Over Simplification

I've observed a trait in humans that we tend to be weak-minded at times, wanting concerns to be overly simple. Example: God is good because good things happened to me; I am angry at God because bad things happened. Maybe just maybe it is more complex than that?

Nowhere is this more evident than in the two party system of the United States come general election time. I love this pre-primary time when our activism (and then actualy primary vote) actually counts. But come November, there will be a good guy and a bad guy, our hero and his archrival, and America will stay up late watching network television rooting for their one of the two. We need to get a fire lit under us to CARE NOW and PARTICIPATE NOW and vote in the primary election. But O how we prefer to be simpletons and wait until things fit the 0 or 1, black or white, hero or villain. Are we not weak?

And now you're asking me, "Monty, what relevance this has to the thread of posts you've been making on using digital technology to realize growth potential?" Ok, well I was wondering that in case you didn't! I think it fits in nicely.

We think that either the Internet is not very helpful or relevant to our mission, or that it is the end, the means of propagation of vision and mission and outreach. It is, in fact, neither of these binary options. The internet can be a cost-effective tool to supplement an effective strategy, but "there is no loyalty in a high-tech relationship" (Raffele & Hendricks, 1998, Successful Business Networking).

Most humans are just not that proactive and imaginative to think circumspectly about communications received over the Internet so as to create a sense of holistic involvement and relational commitment, even when they may to some degree identify with the goals or vision inherent. And we tend to exhibit our weak-mindedness when we equate the value of something with its cost; that which costs us little is little valued.

The Internet, even Web 2.0 Internet, can be an important tool in an effective strategy to vision-cast and enthuse people, when coupled with an intentional design to create and strengthen relational connections, apart from cyberspace.