Jeff Stibel's Blog, page 6
September 18, 2013
Author interview – Jeff Stibel, ‘Breakpoint’ – An Except from Engineering and Technology Magazine
There will come a point when the Internet will reach its physical limit and hit what author Jeff Stibel calls ‘breakpoint’. But that is not necessarily as catastrophic as it sounds.
We could be forgiven for thinking that the Internet is infinite. In scale it is certainly the biggest thing humans have ever invented, and there is no doubt, at least not in Jeff Stibel’s mind, that it has grown to “epic proportions”.
We’re used to reading that if an alien arrived on Earth it would probably assume that the Internet was the largest living organism on the planet, and yet the author of ‘Breakpoint’ says that it has a long way to go before it becomes as sophisticated as a human brain. This is because, while computers are very good at storing information and making calculations, they have nothing like the brain’s power to communicate. In fact, when we hook up two computers together the result is only a “rudimentary brain”.
Original article appeared on Engineering and Technology Magazine. Read the full article.
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August 16, 2013
Privacy in the Age of Big Data
There’s a frightening proposition that the mysterious conglomeration called Big Data will nullify our concept privacy. But in reality, the idea of “privacy” has been eroding for a long time within both the digital and physical world.
But is this really a bad thing? Author Jeff Stibel doesn’t think so. “This is a great thing! It’s great for society, it’s great for business, it’s great for consumers,” he says.
Big data is just a massive amount of small data bundled together and sorted into relevant information. And this information provides great power and intelligence, which allows governments to keep us safe and businesses to produce more of what we want. Isn’t that a win-win?
To hear more about Stibel’s take on big data’s deletion of privacy and why it can be a good thing, get your copy of Breakpoint today!
(CC photo by: Purple Phoenix)
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August 13, 2013
Is the Internet Hurting Our Brains?
What are some of your biggest fears? If your list is anything like mine, I’m guessing spiders, snakes, the dark, and heights may appear amongst your list of worst nightmares. But the real question is: Are you scared of the internet?
Turns out that one of the questions most often asked to brain scientists is, “Does the internet damage your brain?” This is a genuine concern for a lot of people. But as you’ll soon learn through Jeff Stibel’s video, the internet doesn’t so much change our brains as ours brains adapt to it.
One of the main points Stibel makes is that “we are fundamentally changing our beliefs on what intelligence actually is, what is important in society through an intelligence stand point.” This means that what people used to consider as smarts is now accessible through the internet. Thus, the internet is simply expanding our horizons and changing our idea of what smart really is.
Because the internet is storing knowledge for us, the focus of society can change to what makes us uniquely human. That has the power to benefit society in the years to come.
(CC photo by: epSos.de)
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August 6, 2013
Let Your Customers Drive Your Online Presence
Marketing in an inter-networked world (hint: we live in an inter-networked world) is like shoe shopping. Ladies, you just loved that analogy. Fellas, not so much. But bear with my fashionista business analysis because I promise you it really does make sense:
You wouldn’t buy those red suede Jimmy Choo pumps (Nike frees?) on sale in a size 9 even though you’re a size 7 just because they’d go perfectly with your new work dress (basketball outfit?) would you? No, because you’d risk spraining your ankle and that’d be just plain silly.
If you wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes too big, then don’t settle for marketing in the wrong network just because it almost fits your business. You might sprain your ankle.
When marketing your business you need to find the network that’s the perfect fit. Unfortunately, unlike shoes, there’s no sizing chart to business marketing (wouldn’t that make life easier?). Instead, it’s unique to each business situation. If you’re targeting younger customers and find that they’re primarily learning about you on Facebook, focus on marketing yourself on Facebook and not on yelp. But maybe your customers are older and aren’t on Facebook, then maybe you should market yourself more in print magazines and newspapers.
Maybe there is a sizing chart to business marketing. The sizes might not run 7-8-9 but the right fit is the right business to network balance.
CC Photo Credit: Answer Wen
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August 2, 2013
Understanding Your Network Relative to Market Size
When I was five, I wanted to be a pop star princess who saved the world. Talk about big dreams. But before you judge, I bet when you were five you had dreams of being something as awesome as a pop star princess.
All things start small. Every adult starts off as a child, just like every big business starts as a small one. Children have huge hopes and dreams for when they grow up, just like small businesses have aspirations to thrive and grow to larger businesses.
The twist is that a business’s size isn’t just relative to other businesses. The size of a business is determined by the size of the general market it serves. Thus, a business that appears small may actually be the largest form of that business that the market it serves can support.
To learn more about network and market size relativity, get your copy of Breakpoint today!
(CC photo by: Miss Messie)
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August 1, 2013
Die, Links, Die! How Link ‘Suicide’ Could Save the Web – An Adapted Excerpt via Wired.com
“Studying biological systems is perhaps the best way to understand the complex networks that humanity has created. More than anything else, biological networks teach us about technological networks: how to recognize a breakpoint where growth may stop, what to do when it does, and how to manage it to success…”
This is an excerpt from Breakpoint. Read more on Wired.com
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July 31, 2013
Networks Anonymous: I had so many friends!
I currently have 1,222 friends on Facebook. I know, it sounds impressive. Some even might say, “Wow! You are one popular lady!” But sadly, author Jeff Stibel reveals that for humans, we are only capable of socializing with 150 people. This means that it’s difficult for us to maintain more than 150 relationships—that’s the social breakpoint of the brain. All networks operate on this basis.
Fortunately, help is available:
All networks hit their breakpoint. But it’s up to you what happens next- either thrive and survive like an ant colony, or collapse.
Pick up Breakpoint today to learn more about networks and how to anticipate - and capitalize upon – a breakpoint!
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Smaller Size, Greater Intelligence
One might assume that bigger is better, but that’s not necessarily the case.
Millions of years ago, dinosaurs roamed the earth, towering over itty bitty creatures building colonies in the dirt. Now fast-forward to modern day earth. Those itty bitty creatures are still among us while dinosaur bones are strung up in museums.
Author Jeff Stibel makes it known that “ants outlived the dinosaurs, and will most likely outlive us.” Scary stuff, huh?
Can you think of some examples where smaller is better than bigger? Here’s a quick few to get you thinking:
Smaller debt is better than bigger debt
Cockroaches outlived the dinosaurs
A mosquito is more dangerous than a lion
A smaller hole in the ozone makes Al Gore happier
Get your copy of the Breakpoint today to find out more fun facts and interesting quotes on why smaller can be better!
(CC photo by: Ramesh NG)
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July 30, 2013
What Does Breakpoint Mean?
With people come networks, and with networks come breakpoints. Whether you’re in social media, business, or just dealing with people, a network forms and eventually hits its limit.
Lucky for you, you can acquaint yourself with these so-called breakpoints before it happens. Author Jeff Stibel reveals that “by learning about [the consistent cycles of networks in biology] you can learn how to build better businesses.”
Quirkily enough, ants are the key to understanding how to deal with a breakpoint. Ants know when they hit their breakpoint. So, instead of producing more and more ants, they take their 10,000 or so ants and become a sophisticated, collective society that sustains itself.
If you want to learn more about the sophistication of ant colonies and how to know a breakpoint when you see one, get your copy of Breakpoint today!
(CC photo credit: davecobb)
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July 29, 2013
Surviving Your Company’s Breakpoint
We all like to reminisce on our young, glory days so let me take you back to junior year in high school:
You probably have some “totally rad” hair style like a mullet or a rat-tail or the let-me-just-spray-this-full-can-of-hair-spray-in-my-hair-look. You’re probably known by the ladies for having the best extreme-sprinkler at parties. You were probably about to take the SAT. Remember the SAT? They had all of those tricky questions that gave a completely inaccurate depiction of your knowledge? Here’s one to make you feel young again:
If all businesses depend on networks and all networks inevitably hit a breakpoint, do all businesses hit a breakpoint?
A) Yes
B) No
Correct answer: A. All businesses hit a breakpoint. No network is invincible. No, not even yours. But fear not! Your breakpoint is not an ultimatum, there are ways to survive your company’s breakpoint.
Once a company hits it’s breakpoint (the point in which it fully saturates it’s network and exceeds it’s carrying capacity) it can either collapse or recover. Your breakpoint can be hugely enlightening for your business and you can gain crucial intelligence and stabilize. To learn how you can survive your company’s breakpoint, get your copy of Breakpoint today!
CC photo credit: Amorette Dve
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