Smoke Signals
Michael Barbera
Smoke Signals
I remember as a kid watching 50’s era Westerns where Native Americans created smoke signals as a way cool method of communication. Seen from great distances those unable to decipher the exquisitely placed plumes agonized about the meaning of them and the intent of those familiar with them. I remember being amazed that anyone could be so smart and resourceful to use smoke plumes as a language. Being seen and communicated with on the Internet is kind of a metaphor for smoke signals. Some years ago, I owned a brick and mortar custom jewelry studio and shop. I fondly remember decorating the shop, building displays and product, marketing, and proudly talking up my product and myself to whomever would listen. I made a lot of friends along the way. Many purchased a piece that I had built, others didn’t. All were interested enough to ask questions about my work, seek advice about gem purchases or ask how a particular piece was built and assembled. Sometimes, I feel much the same as an Internet entrepreneur attempting to make an acquaintance with anyone willing to make the effort to gather the tinder and ignite it.
We’ve progressed from hunter-gatherers making meaningful eye contact with the other in order to share in the acquisition of a day’s protein requirements, to traversing the Internet, incognito. As Consumers we are bombarded with superfluous and demeaning advertising and are justifiably wary of anyone trying to get the better of us. Coupons, punch cards and never ending sales have tarnished the trust we have in one another in a commercial world, as well as the ways in which we communicate with one another in the real world. “I want…therefore, I must have! I’ve placed it in the cart, and be sure to ship it to me on the same day with a 50% discount!” In the not too distant future, our orders will be shipped to us before we actually place the order. So much for eye contact and the pleasure of meeting the person responsible for creating the items we covet. Mass production and the retrieval of data based on our browsing and purchasing habits have made it possible to anticipate our needs before we are aware of our needs. In this world of mass production, individual creativity is not held in high regard. In fact, without the protection and unlimited resources of large corporations , artists and craftsmen are relegated to non-cyber encounters in order to effectively and efficiently market themselves and their craft much like the makers of smoke signals in a world of the telegraph and of the Pony Express. As artists and craftsmen, how do we utilize the incredible promise that is the Internet in order to market our products on a worldwide stage? I think e-mail has a great potential to bridge the gap between potential buyers and sellers of limited production products. How to coax individuals to take the time to communicate with one another is another matter. I believe that the same threads of correspondence found in letters and postcards can be utilized to facilitate meaningful communication, through e-mail. Let’s strike the flint and deliver the message. If you have insights or comments, please e-mail me. I hope you have enjoyed this post.