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Making transhumanism attractive

Page history last edited by PBworks 18 years, 2 months ago

The text below originally applied to a product, not an idea, but it's a good overview of what makes a great product for which you can catalyze evangelism and we can probably use it.

 

So the problem is - we have a good idea - "transhumanism". We feel like it should spread and affect everyone. We want people to spread it like a virus. The first step is to see whether the actual idea is good enough or it needs some reshaping.

 

The salient question is: “What are the characteristics of a great product?” Here is the answer.

 

Think: DICEE

 

  • Deep. A great product is deep. It doesn’t run out of features and functionality after a few weeks of use. Its creators have anticipated what you’ll need once you come up to speed. As your demands get more sophisticated, you discover that you don’t need a different product.

As a worldview, transhumanism has potential to be quite deep, but I am not sure the deepness is easily available to people of all walks of life. Transhumanism for is not developed enough (and often not even defined) for most values of group X. See Target audiences for most valuable groups. See WTA site (left column, "The Case for Human Enhancement for...") for some examples, where it is somewhat developed.

  • Indulgent. A great product is a luxury. It makes you feel special when you buy it. It’s not the least common denominator, cheapest solution in sight. It’s not necessarily flashy in a Ferrari kind of way, but deep down inside you know you’ve rewarded yourself when you buy a great product.

I don't think most people feel that reward when they learn about transhumanism. While it does have potential to appeal to the elite, it doesn't really look like it. Most people would associate these ideas with cranks, not wise forward-looking visionaries.

  • Complete. A great product is more than a physical thing. Documentation counts. Customer service counts. Tech support counts. Consultants, OEMS, third-party developers, and VARS count. Blogs about it counts. A great product has a great total user experience—sometimes despite the company that produces it.

Almost nothing has been done here. We don't offer a "total user experience" that many other movements/groups provide. The fact that WTA site doesn't even offer a goddamn T-shirt for sale, proudly suggesting that we "Order a WTA Button" is a marketing disgrace.

  • Elegant. A great product has an elegant user interface. Things work the way you’d think they would. A great product doesn’t fight you—it enhances you. (For all of Microsoft’s great success this is why it’s hard to name a Microsoft product that you’d call “great.”) I could make the point that if you want to see if a company’s products are elegant, you need only look at its chairman’s presentations.

The idea itself may be elegant at some level, but the experience and learning materials certainly aren't. The H+ presentations are boring (compare with CRN's excellent Powerpoint presentations), the website is barely satisfactory.

  • Emotive. A great product incites you to action. It is so deep, indulgent, complete, and elegant that it compels you to tell other people about it. You’re not necessarily an employee or shareholder of the company that produces it. You’re bringing the good news to help others, not yourself.

Clearly we haven't achieved that and this is what this wiki is about. Let's be constantly doing something to move in that direction.

 

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/01/guys_golden_tou.html

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