chrisbrogan.com - Latest Comments in Declaring Your Indepdendence

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 21:04:27 -0000

Jon & Chris, there isn't any speculation involved. The US flag was almost IDENTICAL to the BEIC flag. This can't be taken lightly. Especially in those days of yore, a flag was a symbol - of who you were as a people and what you stood for. And the Founding Fathers of the United States selected, as their first flag, the flag of the British East India Company, an extremely corrupt and malignant organisation. It begs the question - why? One minute they are dumping BEIC's tea into the water, the next they are taking their flag as their own? You can't easily dismiss it.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Chris Cree — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 06:09:14 -0000

Jon & Cameron, that was exactly the point I was trying to make with my "uncertain flag anecdote" comment. Had I said "speculative flag anecdote" perhaps I would have been more clear.

I was in a hurry to get to a 4th of July party. :)

Besides which, even if it is true, it is hardly proof that the East India Company was driving the bus of the revolution. They were chaotic times. With no official flag existing people wanted to show their defiance by flying something, anything, other than the Union Jack.

Being a land of merchants and traders perhaps someone had a BEIC flag (which apparently wasn't allowed to be flown outside the Indian Ocean) handy and hoisted it to thumb their noses at the British in Boston.

Because the article Carmeron pointed to is speculative itself there is no way of knowing for sure.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Jon — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 19:15:18 -0000

Cameron,

I'm basing this solely on the Wikipedia entry you cite, but it seems you might want to read that source a bit more carefully.

The entry states that the Grand Union flag was *possibly inspired* by the BEIC flag, not that it was a part-and-parcel adoption of said flag (and the implied corporate sponsorship).

An interesting bit of trivia, sure, but it's hardly proof or even significant evidence that the American fight for independence was motivated by a corporation.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Cameron Reilly — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 17:19:11 -0000

@Chris Cree
While I'm not going to claim the BEIC story is official history, it has always struck me as interesting that a new nation would adopt the flag of the company they were supposedly protesting against. When else in history has a country adopted the flag/logo/brand of a corporation? Why would a new country, founded in revolution, adopt the flag of the instrument of their recent oppression?
Again, I'm not taking potshots at American history, just asking what I think are interesting questions.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Jim Long — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 13:35:56 -0000

Chris, I'm declaring independence from my role as simply "cameraman" for NBC News. And I've been shouting from the mountain top, to anyone who'll listen, REINVENT YOURSELF. Pioneers (like you) of new media, video blogging and other forms of online storytelling have proven that they can go out there and DO it - produce content, inspire and aggregate audience, and in some cases leverage the viewership for ad revenue.

Just being a skilled craftsperson in the media field is fast becoming a commodity. So I say to old media people - build that social media, community building skill set. To new media pioneers, ease up on the pitchfork and torch, scorched earth screeds that at times dominate the new media discourse. Take a few notes from old media dogs like me. ;-)

These type of collaborations will produce promising value propositions for content consumers and the marketers trying to reach them.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Laura Athavale Fitton — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:29:50 -0000

Good stuff, thank you.
Can I add don't be afraid to ask/suggest things and *keep* suggesting even when you don't get the response you want?

Maybe I'm just 'talking out loud' to myself. Don't get discouraged too easily. If it took 2 years to get from tea party to gettin the party started, it's ok for some of your own efforts to take time.

Start today.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Chris Cree — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:10:36 -0000

Cameron, you are sorely mistaken. Reading through the accounts of the Declaration signers for example, many of whom were quite wealthy to be sure, reveals how truly committed these men were when they pledged to each other their Lives, Fortunes, and sacred Honor.

Many had their fortunes completely destroyed by the British in reprisal for their willful rebellion. Richard Stockton is just one example.

The wealthiest folks had the most to loose by the instability of revolution. Yet they went ahead anyway. And it cost many of them a great deal.

No, I don't history supports your position, one uncertain flag anecdote notwithstanding.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Thom Allen — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:56:10 -0000

Chris, excellent post. I always enjoy your perspectives. There will always be people who try and find something wrong with the United States. Always. It's funny actually, that people would spend so much time doing this.

We could take pot shots at each other all day, because I'm sure I could quickly spout off a few "founding" issues with other countries, but for me, I'm glad that I live in the US.

Have a great 4th everyone.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

chrisbrogan — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:42:36 -0000

I'm definitely not a historian, but if you're asserting that the country was founded solely as a corporation, there's plenty of documentation that would argue against the notion. It might be said that several of the BEIC's actions became catalysts for change, and that it was a corporate motion at the larger hinges in some ways, but Concord wasn't about that, nor were several other motions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Thanks for the thoughts, Cameron.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Diane Brogan — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:42:16 -0000

Great post on such an important day.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Cameron Reilly — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:40:08 -0000

So it's actually a celebration of the day a corporation bought itself a country.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Cameron Reilly — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:38:42 -0000

I hate to break it to you Chris, but it's my understanding that American "Independence" was mostly about the British East India Company deciding to buy itself a country to escape the pressures of regulation in England. It's a little understood fact that for the first 12 months of US "independence", your flag was actually the BEIC flag.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Shaine — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:37:52 -0000

Thanks for the inspirational post. It's funny how things group themselves together. Last night I was thinking about some long-term goals and what I must do to get from here to there. I do need to declare independence from the inertia of what is my current life. It's time to strike a new direction and be free of the past.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Neil Gorman — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:57:02 -0000

"Anything really worth going after requires a temporary surrender of security."

Words that I live by.

-N

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Michelle Wolverton / chel pixi — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:48:29 -0000

Chris, you're absolutely right on this. A lot of people I know lately are feeling stuck in this moment, stuck from moving forward.

My answer has become this: If you feel stuck, move. Do something that moves you forward to where you want to be. If you stay where you are then it's on you, you didn't take the next action to get you where you want to go. Don't complain to me that you are unhappy when you aren't doing anything to actively change that (this doesn't mean that I don't listen when someone needs me to). Wallow and then let. it. go.

I'm trying to apply that to myself everyday as well. All of my success (or failure) is up to me.

And to that end, I'm going to be working through some stuff while everyone is quiet for the day. Happy Independence Day my friend.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

David Finch — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:07:01 -0000

Chris, first of all, fantastic post! Second once again it always come down to action. Thanks for the inspiration.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

richpalmer — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 08:39:15 -0000

Yes, great post. For many years I've heard people in my organization stating... "It'll be better now, there's a turnover in the administration" or "Just wait a few months until X gets settled into his role, then we can make change." Baloney. Time for me to step up and make that change happen in my own role and in my own life. Great inspiration my friend. Thanks much.

Re: Declaring Your Indepdendence

Chris Cree — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 08:05:01 -0000

Great post, Chris! So many today are waiting for "someone to do something" never realizing they are that someone. Action is required. Without work there is no miracle.

Thanks for the holiday inspiration.