We passed upon the stair.
We spoke of was and when.
Although I wasn’t there,
He said I was his friend.
Which came as a surprise,
I spoke into his eyes:
“I thought you died alone,
A long long time ago.”“Oh no, not me,
David Bowie (although the unplugged Nirvana cover is really my point of reference) – The Man Who Sold the World
We never lost control.
You’re face to face
With the man who sold the world.”
Would early-stage Google recognise its grown-up self on the stairs? What would they think of each other?
How about Oxfam / UNESCO / the U.S. Government / [insert your project’s name here]?
Is a shift away from “Don’t be Evil” (better, of course, to start with “Do Good”*) inevitable with the passing of time or just with increasing size, or something else? Organisations and businesses can be powerful forces for good in the world, but as they grow they often seem to become increasingly about… themselves.
On not dying alone
What are you selling?**
*This at least has the advantage of being possible.
**Hopefully not out.