With great social media power should come great responsibility
I’m going to stick my nose into the Feldman/Israel situation. Sort of. Actually, I’m going to suggest a better use of everyone’s time. It would be for a charitable cause and it would promote social media to boot. Everyone wins.
If anyone is wondering who Loren Feldman or Shel Israel are and what the big deal is about them, Mathew Ingram has written a good summary of their situation. Suffice it to say that the two have exchanged words in public forums and both claims that the other has done hurtful things that have caused different kinds of harm. And puppets were involved.
So there’s a lot of talk, discussion, banter, commentary, analysis, hand-wringing, head-scratching, screaming, etc. that’s been going on over this whole situation. Amidst all of this, Loren has purchased the shelisrael.com domain name and has organized a Shel Israel Council of Web Relations to decide what should happen to the domain name (i.e. give it to Shel free of charge or… not, I guess).
It’s great entertainment and theatre. It’s got people talking. You can hear the popcorn popping in the background and the beer steins clinking. The Legionnaires are sharpening their swords.
It’s also an incredible waste of time and resources.
Loren is apparently organizing this global council meeting on July 25 to decide the fate of the Shel Israel domain name.
This Broadcasting Brain from a small town in Canada is issuing a challenge to these gentlemen and their council members:
If you insist on having this July 25 council, do something constructive and charitable with it.:
- Turn it into a fundraising campaign.
- Pick an important issue, promote the crap out of it, and use the July 25 event as the climax of a massive fundraising campaign. Think “Frozen Peas” fund as an example; find a good cause and raise money for it.
- Use your access, influence, and celebrity to make a really big deal of out it. Publicly bury the hatchet and unite in the name of this charity. Pick something like literacy, poverty, the Red Cross, or something and do some good with this social media power that you all have.
- Show the world that something constructive can be done with social media on a big scale.
Or have this spectacle, then go have some drinks later. Whatever. You’re mature, responsible adults. You can figure out the best thing to do. Meanwhile, those less fortunate will continue on with their own lives, oblivious to this hollow spectacle.
And in the end, who cares who slighted whom? Aren’t there bigger things to worry about? Plus, if both Feldman, Israel, and the various A-List bloggers and other social media personalities involved all put their weight behind this, just think of all of the money you could raise and good publicity that you do for worthy causes AND show the world that there’s a constructive, powerful use for social media? You’ll all look good.
EDIT (June 28/08) – well, something has changed. Loren Feldman took down the “global council” post (you’ll get a 404 link now) and has replaced it with this public statement to Shel Israel. I guess July 25 is off. Oh well.
StevenHodson:
I've stayed out of this because it has struck me as nothing short of stupid and a waste of time and energy over the stroking of egos.
Good post.
26 June 2008, 8:05 pmMark Dykeman:
Well, to each their own. I highly doubt that this post would attract either gentleman's attention but sometimes the view from down here looks a bit different.
26 June 2008, 8:38 pmJeff Quipp:
Maybe, they're both doing it for the attention
26 June 2008, 8:40 pmMark Dykeman:
Jeff, I'm shocked!
26 June 2008, 8:46 pmpmctosh:
Ok, this has my vote. But like most will agree, chances are slim that it'll happen. There seems to be more concern with a couple guys acting out “baby mama drama” class. Sad when there is such potential to really show the use and power for good of social media. Ah well, at least they're “engaging others in conversation” right.
26 June 2008, 8:46 pmMark Dykeman:
Hey, what they chose to do is their own business. BUT, they're in a position to do something useful with that spotlight.
26 June 2008, 9:08 pmJames Chartrand Men with Pens:
Hmmm… I have a few pacifiers kicking around that those people could use.
Man, no kidding, Mark. What a waste of time and energy.
26 June 2008, 9:34 pmJim Spencer:
Not sure I would support drawing any further attention to this debacle. Also not sure that the nature of the tiff is complementary to the charity of your choice, unless maybe it was the retired boxers support fund, or retired puppeteers home for the aged. An Attention monger should be starved of attention and not turned into a savior on a white horse.
26 June 2008, 11:45 pmMark Dykeman:
Perhaps, Jim, but they have the spotlight at the moment… they could do better things.
27 June 2008, 5:59 amKimberly Bock:
Mark, it's so terrific that you would create a suggestion of this nature! I'm extremely impressed with the notion.
What I do see going wrong are a couple of factors that may actually be more harmful than helpful, I'm afraid.
First and foremost, if A-listers (marketers/social media personalities) were to get their toes in it, they would use it
as advertisement / self fulfillment, potential future gain.
That's scary in and of itself, for the majority are NOT acting on behalf of the consumer's welfare or anything of state, national, or global benefit.
Could you imagine if Wal Mart got involved? They have created mass detriment on a global scale and many people not only like them but praise them as a result of their using 'goodness' as a theme of theirs to persuade and profit from. (check out “Wal Mart: The high Cost of Low Price http://www.walmartmovie.com/)
Secondly, yes, it would be terrific if they made-up in public view and all of that jazz. but it would also not be necessary in order to impress. It is equally impressive to see that people can opt to disagree, opt to not like someone / something, and opt to remain opposites…but STILL be able to set aside their differences in order to protect humankind.
Great post Mark. It's a thinker and a motivator. The 'right' people putting this concept into action could really make waves.
27 June 2008, 12:38 pmKimberly Bock:
haha!
27 June 2008, 12:39 pmMark Dykeman:
Thanks Kim. I really don't expect that either Israel or Feldman will take much notice of this post. I'm actually more curious to see the reactions of, well, everyone else.
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