The Economics of Interestingness

Posted on November 3, 2005
Filed Under Web News |

Last week Anil Dash opened a unique discussion on The Interesting Economy, by suggesting that Flickr should reward its most popular subscribers through a system of monetization.

Flickr co-founder Caterina Flake takes on the core concepts in her response called Economies of Interest, very much worth reading for its affirmation of the originating spirit of the Internet - the free gift.

Dash holds that users of software and Internet infrastructures should pay in some measured way for their usage. He feels that users who are more greatly invested act in more valuable ways to their group. In his posts he suggests the converse also, that in this case the group reward its more valuable users.

Flake is suggesting that the value of that very usage is subjective to its users, and is a variable, increasing from the spontaneous generosity of its users, who contribute additional value voluntarily into the growing group ethos. She cites the culture of generosity as the backbone of the Internet.

Dash is fascinated by the interchange between different types of value, especially here as shown by the exchange rate between the economic capital of monetization and the social capital of communities. His thought is inspired by Flickr’s creation of interestingness, an algorithmic mechanism that selects from the group inventory the more highly regarded (and thus, more interesting) pictures for showcase.

Every webmaster shares this fascination. We all see how communities of interest arise and flower through voluntary infusions. As synergies become manifest, the glow of the group approaches brilliance.

At each new plateau of group brilliance, outside observers perceive a new nominal, even monetary, value of the group that may not be apparent to its members, that may not even be desired within their group ethic of sharing.

The question then becomes, can you monetize the value without selling the precious gift into servitude, and thus eventually dulling its glow?

To us as developers this is a lovely question, both cognizant of the massive glow of human brilliance that the Web displays, and redolent of the trials and strains of the Internet’s enabling infrastructure as it races ahead to meet its destiny.

We have some answers of our own to these great themes of development, and they will follow in time.

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