många fall med väldigt låg relevans.

Observera att jag inte ägnar mig åt lika nattstånden indirekt kritik mot reklam som fenomen. Den kan fortfarande göras mer relevant. Och jag föredrar trots allt manipulationsförsök försvarat i det fria ordets namn, än ett skott i pannan. Jag riktar min kritik mot den underliggande filosofin i kommunikationen. Ett gemensamt budskap riktat till massorna, utan individuell hänsyn eller anpassning. Ingen långvarig och hållbar mänsklig relation, som vilar på ömsesidig respekt, byggs. Även här ett obehagsord i botten – ”advertise” kommer ursprungligen från franskans ”a(d)vertir” som betyder ”att varna”.Varning om annalkande fara. Ja, det kanske är så vi skall betrakta nästa trettiosekundersspot för något telefonbolag höjt till en volym ovan snittet som instinktivt får oss att sträcka oss efter fjärrkontrollen för att få tillbaks vår husfrid. Här finns det kanske något att varna för. Jag sitter rätt tight till när stackaren till callcenteroperatör i sin lur och på sin plats har krav på max tre och en halv minut att lösa mina problem som ärad kund. Problem, som i extremen kanske är värt ett mål i någon rättsinstans där bevisbördan dessutom ligger på mig. Med ett ärende som kanske har sitt ursprung i en provisionshungrig fulsäljare som hoppat på mig på vägen ut från någon stormarknad och signat en deal med mig utan mitt samtycke, i min goda tro att jag bara skulle få information om ett erbjudande – ”inget annat”. Marknadsekonomi 1.0 – och dess fältsoldater och fotfolk på båda ställen. Bäst att läsa det finstilta.

Ömsom krig, ömsom vatten – samhällskommunikationens metaforer i förändring

Det som krävs och har krävts för att hålla dessa opersonligt konstruerade kommunikationsmaskinerier igång är strukturer. Fasta och lika hårt hållna strukturer. Hela industrialismen har byggt på en civil anpassning av militär organisering i hierarkier. Men hierarkier är i det stora ekosystemet en struktur byggd av människan som bildar undantag snarare än regel i ”det naturliga”. Det som långsiktigt luckrat upp detta sätt att organisera är många samfällda faktorer. Men fokuserar vi det nervsystem som fått mänsklig organisering att hålla ihop i dessa strukturer – nämligen våra kommunikationsvägar – så är många av samhällets processer ställd på ända via Internet. Och senare World Wide Web på och via denna ostyriga infrastruktur som i sitt ursprung konstruerades för att klara en kärnvapenattack med dess brist på ”central nod” – där WWW i sig skapat den mest hållbara ”maskin” som nu tuffat på i tusentals dagar utan att gå sönder. För första gången lade vi grunden för något som fungerar utan central samordning, och med World Wide Web har vi nu i några utvecklingsvågor skapat något som i stor utsträckning vilar på självorganisering i skalfria, distribuerade nätverk. Så som mycket i naturen och i samhället är organiserat när centralplaneraren inte gjort sina taffliga försök att bygga upp i första hand hierarkiska strukturer, där strukturen i sina extremer blivit självändamål istället för medel.

Dags att byta metafor.

Vad dyker upp i språkbruket för att fånga dessa nya fenomen i vår gemensamma sociala webb? Det är strömmar och flöden. ”Lifestream”. ”RSS-flöde”. Och kreativiteten har även sitt ”flow”. Ja, här finns vattnet – det vår värld till 70 procent av ytan är täckt av. Här kanske ändå begreppet ”kanal” fångar övergången från det gamla till det nya. Kanalen som styrt informationsflödet tog ju ursprunget i sin metafor just från vattnet. Kanalen har varit masskommunikationens stöd, och även de börjar räkna sina dagar, med vårt alltmer utpräglade två- eller treskärmsbeteende i ”the Soffice” – soffkontoret. En tretums, en trettontums, och en 47-tummare som tuffar på i bakgrunden, någonstans. Vi går från strukturerad masskommunikation till självorganiserad direktkommunikation – från människa till människa – styrd av oss och på vår begäran. Och detta sker via virtuella platser, snarare än kanaler. Här möter strukturerade, monologorienterade envägskommunikatörer med opersonlig röst människor med högst personliga röster som lever den virtuella delen av sina liv i rättfram och interaktiv tvåvägs- och flervägsdialog – ”peer to peer”. När den förra envägskommunikatören kommunicerar med sina kollegor och vänner använder de idag mail. Den senare interaktiva generationen använder oftast direktmeddelanden via sociala nätverk – ofta i öppen ström, där chatten blivit helt publik. En kulturkrock som bl a Håkan Selg vid NITA, Uppsala Universitet, identifierade och presenterade 2008. Vad detta illustrerar, enligt en annan studie från samma institution nu senast 2010, är också ett trendbrott. Tidigare kommunikationssätt och teknologier person till person / organisation till ”massan” har drivits på av just företag och organisationer. Detta var fallet med exempelvis mobiltelefonen, e-posten och webbsidorna. Nu är det i de privata sfärerna de nya kommunikationssätten dyker upp – via bloggar, mikrobloggar och nätgemenskaper. Detta blir då naturligtvis en utmaning för de förra för att kunna förstå den sociala dynamiken i den senare. Och att ställa sig att skrika mitt i centrum på ett enda långt pågående cafébesök eller mingelparty är ju knappast en framgångsrik metod för att vinna tillit. Här ”tar” du inga ”marknadsandelar”. Här ”förtjänar” du uppmärksamheteninnan du ”får” den.

Inte minst illustrerades detta inom politiken, och i valrörelsens slutspurt. På Internetdagarna togs bland annat hanteringen av ”Sveket” upp i seminariet ”Sociala medier i valrörelsen”. Just en autentisk röst som mycket välformulerat träffade rätt i hjärtat i en pågående försämring av våra allmänna försäkringssystem (som jag vill påminna om är relativt partilös, denna urholkningstrend har pågått på allvar sedan nittiotalet oavsett blockmajoritet). En av alliansens social medie-redaktörer, Ulrika Ingemarsdotter (c),vittnade om den stora frustration hon kände när den enda strategi som fanns att bemöta det med från gamla stammens partifunktionärer och -kommunikatörer var tystnad. Något som seminariets ledare, Brit Stakston, drar slutsatser av att det troligtvis kostade Alliansen den egna majoriteten och gav SD större inflytande över våra parlamentariska processer efter valet. Det skall också bli mycket spännande att se de slutgiltiga resultaten som Anders Larsson, en annan seminariedeltagare i ”Politik 2.0″-seminariet och forskare vid samma institution som Håkan Selg, NITA, från hans forskning om Twitterkonversationen omgärdad kring hashtaggen #val2010.

Samhällets totala kommunikation – en informationens hydrosfär

Ja, vad händer med de smattrande budskapen – krigets många-skott-kommunikation-med-samma-sorts-kula -som skjuts rakt i floden? I sjön? I havet? I oceanen? De bromsas upp, och sjunker till botten, utan träff. Vatten är kraftigare än all världens vapen. Den del av vårt ekosystem som består av vatten – den så kallade hydrosfären - är att likna vid den totala mängden information och kommunikation i samhället. Den del som finns i människoskapade kanaler är försvinnande och löjligt liten. Det mesta av cirkulationen sker långt utanför ”kommunikationsplanerares” kontroll – det mesta cirkulerar likt regnet som regnar över oceanen, och som bildar nya regnmoln i ett evigt kretslopp – där samma molekyl vatten har dykt upp över hela världen under hela sin existens. Den känner inga gränser. Den kan bryta vallar och dammar. Den kan rena, dränka, hela – och nära oss. Ju mer du försöker trycka på, desto mer trängs undan. Lita på att vattnet – och kommunikationen – finner sin väg. Men den kräver ett samspel med respekt och ödmjukhet, på lika villkor. Lika löser lika. Annars får du en när du minst anar det en svallvåg rätt i ditt ansikte. Bättre då att ta fram (nät)surfbrädan. Magpirrigt i början, självklart. Men – kanske roligare?

Är detta en metafor som för oss djupare in i nya insikter om hur vi skall förhålla oss till varandra i dessa nya kommunikationsvärldar i vårt samhälle – mitt i transformationen som drivs av den sociala webben?

Trust the streams. Get into the flow!

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This article – in Swedish – was originally published November 9, 2010, as an event blogger for Internetdagarna 2010 – it was the first structured writing on the idea of the Flow Society I did.

This will constitute the raw material for a manifesto-like eBooklet encouraging us all to co-discover further all different aspects of the Flow Society. And getting practical too, moving towards “How to survive, live and prosper in the Flow Society”, deserving its own volume beyond the increased understanding of the “flow society” as such.

They will be the first postings in their respective categories as well – to which I dedicate a separate posting.

Beyond the reposting, a revisit, re-edit and adaption/reshuffeling of texts will begin to find a monograph structure, posted – one page at a time.

As said.

Here we go!

[image credit]