I heard about Free by Chris Anderson on a photography message board I read, and was excited to learn you could listen to the (abridged) audio version for… you guessed it… free. (If you’re interested, you can access it here). I had a long car ride coming up for work, so I put it on my iPod and listened away this past weekend.
The premise is that the idea of giving something away for free originated in a pre-cash society, when barter, social obligation, and general goodwill motivated the giver. As we moved to being a cash-based society, “free” was often a marketing ploy where “free” isn’t really free at all. (Think, BOGO free and “free gift with purchase” promotions.) But with the coming of the information age and digital distribution, there is plenty to be given, and gained, from that which is truly free. Free information, free digital files, free help, all at your fingertips.
There’s much more to the book than this, and some very interesting food for thought for anyone involved in running or managing a business or organization. In fact, it motivated me to convert my photo above into a desktop wallpaper/background anyone can download from my work blog.
The thing that’s most interesting to me from the book is the idea that any time there is an abundance of something (information, for example) it results in a scarcity of something else (genuine social interaction, self-directed learning, and/or critical thinking, perhaps?) This was not at all a main point in the book, but something I’ve been turning over in my mind the past few days.
Verdict: You might as well listen to the book. It’s free – and useful. And really, doesn’t the 80′s radio station get old after a while? (Unless you are my husband, apparently).
Article by Kelli. She's the primary caretaker of this here site. Hope you're enjoying your visit. 