There Is An "I" In Team

Over at Good, dig into the latest from the most-talented Bethlehem Shoals:

In the digital age, it's never been easier for like-minded, talented individuals to find each other—or for companies with cash to burn to recruit them. There's a romance to technology as it culls, compiles, and practically backlogs people you virtually know, want to know, or might as well know even if it's only by reputation.

I've had the good fortune to work on several web projects, most of them rabid attempts to bridge the gap between high-minded criticism and good old-fashioned sports appreciation, that grew out of this petri dish of talent. The hierarchy of professionals and amateurs was long ago reduced to rubbish by the digital revolution; needing little encouragement, people found themselves as writers—and found audiences for their work.

But the prime defect of this abundance of talent has, without question, been organization. Maybe it's the casual nature of it all. Maybe it's the lack of practice. Or, who knows, maybe there's just too much happening, much too fast, for things to settle into a structure. Whatever the case, it feels like these noble, promising creative ventures tend to fall into the same patterns: Nobody's in charge, everybody has a voice, and nobody feels comfortable restoring order. We're all too busy…being good at stuff.

What I'm referring to doesn't involve rampant egoism in the traditional sense, more too many people who simply don't know any better than to run wild as the creative "I." Regardless, the net effect is the same: Nobody has a responsibility to the larger organism.