My Thoughts on Path
I’m fascinated by Path. As a disclosure, Path’s founder Dave Morin is an investor of mine, but he knows I’m not afraid to tell him if I don’t agree :) and the company inspired me to write for the first time in a while, so here goes.
Path is different because it’s aiming to bring meaning to our interactions. There is a lot of fluffy tech that utilizes easy viral mechanisms to grow but doesn’t do anything. These companies get funded or make a few developers comfortable, and in the spirit of capitalism more power to them.
There’s something to be said though for technology that seeks to bring us together. Not about how many friends, followers or likes, but about what you’re genuinely doing, enjoying or thinking about. Dave knows a thing or two about how to make commercially successful technology yet he chose to create this company because he also knows about how to make meaningful technology.
I love the idea of removing the filter that changes what we’re actually doing and feeling with what we tell people we’re doing and feeling. No my-mom’s-going-to-see-this filter means a more genuine and personal interaction. Path is attempting to tap into the desire we all have to understand each other on a deeper level, not just have more information about each other. Filling that need is where the company value lies.
It’s a pretty bold move to put your name behind a product that doesn’t have the viral features that you know will get your app into the most hands in a short time. The Path team is doing this because they believe that what they’re building will make the lives of people who use them better.
I’m not sure yet if I’ll use the app regularly, but one thing I’m betting on is the vision of Dave and his team. I think they’ll continue to build fresh technology and I’m excited to see what’s to come!
