Last night as I was watching Jersey Shore (not even going to lie about it), I saw a commercial for MTV’s new show. It looks like a show about a few twenty somethings living in the city, falling in love, trying to make sense of their lives and work. The characters look clever, irreverent and witty. They’re enough like us so that we can identify with them, but funnier and better looking.
Which was Friends. Or How To Make It In America. Or 20 other shows, some that didn’t quite make it.
Yesterday I read and reposted something Chris Brogran wrote on Google+ about Path. Path is a new social network, billed as the way to connect and share with your close friends. From what I can tell, it doesn’t seem any different than existing social networks. I see people using it in the same way, and it seems to offer the same functionality (although I think the interface is better).
There was a similar discussion about Pinterest. When explaining this to my friends on New Year’s Day, I found myself getting annoyed (though several months ago I had pinned the dessert I ended up bringing that day). What annoys me about Pinterest is that it reminds me of a big Pottery Barn catalog. I’m not a fan of Pottery Barn. I like some of what they sell, but overall I find the style to be manufactured perfection. Things are made to look vintage but purchased by people who would never actually buy something old.
And just two days ago I wrote about social business being real but not entirely new. Despite the fact that we talk about it as if it were the latest business need, many of the challenges have been around for decades.
What’s New In The World?
In my post-10pm, Jersey Shore induced stupor (you become stupid while watching Jersey Shore), I said to my husband “nothing is new anymore”.
But that can’t be true.
I know that it can’t be true because I live with two children. If you have children, you know that creativity is alive and well in the world. It borders on problematic (for me) with one of my daughters. She has so many ideas, I can’t keep up. Her ideas are grand and exciting and I dislike having to say no, though sometimes time and resource require it. Let’s build a stage in her room. Let’s make a mural in the diningroom. Let’s write a movie and invite all of our friends and family over to participate.
Would she be the first person in the world to build a stage, or paint a mural? No. But to her, she is. She is taking an idea (tap dancing in the hall) and thinking about how she can make it better (for her) and more fun (for her). Then there was the three headed alien with a jet-pack. That was all her.
I find it inspiring, which is one of the many gifts of being a parent.
So rather than sit around and grouch during the dumbest TV show ever, I’m going on a quest for the new and creative. I’ll be on the look out for things I haven’t seen before. I’ll tweet them using #nowthatsnew so anyone who wants to see what I’ve found, or share their own findings can do so.
I know it’s out there. Let’s see what I can find.
[Image credit: Steven Goodwin]
I'm an internet marketing consultant and a 16 year veteran of the internet marketing industry. My roles have spanned digital strategy, website management, search engine optimization, social media marketing and business process management. I'm fascinated by the way internet technologies change how we learn, vote, shop and give. 
