My Quick Take on Content Curation

Smells like a trend, but it’s something people have been doing for a long time, only the tools are changing, sparking all kinds of inspiration.

Forever people have been curating things they care about like albums, CDs, art, books, baseball cards.. Nowadays I’m collecting more things online from news, info on particular topics, photos and videos thanks to Internet tools Flipboard, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Facebook, Pearl Trees.

One of my favorites is Scoop.It, who asked me to describe what inspires me to curate and share my interests. Please give it a read and let me know your approach to curating.

Lord of Curation Series — Ken Kaplan

–What is curation to you?

Curation is an act of discovery and expression that collectively, at anytime, reveals a digital mosaic of who you are and who you are becoming. I curate news articles, tech reviews, tips for photography and video making, and stories about people doing innovative things. This is content I identify myself with or want to be identified with and share with the world.

When I was a kid, I liked collecting baseball cards. I’d aim for getting as many different cards depicting my favorite players. Next I’d work on getting each player to complete the roster of my favorite teams. Curating content stirs inside me a similar desire to collect, absorb, organize and share or trade with friends. When I’m curating information and media online, I’m collecting bits and pieces of I need to grow my interests. These pieces somehow reflect of my personality, values and knowledge that I’d like to share with the world.

-What is your best curating secret?

My curiosity and appreciation is revealed through content I curate. Learning from and sharing with others is the best part of anything worthwhile in the world. The secret is to remember what it feels like to inspire and be inspired.

-How has curation enriched your social media experience?

Curating is a love-of-information sport that at times has been bittersweet. It has drawn me away from my love for reading newspapers andmagazines, yet it has introduced me to interesting people who are on the pulse of topics I find important like video production, photography, journalism and the tech industry.

Reading or consuming then actively curating content takes time, but now this can be done seamlessly if not simultaneously. Consume and curate is the new read, rip and share that I still do when I read newspapers or magazines. The difference is speed and scale: read more quickly and share with more people. Digital curation is allowing me to read and understand more than ever. I’m also collecting, organizing and adding my own relevance and insights then sharing with anyone who shares my interests. On the flipside, I can try to sharpen or balance my point of view by looking for curated content that is critical to my tastes.

-Movin’Ahead demonstrates your great knowledge and interest for the Italian culture. How did this topic become your passion?

Italy is a special place in my life because of the true love in my life, my wife and children. My wife was born and raised in Italy, while I’m a Northern California kid. Together we face the challenges and benefits of a bi-cultural family.

My blog was born out of a deep seeded desire for working things out and moving ahead to the finer things in life. Getting stuck or bogged down by confrontation, opposing views or filibusters often can crack open opportunities for thoughtful criticism and reflection, but inevitably things move ahead. Keeping in mind the finer things in life — past, present and future – helps me move ahead in the right direction.

With some regret, I have done less thoughtful writing and more whimsical photo and video sharing on my blog. But one constant theme in my blog through the years has been my fascination with Italy’s amazing culture and awesome eye candy. Each year, we visit family in Italy, typically spending summers in Calabria, where tragedy, comedy and history are part of daily life. One of my dreams is to visit many of the small towns across Calabria, capturing photos, dialect and folklore that make each place unique then write tight, visually telling stories that inspire more people to come see for themselves. Someday!