Online Karma Bank

Some things pay you back with interest. Others?

Two awesome posts from different parts of the world got us thinking: is there an Online Karma Bank? Are you rewarded at some point down the road – just for being “nice” online?

Post 1: The Delightful Marian Schembari. Learn 3 Ways to Be Nice Online. Lesson? Karma Bank exists. Must pay into it often. Returns will come – but maybe they’re already coming, if you relish the smiles along the way. And puppies.

Post 2: The Ubiquitous UnMarketing. Scott tells us that inviting us to an event that we can’t possibly ever make is just bad practice. Lesson: you can get negative Karma Dollars by annoying people online – telling them that they need to lose weight, or inviting them to your in-person seminar when you’re in Omaha and they’re in Okinawa.

Maybe, to put all this into perspective, a little “Empathy.”

I’m a big fan of Empathy – even if I don’t practice it as often as possible.

There will be people you don’t agree with. There will be people whose mere presence annoy you.

But, if you put yourself in their shoes…maybe it’s you?

Or, I should say, maybe it’s me?

I THINK you want to get my [INSERT LATEST THING HERE]. But it could be the last thing on your list.

I THINK you are interested in what I have to say. But I may not know enough about you to make that guess.

I THINK…

So, I’m not going to withdraw from your ledger on the Karma Bank if you’re not interested in the latest thing…maybe I can help you, maybe I can’t. Maybe you need it, maybe you don’t.

Flipside? See Marian’s ideas (which follow nicely with Scott’s general theme of not feeding trolls).

And don’t hold it against me if I’m not joining you on CityVille.