Idea Day1:No Love No Hate
This is an idea I came up with while talking with my friend, Ethan, who was brainstorming for Internet startup as well.
The concept is very simple. I ask myself this question: There are lots of so-called web2.0 service at this moment, but which one actually serves the “basic need” of human beings, if any? So, at last I come up with an answer - people always want to be cared, be noticed, or be complimented with. That’s right, why not use the Internet as a bridge to link “remote cares” from strangers?
My approach is based on a simple website. First, users input their email addresses. (without login or signing up for accounts) Next, write down a “bless” or other positive, encouraging words such as “cheer up, I believe you can make it!” and submit this sentence to the server. Upon receiving the submission, the server will randomly send those good-words to a certain email (which is left by another user.) The result is, everyone who contributes a positive saying can get one in return, and it’s from a stranger, which means sometines you may get a touching story, other times a few cliches. Who knows? Is’ always a surprising!
To sum up, only 3 steps required to complete the process:
1. send in your email.
2. offer cares (or your own struggling stories, if you will) for others.
3. receive others’ good-words in return.
Beside, this service can extend to cellphones. Words can be sent/reveived through SMS at anytime, anywhere. Thus, users can decide a specific time they want to receive these words. (eg: when in low mood)
How do you think about this idea?
Interestingly, while I was contemplating this idea, it brough up another opposite one: “why not harnessing collective hatred?” (as concept of Tim O’Reilly’s “harnessing collective intelligence”) which completes another half of this “no-love-no-hate” project.
I will reveal this one next time. 
could be just me..
This is an interesting idea, Timothy. My thought is that if you can work it out such that the end users don’t see, or have access to those emails you are collecting, and you’re able to express that to the masses, I’m guessing this could take off.
Don’t get me wrong, we all get way more than enough email as it is, so be sure to clearly brand in the subject line, or the “from” address where the message is coming from. If you can do that, I’m sure you’ll get some interesting interactions!