Posted 07.01.2010

Death to the gatekeepers!

Freedom-loving entrepreneurs have made it their mission to get around them

By Thomas Frey

Recently a decision was made to allow people in 12 South American nations to travel from country to country without visas. Much like the efficiencies gained from a similar decision in the European Union, these countries are beginning to realize that life can exist without all the gatekeepers.

In the not-too-distant past, every creative work, whether it was a song, a movie, artwork, poetry, or an article for publication, had to be approved by at least one other person before the public could see it. Often times the work had to be screened by layer upon layer of reviewers so only the very best accomplishments would rise to the top.

Throughout history the gatekeepers kept us safe. They saved us from the bad people. But they also tried to save us from the boring and uninteresting, the radical and the off-balanced, the rumors and lies, and most importantly from the people who had a different opinion or heaven-forbid, a different agenda.

Gatekeepers were the ones who said "No!" And they said "no" a lot.

For businesses, the gatekeeper system was all about quality control, maintaining the image or brand of the company, and producing the highest quality products. Gatekeepers were also used to find the select few people who would be hired, the next generation of minds to build the company around. For governments, the gatekeeper system was intended to maintain the integrity of a system, manage an agenda, or further the notion of fairness and equality. Gatekeepers are placed at the entrance to a country, in airports to maintain security, or in weigh-stations along highways for truckers.

But the gatekeeper chokepoints for society are beginning to erode as people figure out ways to circumvent them. And they are finding great power in these emerging new forms of self-control.

The No-Gatekeeper Lifestyle

Enterprising people have begun to find the keys to unlocking their future, and it's a future that doesn't include the impenetrable barriers provided by gatekeepers. Publishing an article no longer requires the approval of an editor. Articles can easily be published on blogs or web pages without ever needing someone's approval. Videos and podcasts can be posted on iTunes or YouTube 24 hours a day, seven days a week. While this may seem like a subtle shift to some, the true impact is far more significant than any of us can imagine.

The no-gatekeeper lifestyle means you can create whatever product you want and sell it to people around the world without ever having to get someone's blessing. While some regulatory issues may still apply in certain markets, the majority of products can be sold without any hoop-jumping.

The True Market Economy

When a gatekeeper goes away it doesn't mean that there are no controls. Instead of an individual saying yes or no, either a market or a community will decide. For most, these market forces are viewed as being more democratic and by default, fairer. In essence, the true shape of a demand curve can be revealed once the gatekeepers are gone.

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