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S3T (yes, its just pronounced "set") offers a unique but critical take on emerging tech and economics, tailored to change leaders who have a bias for action. S3T is written to mobilize, connect, energize, educate, encourage the change leaders of this world.
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Change is hard because change is multi-dimensional - you can't succeed by coming at the problem narrowly.
Change leaders need help:
- Excavating the perspectives and the inevitabilities that should shape our work and thinking.
- Focusing and investing our energy in the most pivotal elements for driving needed change.
- Strategizing how to manage the fact that change usually comes in sets of issues and sets of solutions.
Goal: Be a valued connector and outcomes conduit for the most effective change leaders in the world.
Why the "Set" approach Matters
Art, nature, finance and community are important frames of reference when thinking about how to shape the future - we cannot expect to create livable futures armed with technology alone.
Yes, software is eating the world as Marc Andresson observed. But let's not think of this as "the plan."
Blindly software-izing the world is like letting a bear eat all the beans it wants. Yes, there will be massive productivity. No, it will not be easy to clean up the mess.
Technology can drive amazing innovations - but without a set of values and reference points to guide us - the innovations can unleash more harm than good.
How S3T aspires to be different
In our zeal to identify and reach a “Target Audience” it is easy to forget that people are multi-dimensional. The Target Audience concept is perfect if all we want to do is reinforce people’s biases - and dumb the worlds problems down into good vs. evil comic book dramas.
If on the other hand we want to learn, cross-germinate, test ideas, mobilize and take an engineering approach to learning about, understanding and then successfully resolving crucial problems, we need to stop addressing people as “targets” being hit with narrow self-reinforcing messages. We need to address people as partners who can each bring something to help solve some crucial part of the puzzle.
While some may not initially understand the reason for a mix of seemingly disparate subjects - nature, art, finance, technology, equality - our shared goal is to learn over time how these elements comprise the crucial set of reference points as we design and execute toward a wealthy world not just a wealthy few.
The S3T Point of View
A healthy wealthy world is worthwhile outcome to work toward. A problem solving mindset that learns and works toward a healthy wealthy world will achieve more good than a pessimistic mindset that retreats into despair.
A healthy planet requires healthy ecosystems - including natural, social and financial. Healthy ecosystems require healthy communities. Healthy communities require healthy individuals. These are all sets of things that work together and impact each other. We must combine our individual skills and perspectives into sets of initiatives that effectively address challenges we face.
Nurturing the health and wealth of indviduals, communities, ecosystems and the planet is a high calling that offers an opportunity for every person's diverse gifts and talents.
Why the name S3T?
When I was thinking of what to call this, I set some criteria:
- short
- simple
- ages well - not a buzzword
I liked the idea of finding a word that was almost non-descript, something you could over time load your own meaning into. The word "set" rose to the top of my list. It was so overused it was almost invisible.
Think of all the ways we use the term “set”:
- All set as in prepared or ready
- Set in the surfing sense - a set of waves and especially the phrase “back set” meaning a set of waves coming behind the current set that are the real ones you want to get in position for.
- Set as a foundational math concept, ie set theory
- Set as in a movie set - the place where a story is crafted
- Set as in complete collections - a set of vintage comic books or dishes
- Set in the volleyball sense - as in setting up a spike opportunity for your team mate.
- Set as a reference to success or security - “set for life”
Beyond this, it seemed to have a natural relevance to one of the core viewpoints of this publication - change comes in sets.
Why is it spelled S3T?
The 3 is a stand in for the symbol ∈ which in math set theory indicates membership in a set. It is also known as the "Element of" symbol.
For example:
2 ∈ {2,3,4} means 2 is an element of the set {2,3,4}
Yes, in this case, its backwards. If it had been practical to register a domain name S∈T, I would have considered it, but as this domain faq details, certain unicode symbols in domain names is technically possible but reliable only in specific jurisdictions. I've also not been able to determine whether the specific ∈ symbol could be used in a domain. Alas, we always must adapt. :)
Thank you for being a part of S∈T!