Who would ever want to be King? (Or How To Recognize A Revolution In One Easy Step)

It’s not the best of times for Kings.

From Wall Street titans like Dick Fuld to Main Street titans like Howard Schultz the future looks difficult.

Even the kings of the blogging world are beginning to whine.

On the same day that Mike Arrington announced a vacation from blogging and blamed other bloggers for threats on his life, his friend Jason Calacanis released a 10,000 word (at least) opus on how technology has pretty much fucked up his head and that we need “change”.

Of course I’m all for change, especially since it’s pretty much inevitable. But whining only when the arrows come at you doesn’t taste right. And anyway, what I am even more interested in is the timing of both of these screeds and what’s happening underneath and below the noise.

Let’s be real.

Arrington is a brilliant entreprenuer and what he has done with Techcrunch over the years is nothing short of amazing. His chutzpah, timing and ruthless focus makes him an internet legend.

But let’s also be honest, Techcrunch’s future ain’t exactly bright.

With the economy tanking (and all the smart guys betting it’s going to get worse) a website that makes it’s money from folks who get their money from VCs doesn’t seem like a growth industry, at least for the next couple years.

I might be a little stressed too, thinking about how to keep the cash rolling in during the next two years of lower revenue and increased competition.

A sabatical might be just what I need.

“…revolutionaries wait for my head on a silver plate…”–vida la viva

You know how to spot a revolution?

By looking at the kings who litter the floor.

People get hurt in revolutions.

Some may be innocent bystanders but most victims are supporters and emissaries of who or what it is that’s changing. Today our government is trying to save industries that came to life around the last great depression. But all the government help in the world couldn’t save the horse and buggy.

That’s just the way revolutions work.

Not everyone gets out alive.

What does that mean for our blogging kings?

Well maybe instead of trying to change the public they might want to look at themselves.

Not because nutjobs who spit on people have a point, but because if your gut says something needs to change, it’s probably right.

And all change starts from within.

It’s also probably time for some Denton-like creative self-destruction

or bullet-proof vests.

Explore posts in the same categories: blog networks, chartreuse (beta), new media

Tags: denton, dick fuld, howard schultz, Jason Calacanis, Mike Arrington, revolutions, Starbucks, techcrunch

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