by Helen M. Ryan
“If you make sure you’re connected, the writing’s on the wall. But if your mind’s neglected, stumble you might fall.” ~Stereo MCs
A few days ago Chris Brogan asked on his blog, “Is a social media crash coming?” My answer? Yes – to a point.
Social media is incredibly useful. It lets you re-connect with friends, meet other business professionals and learn many things. I have been introduced to some wonderful connections through Twitter, for example, and learned things quicker from others than I could on my own.
The new media is built around the basic concept of connecting. As our society becomes more and more disconnected, we find ourselves running to the internet to restore that feeling of belonging and closeness. One big, happy, international family.
As we make our way through this relatively unknown land in search of community, though, we are slowly beginning to wonder: “Is this really what we came for? Is this all there is?”
TIME’S A WASTIN’
In his article, Chris pointed out that if he communicated via Twitter, email, Facebook and telephone to just 100 people in his network he would spend 13 hours per day “connecting.” That doesn’t include whatever he needs to do to actually make money…or connect with “real people.” I’m not sure any of us can pay bills if we dedicate 13 hours daily to networking online.
Social media is still fairly new, and as we play with our shiny new toys we are coming to realize that the hours we spend “connecting” on the internet still leave us with one overpowering feeling: emptiness. It’s the same emptiness we tried to fill when we turned to the internet in the first place.
So now we text. E-mail. Tweet. Facebook. Digg. Stumble. Uhm…Deliciousify. Fark. Buzz. Feed friends. Eh…Technorat and Redd.* But we are not talking, sharing and communicating voice-to-voice or face-to-face much anymore.
Virtually, you can’t feel the warmth of a handshake or enjoy the comfort a hand on your shoulder provides
In the virtual world you can’t hear the meaning behind words in the way only a voice can reveal. You can’t see the raised eyebrows of surprise, or the smile playing at the corners of a mouth when someone is joking. You can’t feel the warmth of a handshake or enjoy the comfort a hand on your shoulder provides. You can’t sense the other person’s energy or emotions through your sleek (and beautiful) monitor.
I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND
The online world has a definite place, but it will never replace in-person relationships. It is bound to stumble and fall as people realize this is not the “magic bullet” they were hoping for. However, social media will rebuild itself. Out of the ashes it will rise, becoming better, faster, stronger – and smaller. It will always be an incredibly valuable tool, when used correctly.
After the fall, people will start to choose one social media outlet or another and not try to use them all. They will begin to realize it’s the quality, not the quantity, of people in their networks that make our worlds go around. They will play with their children and hang out with their buddies, share a kiss, or watch the sun magically set – with their Twitter- and Facebook-enabled phones safely silenced. Once again the world will correct itself and bring us back to basics: People. Relationships. Connections. In your personal life or in your business, that will always be the one true way.
I am rooting for social media because I help businesses and individuals make their presence on the internet. I write a lot for the web. I am internet-based myself (a bonus because I am better-looking online than in real life with the help of Photoshop). But I also train people face-to-face, make in-person presentations, ride my bike with a group, and sit and eat Thai food with friends.
All with my phone off.
Do you?
*(The misuse of brand names is intentional to illustrate a point.)
