Another great posting that is thinking fodder. I must admit I've sat on this for some days thinking about my comments.
All too often we see stories as a telling activity – as you mention the old style push marketing messages. The interesting aspect for me is how it is not just the telling part but the relationship and interaction which enhances the story and brings new meaning. Its this power of story + relationship that is so powerful. You used the metaphor that Robert Scoble used. As my first degree was in chemistry this resonated with me. For me the atoms are the people and the chemical bonds that are between them are the stories and shared context that bind them. Communities / tribes are the chemical molecules and polymers that can exist.
For me the binding – the chemical bond – or in biology the visceral connection that connects people needs energy (and not entropy) to exist. I'm not meaning the weak stories that can produce a loose connection, I'm meaning the deep stories that can really bond organisations/communities and hence they can take on any purpose.

Thanks for posting

The point about business models being increasingly dependent on working the fringes reminded me of a thought about the individual and the edges . I did not complete the thought but your post has given me some more questions for it http://futurechat.in/roads-edges-and-us/ .

So does it mean that a person and company face almost similar challenges with regard to information ?