FESTIVAL – DAY FIVE

The day we have all been waiting for. Having seen a plethora of exceedingly intelligent speakers and titans of the industry, one would imagine the week could continue to get better. A twenty-year old girl, I have heard more than my share of will.i.am’s music. I have seen him in concert, follow him on twitter, and respect him for his continued innovation in his music. Needless to say, I was very excited to hear him speak.

The McCann Worldgroup & MRM Worldwide presentation contained a wide range of expertise and opinion. However, there were a few main points I was particularly inspired by. Having grown up as a member of the digital generation, I have never really been all that fascinated by technology; it has always been a part of my life. Their discussion was about how technology is driving the growth of creativity.

Technology seems to have progressed more in the past ten year than it has in the last century. As people develop, the technology they create matures as well. With all the new social forums and social media, people are more accessible than ever. The authors of our own real time autobiographies, we express our thoughts, feelings, and experiences through technology. As they described Twitter, we have created a “collective consciousness”; through social media, it is possible to see the level of cohesion or discord throughout the world.

As it is such a “malleable media”, there are endless possibility for growth and creation. It is the perfect forum in which to have an idea, create that idea, and get it out there to serve both yourself and the community. I rather like the idea that you cannot wait for someone to solve your problems, you have to take that first step and solve them yourself. As will.i.am said, “if you take a first step, and others takes steps, then that is a movement.”

Speaking of movement, I was completely astounded by our speaker today. Amr Salama (whom I have already requested to follow on twitter…) is a filmmaker and political activist from Egypt. His story really helped reinforce the power of social media (and “collective consciousness”). With the laws restrictive, censorship all encompassing, and the denial of the national news to accept the reality of the revolution.. (whew, take a breath) social forums such as Twitter and Facebook were used to promote the cause, support the cause, and execute the revolution. Through youtube videos and blogposts, citizens of Egypt and around the world were able to see the realities of the revolution, feel the struggle, show their support, and take action. His story (including being kidnapped…) was utterly fascinating.