Social Networking: Enhancing or Consuming Lives?
“The media overall has become social, and the social has become media.” -Steve Rubel
New friends from the utilization of Social Networking.
Narcissists!
About 5 months ago, I moved towards coming to peace with the current Social Networking craze around the world and it was not easy.
Up until that point, I was not sold on this new form of communication. I am old fashioned. I like talking to my friends in person. I refused to join Facebook for awhile, then I joined…quietly and guiltily. I had a Facebook page and a hundred friends or so… but No way! was I going to be a “friend” to someone whom I had never met. I did not “Poke” people, refused to “update my status,” and rarely commented on anything I saw. I did not want anyone to know I used this… this… vile, voyueristic killer of relationships. Twitter and blogging were not even a question. They were only for narcissists!
I was and still am really concerned about the impact that Social Networking has on an individual’s relationships and his ability to experience the world.
To Understand is Powerful.
I made a short video, subtly poking fun at Facebook and would try to convince people not to join. But I was losing. I then begrudgedly accepted this new form of communication and I decided to do some research. I wanted to get to know more about social networks. I read, Thomas Friedman’s “The World is Flat,” and Jim Jarvis’ “What Would Google Do?,” and I also started reading a couple blogs, Chris Guillebeau’s, “The Art of Non-Conformity” and Seth Godin’s Blog.
Well, I went from a “hater” to being excited about this new form of media. Here’s what changed my tune:
*Using the Internet, if you have a remarkable and potent IDEA, this IDEA can reach millions for a very low cost.
*No longer do the Rich & Powerful have total control over Information & Ideas!
You do not have to pitch your story to any TV Executives, sell recording execs on your music, or pester the New York Times to have your story published. All you need is access to a computer and the Internet. Anyone can share their Idea with the World!
This idea excites me.
That said though, my concern has not dissipated, my strategy has changed though. Instead of abstaining or just dipping my toe in, I have decided to plunge in head first. I realized to really understand and utilize this new form of media, I must embrace it.
Hence, Create Our World was born!!!
With CreateOurWorld.net humming, my Fan page on Facebook, tweets, my YouTube videos, Couchsurfing.org, and my photographs on Flickr; I have fully plunged. Here is what I have learned so far:
1. Social Networks can ENHANCE your REAL LIFE Relationships.
***Through Facebook and Couchsurfing especially, I have met MANY people whom, pre-Social Network days, I would not have met. I can enter a town and through a quick search on Couchsurfing meet up with an interesting person almost anywhere in America or meet up with a friend on Facebook or a friend of a friend.
2. Social Networks can be a Magnet & a Filter for Like-Minded People.
***The Internet is my Filter and my Magnet!!! While traveling I still get to meet people from all different walks of Life whom teach me all sorts of interesting concepts. But, I can use the Internet to connect with others whom believe in the Goodness of People. I have met some people through the Internet, whom I have yet to meet in real life, but whom have given me support and ideas that can contribute to my project and my Life.
3. Balance is Key.
***There is always a comment to respond to, a photograph or video to upload, a message to send, and an inspirational tweet that comes to mind. There is always something going on and it can be consuming. I must balance my offline Life with my online Life. My online relationships should ENHANCE and not CONSUME my Life.
***
We met through the Ann Arbor Couchsurfing Group
The ability of Social Networks to connect and befriend new people is winning me over.
But, what are your thoughts and experience? Please share your wisdom.
Create Our World.
Ben.
“Social Networking that matters is helping people achieve their goals. Doing it reliably and repeatability, so that over time people have an interest in helping you achieve your goals” – Seth Godin
Tags: adventure travel blog, Benjamin Jenks, create our world, hitchhiking, roadtrip around the USA, social networking
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About Me.
jason
yep, i agree with your perspectives on what’s happening with social media/networks in that balance is key (and not something most people have the willpower/desire to employ) and that ANY system is as successful or failed as the way people USE said system. it’s an interesting time we live in and i do often think about how sad it is when technology appears to be consuming lives instead of enhancing. it’s so easy to become overwhelmed and shut down by the amount of information available as our species has never had to cope with/comprehend the massive volume of varied information being thrown at us daily. personally i find it generally making people more self-involved and, at the same time, less self-aware. they become too reliant on these mediums to define who they are – i recently spent some time with a woman who was absolutely obsessed with facebook and twitter to the point she wouldn’t know what to do with herself if either service were offline for any period of time. it was very sad to me.
it will definitely be interesting to see what happens in the next 10 or 20 years to a generation growing up immersed in technology – perhaps they’ll move toward becoming integrated even more with it and perhaps they’ll reject it and go back to basics.
anyway – this is a GREAT topic to discuss – thanks for bringing it up :]