How To Split An Atom

There was a time when you could ask the question, “Who is the King of Rock and Roll?” and you could bet your blue suede shoes what answer you would get. If for some reason you weren’t sure, all you would need to do is flip on the old Black and White, or tune the radio and the answer would be pushed onto your lap.

We once lived in a world where information was locked to rigid distribution channels, and opinions were crafted by those few who had the means to control the signal in those channels.

Then, the Internet happened and those channels were blown open.

The question that I ask you, dear readers, is whether the Internet has destroyed fame?

Fame

The best response I ever received as to why we no longer have idols of the magnitude of Madonna or Micheal Jordan was this — it’s not because the world is incapable of creating superstars, it’s because when anyone can make a video in his basement that ends up being viewed by 50 Million people in a month, who isn’t famous?

Fame, real fame, the type of fame that keeps American Idols up at night, is the result of scarcity. In this case, it’s scarcity of information. The only way that you can reach the hearts and minds of a nation is if that nation is all tuning into the same thing.

Unfortunately, the age of the mega celebrity is quickly being replaced by micro-stardom as our attention is split down dozens of paths.

One side effect is that with the help of the web, anyone can be a little famous. This means that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for anyone to be “really” famous.

Is this such a bad thing?

That all depends on who you ask.

For me, it’s a fantastic shift in the cultural perception of fame. For the first time, anyone can distribute almost any creative work and make headway into an industry without the need of a major financial backer. With nothing more than hard work, good timing and a dash of luck you can go from an average Joe to an Internet sensation in the time it takes you to click publish.

Detractors will say that this style of fame dilutes the rags to riches motif that American celebrity is based on. People don’t care about an army of the marginally famous, and people certainly don’t want to believe that just anyone can walk into fame.

What they want, what they need is the story that only mega-celebrity can craft.

For the first time, this second group is the dying breed. As a greater and greater number of channels vie for our increasingly limited attention, it will be harder and harder for anyone to tap into the collective conscious. Without that kind of exposure, the ability to create mega-celebrity will be a hit or miss proposition at best.

Advertisers already know that the times are changing. These days, it’s just as likely for an advertiser to buy into a niche than it is for them to go after the icon of the day. Not only is it less expensive, but it’s also a much better way to target.

Web 2.0 Roundup

Celebrity, for the first time, is not as much about how many people love you as who those people are. It’s not only about finding someone with enough clout to push you into the public eye, as it’s about learning how to make the leap yourself.

So the next time you are walking down the street, wondering who the next big thing will be — think about it for a second. As crazy as it may sound, if you’re willing to put in the sweat, there is nothing stopping it from being you.

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