Social media doesn’t define me, but it is a part of me…
Monday, May 11th, 2009Just back from a weekend up the coast… an absolutely beautiful part of the world, Port Stephens… I will have to figure out how I relocate the family up there one day, but that’s for another post.
The point of this one is just to touch on how i have been virtually uncontactable, only via mobile, while away… so no twitter, no opportunity to blog, no facebook… to be honest I didn’t miss them at all, but it was also like coming home to an old friend switching on tweetdeck and checking my emails, comments etc.
Then today I read an article in Sunday Life (lift out mag in Sun Herald) “Let them eat tweets” by Virginia Heffernan (writer for the New York Times Magazine). For those who haven’t read it, the article looks at the purpose and outcomes of involvement in twitter, and other social media networks. Click here for the full article – Let them eat tweats.
Overall, I found it a very negative view of what we reap and hopefully share from online social networks. Of course everyone has a right to their opinion, so therefore i’d like to express mine.
Over the last year (I think) that I’ve been a Twitterer and Facebooker I have not only forged new contacts, friends and networks; I have learned an enormous amount of things. I cannot possibly quantify, but here is a quick snippet:
- Earthquake in Italy before it made it to the papers from someone on the wobbly ground
- Blackouts in Sydney… particularly relevant as it can affect what time Mr Verb makes it home
- Learning writing skills – both fiction and corporate writing
- A lot I didn’t need to know about Max Markson
- Blogging & micro blogging skills
- Insight into the impact social media is having on business and the general public
- On the ground updates – words and pics – from Myanmar during mother nature’s devastation
I could go on, but I think you get the picture. It’s vast, relevant to me and has made me a better person. I am not only the person in my twitter profile, social media doesn’t define me, but it is a solid part of me and my network of business and social contacts. Without social media I wouldn’t be who I am today – I wouldn’t have connected with so many old school friends, I wouldn’t have gained certain work projects and I wouldn’t be writing this entry. Thank you for existing Social Media and thank you to all those who have made it possible!
So to that end, I say adieu until the next entry… I am off for a jog, another aspect of my world!
Quick update - to reinforce the above, I had dinner last night with two friends from high school who i haven’t been in touch with for around 18 years. The only reason we were there together having a YUMMY laksa was due to Facebook. I learned things from my friends last night, not only about their last 18 years, but also facts about the world they knew that i didn’t. Again, thank you social media!
