Launching 2013

Created 3:50am, Jan 6, 2013

Filed under Culture, Journal, On the Web, Work

Last year was a challenging and fulfilling one for me. It started off mundane enough, voluntarily having my life whittled away by my employer. I had set only a few goals for myself that year, and I’m happy to say I met them all, even if one of them required a… reinterpretation.

Resolved, that I will launch an entrepreneurial venture in 2012.

What started as a side-project to learn about a variety of software development technologies and practices in early 2011, evolved last year into a serious outlet for me to express some of my strongest held sociological hypotheses. Two years on, I am still knee deep in design and development. So for me to satisfy the resolution is a case of “It depends on what your definition of launch is.” ;-)

Originally, I intended “launch” to mean feature-completion of the initial product, deployment of the product to a proper production environment (e.g. dedicated technology resources, regular data backup, etc.), and triumphant announcement to the public that it was finally Ready™. I now interpret it simply as the public announcement of the venture and the general opening of discussion about the core product (which heretofore was stealth). So without further ado I introduce to you, Blocvox.

Blocvox is a social communication platform that captures and publicizes the zeitgeist (i.e. intellectual and cultural spirit) of active social groups as they evolve over time. That it is based entirely on direct democracy allows these groups to counterbalance two debilitating challenges they must presently confront:

The piecemeal delegation of constituents’ power to a handful of representatives creates a power concentration that risks its egregious abuse, and
Profit-seeking by mainstream media outlets results in filtration and distortion of their messages and actions.

These challenges severely impede public understanding of groups. In the end, this undermines the earnest efforts of groups to compromise mutually-beneficial solutions to the complex problems of today’s world. Thus, Blocvox ultimately seeks to restore the promise of the freedoms of speech and association to make the world safer, freer, and more enriching to everyone. (Hey, at least I can’t be faulted for not thinking big enough.)

To say this is the most ambitious product I’ve ever worked on is an understatement. The expectations of modern web consumers are exacting. The social media landscape is crowded by some very heavy gorillas, and a veritable glut of capuchins. Oh, and did I mention, aside from immeasurable support and feedback from family and friends, I’m the only one currently undertaking the venture? Still, I can’t imagine doing anything else at this point in my life.

So what will 2013 bring, you ask?