The Arab Spring this year has represented a political and cultural watershed. Whereas in the US, many critics and sociologists have argued and researched the implications of our new technologies on society, from internet addiction, to the change in language and the banality of our discourse. The Arab world on the other hand has re-purposed it to unbind itself from broken and ancient political regimes. They’ve done so in such a way where technology is not just another tool, but it is interwoven into the narrative of events as happenstance. Technology faded into the background (as it should). People communicated and organized, tweeted and shared, so that the flow of information aided their cause and illicited sympathy from the “People of the Couch” and world opinion. The brilliance was not how they organized or used technology, but the coherence and organic nature of events. It is a marvel of our times. It answers a number of questions that are oft mentioned in entrepreneur circles: How do we start? Will it work? Will people want it? Is it the right time? Are there competing interests? Can we attract people to our cause? Will they fit the culture?
Some may have difficulty understanding how the revolutions this year can instruct business practices. I argue that all human events and interactions can lend insight to human nature as it relates to consumption, communication, and productivity. Read Tipping Point.
I’ll only focus on the most compelling lessons for this short post.
Where to Start?
The impetus is pretty well known at this point. A young Tunisian fruit seller, Mohammed Bouazizi, from Sidi Bouzid a small town of 40,000 in Tunisia, worked on a fruit cart. On this day, he was approached by a female municipal worker for not having a license to sell, but very few vendors did. The municipal worker confiscated his scale, which happened to him before. He knew he’d have to pay a bribe. Indignant and mad, he protested the confiscation of his only source of income. The worker slapped him in the face!
Next events unfolded that would spark a regional revolution. Mohammed proceeded to the local municipality poured gas over himself and cried out, “How do you expect me to make a living?” Then lit a match.
Several things can be drawn from this desperate story. The human need for sustenance is indisputable. Rather, it was this man’s dignity that finally led him to this shocking act and not his living standard. There is often a singular discussion on what sparked an idea or why there is a need? Founders will often discuss a need they had in their life or something missing in the market. Rarely does someone discuss their innate will or need to shape the world around them for the better. Whether we admit to it or not, we are driven by the need to find that which is missing and find some form to articulate it in. I don’t mean to turn this into a psychology of entrepreneurship. Rather, perhaps something more abstract and less tangible, the human spirit. Tony Hsieh has written on how to cultivate happiness. Steve Jobs wanted to create a better world, he said:
The only reason I want to do it is that the world will be a better place with Apple in it.
Jack Dorsey is trying to simplify human interaction. The thread that links them all and truly all who genuinely care about change and improving the human condition is that it satisfies the soul. We are built to shape our world.
Challenge Convention
If you asked any expert on the region in 2010 on the status of these political regimes, most if not all would have affirmed the persistence of strong and resilient dictatorial regimes. The human brain is built for repetition and consistency. People have a difficult time imagining an alternative, especially one that involves an entrenched idea.
The case of the Arab Spring is not unique in the course of history, but it involves an epidemic. A psychological barrier was breached in Tunisia and it spilled over to other countries in the region. People of Sidi Bouzid started protesting in a country where it was rarely seen. Surrounding villages with equally high unemployment, shared in the anger and uproar. The government’s response was to brutally suppress the protests that resulted in hundreds dead. Videos via Facebook and YouTube (warning graphic) carried images of the carnage and violence, shocked Tunisians into action and then the rest of the region.
It’s easy to see the events unfold in hindsight and assume it would have turned out the same way. There were several ingredients at play: opportunity, pent up will and a desperate need for change. This involved an entire generation of people, where the average age is below 30. As compared to Europe where the average age is 40 and above. Young people were agents of change and they created their own culture. The fit in this instance was ensuring that people believed in change, freedom and social justice. As the situation remains fluid, it remains to be seen if this revolution turns into a generational struggle. Nonetheless, it is the young generation that is organizing, tweeting, sharing, posting and putting their bodies in harms way to ensure the success of the revolution. Young people have raised the stakes even further by articulating their demands and making declarations to the consternation and discontent of the entrenched powers. The older generation has equally exclaimed, “who are these people and who are they to make such demands?” It all adds to an overwhelming feeling of chaos and confusion, with many urging to hold onto established norms and means for legitimacy.
Established Order
New Order
If we were to visualize the worldview of these generations, it would look like what we see above. The old generation seeing that things may have been bad, but if we let it get any worse we have much to lose. Young people see it as a world of opportunity. Does it look familiar?
Legitimacy has been taken by the young, perhaps earned depending on who is analyzing the situation. Thus, the revolution continues. Entrepreneurs who are now seeing our new world should start thinking less about the tech elite and instead the 99% of humanity that can benefit from their knowledge and expertise. Take the most important lesson from this period in time. Think about how safe drinking water, food sustenance, and sustainable development can help people. You can make money, but you should also have a mission. Tom’s is a great example in action. There is a world of opportunity and it will probably make you money, so share your ideas. Let it meet the concrete of failure or sky of prosperity.
Digit-ly 