I recently stole the Foursquare mayorship of Nashville’s Entrepreneur Center from Michael Burcham, the President and CEO. The problem is that I don’t know whether I should be proud or ashamed.
Proud that I’ve been at the EC so often that I’ve checked in more times than Michael.
Ashamed that I’m one of the seemingly few still using Foursquare.
In NorCal, it was much more common to find people using it and I still have friends that regularly check in. This gives me visibility to their journeys and discoveries, sometimes even giving me the heads up that they’re near me.
However, from the beginning there have been a vocal majority that just don’t see enough value to use it. I understand that and think it will stay a niche product despite its attempts to become more of an advisor, such as giving you suggestions of places in a new city based on what you like in other cities.
Here in Nashville, there are precious few friends that are using it, though I am pleasantly surprised that several of my co-workers are using it. This makes it hard to tell how Foursquare as a whole is doing. It seems to be getting less and less press, so when I see the Mayorship of the EC obtained so easily, it can’t be a good sign.
Does anyone reading this blog use Foursquare or check-in with FB?
Categories: Technology
A Deliberate Life 
PS, I should have included this, well worth watching on this subject. [Disclosure: It does contain one F-bomb swear word courtesy of Mark Zuckerburg]
Lucky for Facebook, I’m not your average citizen because if many were like me they would be out of business. Personally, I would not touch either foursquare or Facebook with a barge pole. Like “they” say, if it’s free, then you are the product. FB proved that in spades.
Why would I ever want to broadcast where I am, where I have been, where I live, my age, who my friends and family are, where my kids go to school, what my interests are, what I prefer to eat, what books and movies I like, what medical issues I might have, what my fears and dreams are, where I like to go out at night, etc etc etc.?
A stranger in the street couldn’t pay me enough to get that information out of me, it’s private. You have to get to know me, one on one, over years, to find all that out. So… why would I ever want to hand all this info over, open book in perpetuity, to a corporation such as Facebook, for free? Its insane [no offence is intended, just sharing an opinion].
“Not enough value to use it?” I beg to differ. The issue is, you are opening your kimono for zero compensation. Its like getting a frequent-shopper card at the local grocery chain – they give you a small “reward” (a carrot) but in return you tell them who you are and everything about what you buy. A marketers dream.
Not sure if this audio will post properly here:
if not go here:
Somebody hears you. You know that. You know that.
Somebody hears you. you know that inside.
Someone is learning the colors of all your moods, to
(Say just the right thing and) show that you’re understood.
Here you’re known.
Leave your life open. You don’t have. You don’t have.
Leave your life open. You don’t have to hide.
Someone is gathering every crumb you drop, these
(Mindless decisions and) moments you long forgot.
Keep them all.
Let our formulas find your soul.
We’ll divine your artesian source (in your mind),
marshal feed and force (our machines will)
To design you a perfect love—
Or (better still) a perfect lust.
O how glorious, glorious: a brand new need is born.
Now we possess you. You’ll own that. You’ll own that.
Now we possess you. You’ll own that in time.
Now we will build you an endlessly upward world,
(Reach in your pocket) embrace you for all you’re worth.
Is that wrong?
Isn’t this what you want?
Amen.