http://marciahansen.com/blog/affective-labor-2/ digital content strategy, social media marketing, and seo expertise Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:32:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://marciahansen.com/blog/affective-labor-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Sacha Chua Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://mwrites.com/blog/?p=62#comment-27 I don't think that we increasingly think like computers. I think we're finally making computers fit the way we think, instead of the other way around. Hardt is right on when he highlights "social networks, forms of community, biopower", but this is not a new concept; it is just that we have new tools to explore these things with. In fact, the more I get into computers, the more I realize that it's all about people. My "output" is not the code I write or the systems I modify, but rather the changes I help people make in their lives, the introductions I can make. I've always seen technology as a very social thing. For the past three years I've had the privilege to work with a fantastic community as the maintainer of an obscure, extremely personalizable <A HREF="http://www.emacswiki.org/cgi-bin/wiki/PlannerMode">personal information manager</A>. I've never directly received a cent from that work, but I've gained so much in terms of knowledge and opportunities, and I've met the most amazing people through it. I'm working on my master's degree at the University of Toronto, and I'd like to focus on systems that help people organize and share information. I'm really, really thrilled by the amazing web services coming out these days that are built around the idea of sharing <A HREF="http://del.icio.us">bookmarks</A>, <A HREF="http://www.43things.com">goals</A>, <A HREF="http://www.linkedin.com">professional</A> and <A HREF="http://360.yahoo.com">personal contacts</A>, even <A HREF="http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com">search results</A>. Many of these things haven't really hit mainstream, or even seen widespread geek adoption, but they're really cool. I blogged a bit about my <A HREF="http://blogs.mie.utoronto.ca/roller/page/sachac?entry=research_interests">research interests</A>, but I'm always refining them in response to other people's insights. =) What's inside my head isn't anywhere near as important or as useful as what's outside my head: the people I know, what I can help them learn, whom I can help them meet. I don't need an immediate economic pay-off when I talk to people. I want something far more valuable. I want them to keep telling me how I can help them, and I want them to keep me in mind as well. Besides, how else can I even begin to express the deep sense of gratitude I feel toward all the people who helped me in the past? =) One of my role models gave me a book entitled <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1400046831/102-1529363-5834541?v=glance">Love is the Killer App</A>. The book's main advice is to "offer your wisdom freely, give away your address book to everyone who wants it, and always be human." Read it; it's a great book! =) And it's true that the more you give, the more you get back. It all works out wonderfully. Have fun! =D I don’t think that we increasingly think like computers. I think we’re finally making computers fit the way we think, instead of the other way around. Hardt is right on when he highlights “social networks, forms of community, biopower”, but this is not a new concept; it is just that we have new tools to explore these things with. In fact, the more I get into computers, the more I realize that it’s all about people. My “output” is not the code I write or the systems I modify, but rather the changes I help people make in their lives, the introductions I can make.
I’ve always seen technology as a very social thing. For the past three years I’ve had the privilege to work with a fantastic community as the maintainer of an obscure, extremely personalizable personal information manager. I’ve never directly received a cent from that work, but I’ve gained so much in terms of knowledge and opportunities, and I’ve met the most amazing people through it.
I’m working on my master’s degree at the University of Toronto, and I’d like to focus on systems that help people organize and share information. I’m really, really thrilled by the amazing web services coming out these days that are built around the idea of sharing bookmarks, goals, professional and personal contacts, even search results. Many of these things haven’t really hit mainstream, or even seen widespread geek adoption, but they’re really cool. I blogged a bit about my research interests, but I’m always refining them in response to other people’s insights. =)
What’s inside my head isn’t anywhere near as important or as useful as what’s outside my head: the people I know, what I can help them learn, whom I can help them meet. I don’t need an immediate economic pay-off when I talk to people. I want something far more valuable. I want them to keep telling me how I can help them, and I want them to keep me in mind as well. Besides, how else can I even begin to express the deep sense of gratitude I feel toward all the people who helped me in the past? =)
One of my role models gave me a book entitled Love is the Killer App. The book’s main advice is to “offer your wisdom freely, give away your address book to everyone who wants it, and always be human.” Read it; it’s a great book! =)
And it’s true that the more you give, the more you get back. It all works out wonderfully. Have fun! =D

]]> http://marciahansen.com/blog/affective-labor-2/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Sacha Chua Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://mwrites.com/blog/?p=62#comment-28 (By the way, you may want to add </a> after the <a name="comments"> in your template. That way, comment text won't get marked up as a link.) (By the way, you may want to add </a> after the <a name=”comments”> in your template. That way, comment text won’t get marked up as a link.)

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