'Wanna paint this fence?'

Excellent article on how we are all being suckered into creating value for others -- and jumping at the chance to do so.

Love the comparison to Tom Sawyer: "Just imagine if Tom had also schooled them in the networking opportunities of the user-generated endeavor: 'You’re not just painting a fence. You’re building an audience around your personal brand.'"

At Media Companies, a Nation of Serfs (NYT)