Original post on PR 2.0

Source

After I finish the new (unannounced) book that I’m feverishly writing, I plan to finally pursue “Internet Famous – The rise of micro celebrity and the end of privacy.”

Alexia Tsotsis (disclosure, she’s a dear friend) recently wrote an intriguing article at the LA Weekly entitled, “Is All of Hollywood the Bitch in Twitter’s Sex Tape or Just P. Diddy?”

She links to a recent article written by A.J. Keen, author of the controversial book, Cult of the Amateur, in which he defends TechCrunch and Michael Arrington. In his articke he also observes that technology start-ups have become the “hottest celebrities in America… receiving the same kind of obsessionally intimate coverage from the media that was once reserved for kings of pop like Michael Jackson or Elvis.”

He is a brilliant thinker and writer. If you read his book today, I promise it will practically resonate now that we’re much more humbled by Web 2.0 than when we were initially enthralled by it. However, his quote, if for a moment, opened up the mental floodgates that have held back so many psychological reflections and emotional introspection. I could have started my next, next book, right now. Instead I simply commented on Alexia’s post, and I elected to also share the unabridged version with you here.

“To further expound on Andrew Keen’s perspective, I believe that Twitter is a media darling simply because we, the bitches, decide to tweet about our lives relentlessly. If Twitter is popularized and actively discussed in the media, then it somehow justifies our obsession with sharing everything about who we are, what we love, and what we’re doing. It’s not necessarily technology companies that are becoming the “hottest celebrities in America” because of their shiny new features, it’s us psychologically channeling our subliminal desire for recognition and micro celebrity through these social networks, thus transforming them into the celebrities in which we can live through vicariously. It’s a Freudian form of quietly, but surely provoking varying forms and levels of desired Web-based fame that transcends online and offline through a series of passive-attention seeking behavior”

#internetfamous

Please also read, “Significant” and “The End of the Innocence.”

Connect with me on:

Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, or Facebook

—

Now available! (click to purchase):

Twitter tends to be all over the tech news for days at a time. More often than not, it’s over interesting, but silly things. There was all sorts of confusion over the “Twitter TV show” yesterday.  In a series of clarifying posts, Biz Stone has stated that you don’t have to worry. Twitter is not becoming a reality show. Instead, he says,

Some Hollywood folks are developing something that leverages Twitter and they are extremely enthusiastic as evidenced by all the media hubbub yesterday and today. We have little to do with their efforts but we wish them success.

After the social-networking service Twitter announced Monday it was in talks to develop an unscripted series based on the site, two of the service’s most prolific users have expressed fear that such a jump would mean an unfair intrusion on their lives.

Really? Just using Twitter isn’t allowing everyone into your lives? I suppose the difference is the amount of control you have over what you publish yourself. That said, I’ve always called Twitter permission-based stalking. People laugh, but it’s true. You’re allowing people into your lives with every follow and every tweet. The opt-out? Well, you can be selective about it with a private account or you can just not tweet.  Of course, once you’ve campaigned for over 1 million followers to read your tweets, I’m not sure opting out is still an option.

__

Contact Michelle with news, stories, events, and more.
Email: michelle[at]writetech[dot]net
Twitter: @writetechnology, Friendfeed: michellel
Sites: Write Technology, Wine-Girl.net

by Brian Solis

Last week, the Microsoft BizSpark team, in partnership with The TechSet (Stephanie Agresta and yours truly), celebrated Southern California startups and the spirit of innovation at Ingnition-LA. Hosted at the beautiful Beso, owned by Eva Longoria, in Hollywood, 300 entrpreneurs converged to demo, network, and forge alliances that will carry them forward for years to come.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this such a tremendously successful event!

San Francisco, you’re next! See you on 12/16 at the beautiful Carnelian Room, 52 floor above the city!

RSVP for the San Francisco event here.

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story…

Shira Lazar and Geri Hirsch

Anand Iyer of BizSpark

Tyler Crowley of Mahalo

Efren Toscano and Linda Sherman

Kedric Van De Carr, Arad Rostampour, Jacob Mullins, Anand Iyer

Streamy.com

Girl Gamer

Dan Portnoy

Shira Lazar keeps people in line

Rock Band

Robert Yang, Lolita Carrico, Jim Lin, Matt Singley

Stephanie Agresta and Nina Bargiel

Kedric Van De Karr, Misty LaChance, Angela Costa Roque Baptista

Raj Chauhan of Rubicon Project

Hayden Black and Michael Pilla

Marc Russell Hustvedt, Jessica (need last name), Taryn O’Neill, Michael Davies

Jessica Wilzig Gottlieb and Erin Kotecki Vest (QueenofSpain)

Dragana Ognenovska & Wm. Marc Salsberry

Todd Sawacki

Frank Sinton of Meefeedia

Stephanie Agresta

Kurt Daradics and Heather Meeker

Linda Sherman and Amanda Coolong

Blackberry Storm

Jason Nazar of Docstoc and Shira Lazar

Jonathan Dingman

For more pictures from Ignition-Los Angeles, visit my album on flickr. Within the set, you’ll also be treated to a few pictures from the after party at Bao, Hollywood, where we also celebrated @queenofspain’s birthday!

Here are a couple of pics to get your started…

If you’ve missed our previous events, you can relive the experiences below:

New York

Austin

Connect with me on:
Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pownce, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, Jaiku or Facebook

Subscribe to the bub.blicio.us RSS Feed.

by Brian Solis

Join us at Beso in Hollywood toight for free hors d’oeuvres and drinks, and also the opportunity to network with some of the most influential technologists around. All attendees can participate in a “twitter raffle” to win an XBox 360 Elite.

Beso
6350 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Make sure to RSVP here.

Microsoft Startup Zone, in partnership with The TechSet (Stephanie Agresta and yours truly), is bringing together the tech innovators in Southern California to celebrate the launch of BizSpark, a new program for those who contribute to a dynamic ecosystem that helps startups flourish.

San Francisco, you’re next! See you on 12/16 at the Carnelian Room, 52 floor above the city!

RSVP for the San Francisco event here.

If you’ve missed our previous events, you can relive the experiences below:

New York

Austin

Connect with me on:
Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pownce, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, Jaiku or Facebook

Subscribe to the bub.blicio.us RSS Feed.

by Brian Solis

The spirit of entrepreneurialism is what drives all of us to innovate and excel. Economics aside, there is no better time than now to pursue and invest in that next big idea. This is your time to shine and we want to celebrate you, your vision and help you succeed.

Announcing Ignition Los Angeles.

Microsoft Startup Zone, in partnership with The TechSet (Stephanie Agresta and yours truly), is bringing together the tech innovators in Southern California to celebrate the launch of BizSpark, a new program for those who contribute to a dynamic ecosystem that helps startups flourish.

Join us at Beso in Hollywood for free hors d’oeuvres and drinks, and also the opportunity to network with some of the most influential technologists around. All attendees can participate in a “twitter raffle” to win an XBox 360 Elite.

Beso
6350 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Make sure to RSVP here: http://ignition-losangeles.eventbrite.com/

If you’ve missed our previous events, you can relive the experiences below:

New York

Austin

Connect with me on:
Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pownce, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, Jaiku or Facebook

Subscribe to the bub.blicio.us RSS Feed.

by Brian Solis

This is going to be a busy week for the L.A. tech scene and we wanted to make sure that we all have an opportunity to get together, enjoy a beautiful West Side night, and host lively conversations, in a beautiful outside terrace setting at the Luxe Bel-Air.

The TechSet is hosting a cocktail hour at the Luxe Sunset Terrace, and as always, the center of attention is you. Join us on Wednesday night, 7/16, as we invest in the Southern California social economy.

RSVP on Facebook or on Upcoming.

Other events worth attending include:

Tuesday – LA Geek Dinner 27

Thursday – Twiistup (I’ll be there!)

Friday (day time) – Social Media Camp

Friday – Mashable’s Mashmeet

For previous Techset events, please see below:

Techset Tweetup at The Standard on Sunset

New York Internetweek at the Gansevort

LA Techset at the Roosevelt, Hollywood

Love 2.0 at Harlot, San Francisco

Silicon Valley SXSW Reunion

Connect with me on Twitter, Jaiku, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pownce, Plaxo, FriendFeed, or Facebook