The Bridgespan Group, a consultancy for nonprofits, has identified a leadership deficit in the nonprofit sector. My take on the problem's cause? (I know, no one asked.) Likely there aren't leaders because lots of talented people in the sector who show potential are deemed threatening and/or uppity by petty leadership--and their efforts at success are sabotaged. I'm sorry if this sounds snarky, but I believe it could be easily documented. So that's why has to stop, IMHO. This applies to trade and professional associations every bit as much as the more fluffy cause-oriented groups.
So, I've been spending some time with Glenn Reynold's book (Glenn being of course the seminal and highly influential Instapundit ), and I must say that it gives me lots of language I can use to talk about phenomena that are easily observable right now. I think you could say that Glenn Reynolds has done for technology what Virginia Postrel did with design topics . Which is to say, they beat the drum and say, hey, look at what this democratization of knowledge can do for you! In that vein, the book is really pretty visionary, pointing out the magic of the internet age. And I for one see it as magical. You know how Laura Ingalls Wilder's Pa in Little Town on the Prairie said to Laura that it was an amazing time to be alive (that was in the 1890s)? I've been actively thinking that to myself for the past few years, and An Army of Davids gives me ample evidence to back that up with its talk of citizen empowerment and the "comfy chair revolution." The theme of ...