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Max Gladwell™ is not a person or a even a pseudonym but rather a branded online persona. Max Gladwell™ is a blog with its own identity and point of view. It is the collective conscience of those who engage as authors, commentators, friends, fans, bloggers, critics, followers, contacts, subscribers, viewers, users, members, and/or visitors. Max Gladwell stands for virtue, reason, creativity, individuality, capitalism, democracy, humanity, trust, objectivity, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness.
As a character and an ideal, Max Gladwell is somewhat of a floating abstraction, which has been modeled on Ayn Rand’s iconic hero of Atlas Shrugged, John Galt, who built a revolutionary motor that harnessed ambient static electricity as a clean (green), cheap, and infinitely renewable energy source. Galt prided himself on productivity, personal responsibility, and individuality. These are the core tenets of Rand’s objectivist philosophy and also happen to be core principles of the social web: producing and taking responsibility for one’s own content, transferral of power to the individual, and greater personal fulfillment. Ultimately, Max Gladwell’s words to live by were articulated in Galt’s speech to the world when he said that “Life is the reward of virtue. And happiness is the goal and reward of life.” In other words, we do well by doing good.
However, life and living presuppose certain criteria such as clean air, a healthy food supply, a stable climate, basic human rights, and the sustainable use of our natural resources on a global scale. These are some of the topics that Max Gladwell will highlight and explore in the context of the social web.
Max Gladwell is utilizing the tools and applications of social media to communicate these messages and build a decentralized community across the social web. Along the way, Max Gladwell will offer insights, overviews, reviews, and how-tos for each site, service, or utility that we use. You are encouraged to subscribe, join, and/or network yourself at the following Max Gladwell pages:
Max Gladwell was founded and created by Rob Reed. Rob is a career journalist, entrepreneur, and marketing executive. Most recently, he’s been working on a Web 2.0 startup in the health & green living space. Previously, he helped to launch Conserv Fuel, LA’s first green filling station and the only source of E85 ethanol in Los Angeles. He managed marketing and communications for Willie Nelson’s BioWillie biodiesel brand, launched the Citizen’s School Bus initiative with Julia Roberts, and wrote The Way of the Snowboarder, a book on the history and people of snowboarding. Rob lives in Santa Monica, CA, with his wife and daughter.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Howard Greenstein // Aug 13, 2008 at 6:41 am
Max, you asked me to get in touch on the Social media club site. So, lacking an email for you, I’m leaving you this comment. Please get in touch via mail, or my details are on my twitter or howardgreenstein.com pages
2 Why We Can't Save the Planet and Shouldn't Care About the Environment | Max Gladwell // Sep 10, 2008 at 9:00 am
[...] Who is Max Gladwell? If you’ve answered that question, then you know the name was partly inspired by Ayn Rand’s magnus opus, Atlas Shrugged, and her Objectivist philosophy. It’s fitting on many levels, especially as we consider the many issues associated with green living. [...]
3 willtrusty // Sep 13, 2008 at 9:22 am
Hi There,
Joe Solomon asked me to get in touch with you, re my hobby.
The best way to describe who I am and what I do is this blog post on Social actions website.
http://blog.socialactions.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2062983:BlogPost:6414&page=1#comment-2062983:Comment:6462
In a nutshell on Aug.13/o8 I started a facebook group, currently 1100+ and growing
It is dedicated to online social change, encouraging people who use apps on facebook to use the charity apps that are verified to donate.
I do the verifications and myself, and as of Sept.7/08 I created a website for my cause to reach more people.
I honestly know nothing of webdesign, or running a group for that matter, so I am running this on pure passion, a wing and a prayer. I do it strictly in my own time as, well hobby is not the right word…. But please read the blog and check out my site. You may find it very interesting
Keep it green with the Bean
Will Trusty
http://www.savetheplanetonline.org
4 Out of Work? Need a Job? Start a Blog. This is Resume 2.0. | Max Gladwell // Oct 19, 2008 at 12:51 am
[...] a gifted and principled architect. Roark embodied the same heroic ideals that would come to define John Galt in Atlas Shrugged. He symbolized humankind’s boundless capacity to innovate, produce, and [...]
5 Great green Twitter feeds for environmental news junkies // Dec 1, 2008 at 8:42 am
[...] Where social media and green living come together. (Max is not an actual person, but a persona created by blogger and marketer Rob [...]
6 Green Blogs » Blog Archive » Great green Twitter feeds for environmental news junkies // Dec 1, 2008 at 10:24 pm
[...] Where social media and green living come together. (Max is not an actual person, but a persona created by blogger and marketer Rob [...]
7 Social Media Predictions for 2009 | Max Gladwell // Dec 29, 2008 at 11:17 pm
[...] Gladwell (MG): Max Gladwell is the personification of an ethos and an ideal that’s grounded in the principles of [...]
8 True Innovation is Always Green | Max Gladwell // Mar 17, 2009 at 9:10 pm
[...] the novel Atlas Shrugged, the hero John Galt develops a breakthrough motor than runs on clean, renewable, and infinitely abundant energy (static electricity). The story takes [...]
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