Comments on: What I believe about social media today

By: markdykeman

markdykeman — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:08:10 +0000

@GirlPie - Aw shucks. If you had a blog, I’d go join your audience!

By: GirlPie

GirlPie — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:09:26 +0000

Thanks for clarifying, I HAD misinterpreted. You’re right that there’s no plan (at least with many of the wanna-bes that come to me for help to achieve this idea of fame/fortune), but I think that speaks further to the idea that they’re unthinkingly aping what they’ve been shown by the TV.

Theater, movies, concerts and sports events are still major social media players, but TV has reduced their reach (even as it tries to widen a shows’ ‘community’ with TM-voting.)

But the 3rd screen, this computer monitor, is changing social media ever more as it takes solo viewers and lets them build a far-reaching audience (as you have done so well with your blog.) Great discussion, thanks.

By: markdykeman

markdykeman — Thu, 29 May 2008 09:09:03 +0000

@GirlPie - I think you may have misinterpreted my comment. It’s not that I’m not sure why people want fame or recognition. I think that a lot of people want fame and fortune BUT they’re not exactly sure why, nor do they necessarily know what they would do with it once they got it. Sure, there’s money and there’s recognition, but is there really a plan with most people to use it effectively after they get it?

There’s no doubt that television has a huge influence in people’s thoughts, opinions, etc. but I wasn’t really thinking of TV in this context.

By: GirlPie

GirlPie — Thu, 29 May 2008 06:08:21 +0000

Nice brain-share, thanks.

You mentioned that you’re not sure why “a lot of people want fame or recognition” — I know why. Television.

In the centuries before, only a relatively few wanted to be the tribal storyteller, or on the stage, or later in the movies. But when we’re raised with and co-parented/schooled by TV from Day-1, a bazillion times more people become wanna-bes because we’re hard-wired to naturally ape our “parents.” Just a guess… from a late-boomer in that industry… Current civilizations less interested in fame? Probably NOT having 3 TVs in every home…

By: Barbara Ling

Barbara Ling — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:16:15 +0000

Regarding:

I believe that social media has to move beyond selling things and focus more on sharing things (the original intent).

I’ve been online now since 1989, and you are quite correct that the original intent of the Internet was to share things online. I see alot of bloggers internalizing in what they share (witness the zillions of free Wordpress or Vbulletin etc. plugins you can find online).

Data points,

Barbara

Check out 21 Days to a more profitable blog - Day 9! Add Amazon to your Wordpress blog sidebar from Barbara Ling

By: markdykeman

markdykeman — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:50:26 +0000

@Robin - OK, I see what you mean

By: Robin Cannon

Robin Cannon — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:32:16 +0000

By submission sites I mean the likes of Mixx, Sphinn and (as a less qualitative example these days) Digg.

By: markdykeman

markdykeman — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:52:52 +0000

@Robin - can you give me an example of these submission sites that you’re referring to?

By: Robin Cannon

Robin Cannon — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:12:59 +0000

Oh sure, but rather taking social media as the medium rather than the topic of discussion. Because it expands the discussion (of any topic really) so much and is so open to new input - which is generally a good thing - does mean a lot more repetition.

Albeit it’s something that’s arguably self-solved by submission sites that help evaluate (even if imperfectly) the best of the bunch in terms of new content.

Check out Where’s The Damn Paparazzi? from Robin Cannon

By: markdykeman

markdykeman — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:44:41 +0000

@Robin - I do think that some publicly trading companies do get social media, but that’s a conscious decision and investment of time on their part.

Regarding:

too many people are saying the same thing in only slightly different ways

is SM really much different from any other area of interest? There are always popular topics and acceptable things to say on any topic.