DV Weekend Pickup #50

Trust Me, I'm Lying by Ryan Holiday

One of the most fascinating concepts in today's culture is something "going viral."  Sure, we've all heard that phrase and most, stop there, assuming it caught some magical internet pixie dust on it's way to every mobile phone in America.  Ryan Holiday, author, former head of marketing at American Apparel, and "reformed" media manipulator challenges this notion with a behind the scenes look at how things REALLY go viral.

"The most powerful indicator of what spreads online is anger."

For all intents and purposes, Ryan's whistleblowing accounts are as concerning as they are enlightening.  The biggest reason a national news source picks up a story...first, it goes viral via smaller outlets, meaning unregulated, highly influenced, and the powerful world of online drive national media agenda.  He refers to this phenomenon as "trading up the chain."  

"Things must be negative but not too negative. Hopelessness, despair - drive us to do nothing. Pity, empathy - drive us to do something, like get up away from our computers and act.   Anger, fear, excitement - these drive us to spread."

It becomes even more alarming when you realize how these bloggers, journalists, and "media" outlets get paid - crappy and per click.  You quickly make the realization that more media is placed than you possibly could have imagined.  Media manipulators utilize every lever possible to literally form history.  This book is packed with real life examples, accounts, and displays of exactly how manipulation delivers a false perception to ultimately become true reality.  Read at your own risk!

Crush the day!

DV