"We can make him better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster."

Steve Austin was off the airwaves before I was born. However, the pop cultural significance of "The Six Million Dollar Man" lingers on. Why?

After all, $6 million doesn't get you that much on the open market these days (12 Tomahawk Missiles).

Legacy of Redemption.

It certainly isn't because of the stellar plot. A recent NBC retread only garnered moderate interest and was soon canceled. In reality, the relevance of the show is based on the idea of redemption through technology.

Specifically, it crystallized the idea of "augmented" humanity. A reality where humanity could achieve a higher plane of being and still retain their humanity. We were being made better, not being replaced.

Haven't I seen this movie?

Technology is hardly ever seen as a redemptive force in pop culture. If anything? It's seen as a dangerous and destructive force bent on destroying the essence of our humanity. Thanks James Cameron.

So why has technology gotten such a bad reputation from the creative class? Simple: It has the ability to make people obsolete. A fear of obsolescence is hardwired into our genetic code. This fear has led to the misdirected vilification of progress by some really, really smart people.

The reality? Creativity is just expanding into new arenas of influence.

Creativity and technology can't just coexist. They need to make each other better.

The creative class is evolving. Not regressing:

We've gone from the simple interruption to an integrated conversation.

We've taken a static image and made it interactive.

We've stepped off the sidelines and joined the conversation.

Concept to conversation.

The best creative concepts are white hot sparks of inspiration that never die out. The ability for an idea to live on different platforms, arenas and concepts isn't just an option anymore: it's a requirement. Meta-culture is the new norm.

What does this mean for an agency or brand? It means that you now have to work collectively rather than separately. The tools are here, you just have to figure out how to use them.

Conversation is the new creativity. Technology is its weapon of choice.

Photo Credit: paulk

tagged as arenas, artificial intelligence, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, cognition, concept, creative class, creative classes, creative concepts, creativity, education, educational psychology, ideas, pop culture, positive psychology, problem solving, Psychology, steve austin, white hot