Change the conversation

Posted by Laura

June 29, 2005

Seth Godin points out in this blog post (aptly titled “Shark Attack!”):

You may have the greatest thing ever, but if it doesn’t match a
prevailing worldview in the market where you hope to tell your story, you’re invisible.

Mr. Godin mentions that we’re getting flooded with stories about shark attacks— but that more people in the US get killed in deer accidents every year than in shark attacks!

But nonetheless: shark attacks, cancer, and terrorism get more media buzz than the much-bigger tragedies of deer accidents, heart disease, and poverty.

But what if you could help change the world view? What if you could use your voice to bring attention and focus to more pressing issues?

Sound idealistic?

Good.

We all need to have high ideals, and we need to support them. One by one.

That’s what the folks at one.org are doing, and I’ll use my voice to help. Take a look at the little badge off in the sidebar to the upper right…what’s it all about?

Well, it’s a grassroots effort to get people to change a WORLDVIEW: one where poverty is unacceptable. If the mainstream media wants to use their incredible power to focus on shark attacks instead of more urgent issues — maybe a groundswell of bootstrapping bloggers can help — one at a time — to help change not just a worldview…but an entire word.

Am I sounding idealistic again?

Good!

Here’s the idea: my little blog doesn’t get millions of visitors a day like CNN or NBC or any of the big news media outlets that are **supposed** to keep us informed. But the folks at one.org have asked bloggers like me to start a buzz.

To change the conversation.

Now, that’s pretty smart grassroots marketing. Get a couple of thousand bloggers who get a couple of thousand visitors a day to go to one.org to watch a short video (with the likes of Brad Pitt, Antonio Bandaras, Susan Sarandon, Kate Hudson, Tom Hanks, Jamie Foxx and about 25 other incredibly beautiful famous people). Ask bloggers (like me) to sign the “ONE” declaration. and to blog about one.org and live8 .