A social storm is a brewing... and not a map or an app will tell you which way to run. It’s like the last Kodak moment: one form of expression outpaces another, one form of media outraces the rest. But in this case, it’s social science, and since we know how us social-lites love to talk, there’s a lot of talk about the future of media as we know it. From trading in traditional media, to increasing your influence, here’s what’s on my mind, stream of consciousness style… 

If you’re an influencer, you don’t need any influencers…
Who doesn’t love a good one from @GaryVee? And for the most part, his constant cursing could confuse any crowd. But he made a good point at this weeks #Influence12 Summit. Influencers are no longer influencers. The A List, as we so call them, is tapped, saturated, overplayed and overpaid. When you’re no longer speaking directly to the source (i.e. an agent, or worse, a manager) it’s time to pack your case of content and leave. But what is powerful, is the power middle, or even more so, being your own power middle. Be the expert, the source, the G. 

The customer is always right…
We didn’t need cell phones, and then one day, we did. We didn’t want online communities, and then one day, we couldn’t live without them. Now, it’s user generated content, and the ability to access anything, from anywhere. Listen to the chatter out there, you might learn something… and something valuable at that. 

Think locally, and globally…
It’s the age old Silk Road story. As the physical world economy shifts, so does the digital  so does the social. From North to South, East to West, we’re stepping into a century of the global consumer - and we’re not just talking China and India, but Africa, and South America too. Changed organizational and individual knowledge and behavior, is fundamentally changing communities, both virtual and physical. As developing countries get digital, globalization and inter-communication occurs at a far faster rate. So beware: it’s a new new world out there.

Build it… and they will advertise
$FB is dependent on it, Twitters business is banking on it, and Tumblr is toying with it. It’s no surprise that audiences everywhere are turning to advertising to make a buck or two, and that’s nothing new. But here in lies the new: new pubishers, media companies and independent agents who are grabbing your attention (and big-bro like data) in hopes to soon sell it, and then report on it. So what you’re saying is that it’s all traditional media, just digital first, print later. A vicious social - sell - study cycle. 

Future always wins. Always.
(Thank you @PeterCHoran for this perfectly poignant point).