What, exactly, is wrong with the old frontier?
When Google + launched, millions of formerly optimistic people became optimistic again. Maybe this was going to be the one, the social network with just the smart people and none of the lame stuff, none of the spam or the pitches or the people we're trying to avoid.
And the same thing is true when the pack runs to the new nightclub, the new technology, the new suburban subdivision. Maybe this will be the one…
Of course, it rarely is. So much disappointment and so much bitterness. It's never as great as you hoped it would be. Ennui and then, eventually, waiting for yet another new frontier.
It's the old frontier that actually presents the most interesting opportunities, because the shine has worn off. This is your platform for real innovation, innovation in a place or a market or a situation that truly is ready for it.
Phi Beta Iota: Our collective interpretation of this is that the two old frontiers — a sustainable Earth and humanity prosperous and at peace — remain the greatest challenges and opportunities. Everything else is new, transient, and a tool rather than a fundamental.
