The New York Times article :Death by Smiley Face: When Rivals Disdain Profit” muses on how businesses must now compete with those who are not motivated first and foremost by money. Whatever I think about this from a media point of view, I think it’s a nifty part of 21st century life that enough people can contribute this kind of time and energy to anything not directly insuring their survival. May seem obvious sitting in the United States, but the human experience isn’t so wonderful everywhere (even here), so let’s not forget to celebrate (occasionally) when people rise above the bare minimum and actually make each others’ lives better, in whatever small way.
The CNET reference which triggered my filters to this article in the first place:
Another example of genius ideas from people who don’t seek Internet riches is Chowhound.com. This nine-year-old site features community-generated restaurant review boards in various cities and steadfastly refuses to accept restaurant advertising. Rather than continue to grovel for donations and make a few dollars selling Chowhound books, the founders sold the company last month to CNET Networks, a Web business known for its reviews of technology products, for an undisclosed amount. Unlike Chowhound, whose independence and spirit it has vowed to maintain while helping to spiff up the site, CNET.com is chockablock with ads.