Prior to the days of what we now call Social Media, there were bulletin boards and mailing lists. My favorite memory of these started when I got a paper back from graduate school. The instructor had written in big red letters, “Don’t you have a spell checker.” I thought I did but it was not working and if a work doesn’t have a red line under it, it must be spelled right. For the next three weeks until I found and fixed the problem in WordPerfect I emailed my papers to a fraternity brother in South Africa for spell check. The world has grown ever smaller because of the web and social media applications
To discuss social media and networking I need to break it down into a few chunks.
Social Isolation
For people like my friend Jim who is suffering from a debilitating disease, can’t drive after dark, can’t work, and can’t be up for more than a few hours at a time the computer is a vital link to the world. For Jim the prayer for the computer is very apt.
Every evening
As I'm laying here in bed
This tiny little prayer
Keeps running through my head
God bless my mom and dad
And bless my little pup
And look out for my brother
When things aren't looking up
And God, there's one more thing
I wish that you could do
Hope you don't mind me asking
But please bless my computer too?
Now I know that's not normal
To bless a mother board
But just listen a second
While I explain to you 'My Lord'
You see, that little metal box
Holds more to me than odds and ends
Inside those small compartments
Rest a hundred of my 'BEST FRIENDS'
Some it's true I've never seen
And most I've never met
We've never exchanged hugs
Or shared a meal as yet....
I know for sure they like me
By the kindness that they give
And this little scrap of metal
Is how I travel to where they live
By faith is how I know them
Much the same as you
I share in what life brings them
From that our friendship grew
"PLEASE" Take an extra minute
From your duties up above
To bless this scrap of metal
That's filled with so much love!
Author Unknown
For Jim and the many folks in similar situations Social Media and networking provide a lifeline to the world outside from their rooms.
Connecting and reconnecting to old friends and family
In the days when most people never traveled away from their hometowns social networking was a part of daily life – it took place in the barbershop or the lodge. A quick listen to The Prairie Home Companion will provide a glimpse into those days of yore. In today’s world of mobility it is much harder to maintain those connections. Social Media provides a platform to maintain connections.
Classmates.com provided one of the first reconnect services. Unfortunately they provided mostly teaser service in the free version. For a small subscription fee you can get email addresses and establish direct communication. Facebook and My Space have moved beyond the limitation of premium membership with targeted click through advertisements. Combining search technology with social media has reunited many old friends.
Professional
The Leelefever video lays out the basic concepts of Social Media.
Sites like Linked-in have increased the range of personal networks to span the globe.
Time Wasting
While there are many great and useful applications in the realm of Social Media, there is also a huge percentage of time wasters. I am sure that many people are eager to share their sexual and drug stories along with their farms and hugs. While many of these are harmless diversions, folks need to realize that once something is posted on the web it never truly goes away. Hiring managers are routinely checking Social Media pages to determine an applicants’ character.
As a teacher who requires my students to friend me in Facebook I am amazed at how students that can not find enough time to do their assignments can take multiple quizzes on Facebook.
References.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkSaNToDbW8
Anonymous. (N.D.) The computer prayer. Retrieved August 19, 2009 from http://www.best-quotes-poems.com/God-Bless-my-computer.html
Leelefever (2008, May) Social Media in Plain English [Video File]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpIOClX1jPE
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