Tech Royalty: When Is Our Independence Day?

Allen Stern has an excellent video up today on Center Networks that highlights one of the most frustrating foundation issues I have with Web 2.0 and social media: for whatever reason, we seem to want to have a monarchy wherever we go.

In the U.S., we have a de facto monarchy created out of the entertainment industry. In the tech world, we have recreated that same A-list worship, which Allen points out.

What confuses me the most about the FriendFeed issue that Allen points out as well as similar issues on other sites is why anyone feels that they need to give that leg up to the Michael Arringtons and Jason Calacanises of the world. Doesn't everyone know who they are by now?

When I interviewed Ben Golub of RSSmeme, I was impressed when he told me how transparent the site was; there's no secret algorithm giving more weight to one site over another. RSSmeme is completely democratic (as far as basing it on Google Reader shared items can be since it's tied to one platform). There's still one thing to note, however: the same tech royalty still floats to the top. TechCrunch is still the most popular tech blog whether they are weighted or not. Mike Arrington and Jason Calacanis and Robert Scoble are still the most visible web personalities whether they are the ones who constantly appear in that "recommended" tab or not.

I'm looking for some new recommendations. I want to find new voices who aren't writing for TechCrunch or Mashable, and don't have 10,000 followers on any social media service. And right now, I don't know how to easily find them. What I most want to see is some service that gives a leg up to the little guy and recommends those people who don't already have that built-in user base. I already know who lives in the castle. Now help me find the chamber maids.