Humanity's New Toy

It might be because I am a woman, but I do feel concerned by a report that I read in the Times Newspaper recently. The comment was made that all the Social Networking sites are making the contact between people more superficial.

It put into words something I had been vaguely aware of. If attention is finite, then what happens when it is spread more thinly? Perhaps you do start skimming over more and more. But can you stop? Again, speaking personally, where do I direct my own attention?

What attracts my attention? Intellectual stimulation, the possible of making money, connecting with other people. There is a creative aspect of course. But, and there is a but, how does it affect the rest of my life, and the lives of people in general?

Twitter, for example, is rather like a new toy for the whole of humanity. Now we can tweet our inmost thoughts, if we dare, and everything from the ridiculous to the sublime. It is fascinating, even when it is a stream of tweets saying nothing more than #whentwitterwasoffline I was bored.....but is this kind of connection an expansion of consciousness, or is it an escape, a diversion, from the troublesome reality of deeper relationships?

It was a relief to discover http://www.harmonytweets.com which is an amazing blend of inspiration, action and commerce. It shows what is possible as people share a wealth of ideas and constructive action. Presumably Toyota are sponsoring the site, so there is some redistribution...of resources and energy.


Archbishop http://twitter.com/paradatx

Authentic Networking

In this is a short video promoting Guru Marketing.co.uk But I found a good deal within even its 5 minutes' length that was encouraging. It counterbalances some of what is less satisfying within Twitter. It is not rocket science and I would take issue with some of the comments.
For example, I don't agree with with the lady who said how she valued not "waffling around."

I think there needs to be a place for "waffling" including day dreaming and just enjoying who other people are, as well as working out what you can do for them and what they can do for you.

I think that some of our current difficulties are exactly because we over value efficiency. And so, even when you ring your GP, you are likely to face the dreaded "options" experience. Not to mention what actually happens when you get to your GP! More efficiency= fewer jobs. Is that really efficiency? With 1 million unemployed young people, you have to wonder if some of them would not have been usefully occupied, and contributing to society, as real live telephonists.....

So I was glad to read that the Green Party is facing this issue and has plans for green initiatives that will offer employment- the Green New Deal. Perhaps it is time to rejoin...and do some authentic networking there!

Back to the video. Briefly, truthfully, it is worth a view and I am sure the training would be fun as well as useful. And isn't it amazing how I had no idea that I would end up mentioning the Green Party in this post, but I did receive the local update today and so it goes....weaving things together in a modern woman's way.

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Photography and Social Media

Up until a few years ago, I never took a photograph. There was too much expertise required, all that dull stuff about apertures and lenses, I did not have the patience to sit down and learn about it. Now there is the wonder of digital photography and even I have been lured into it. A few samples are scattered here and there on this blog...

I discovered that I could point and click and make something worth looking at, or at least something that reminded me of an experience. I still don't quite get Facebook, with the constant stream of photos being shared of people grinning at parties...it just is not the most interesting kind of photo to me. That's more what much younger people do, never thinking that maybe one day they will wish there weren't quite so many photos of themselves getting "wasted"...for their grandchildren to see one day. My generation were fairly safe in the knowledge our indiscretions would remain private unless we became rich and famous enough to blackmail.

In a spiritual book by Jayem, I read today that privacy is an illusion. He means in a cosmic sense, but everyday reality is starting to be the same. It is probably true that if you are not comfortable with the whole world knowing that you are doing something, it is best to think twice or three times about doing it. Transparency really is the name of the game.






Photo Wealth System By Sandra

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I have a relationship with Social Media, and it worries me! I am beginning to feel that this relationship is a bit too important, it is like a cuckoo in the nest.. Is it really so vital to have more and more Twitter followers? Marketing people say so, of course, but why?
Is it to do with connection, or with marketing?
Social Media blurs the boundaries, opens up opportunities for amateurs like me, and I have, over months and years of experimenting, learnt quite a bit. But if the tools and techniques take over from the message, if the desire to have a following turns people (like me?!!) into steamrollers, so that everyone is tweeting and no one is listening....just how social is that?
I noticed some leaves today, out in the real world, and was reminded of a few lines by Rumi
"I see the beauty of a fallen leaf.
I see the beauty of a fallen leaf.
Who sees my beauty as I fall?"
Is it really possible to "listen" on Twitter? What does it do to real relationships to just build, and drop, followers automatically because I want to be listened to, and you didn't listen to me....Is this devaluing human connection and will it ultimately damage our relationship fabric. Do people still actually meet and have dinner and talk?
In a compromise between wanting to tweet "efficiently" and wanting to tweet "personally" I created a toolbar just for Twitter. It is quite simple, it suits me, and stops me wasting time trying to remember just where was the site I did such and such on. If the functional side of Twitter can be kept simple, then there is more time, theoretically at least, for connecting in a creative way with other people. I wish!

Social Media are something amazing! Even now, after years of using them, I am amazed at their power and the possibilities. Of course they have their down side. Hours go by....precious minutes and hours of life.
But they are not going to go away either! So how can I integrate them into my life, so that they make it a better experience in every way, not just financially but socially.
This is what I have been discovering, and will continue to discover. Not just the technicalities, though they are important, but also the "human" side of social media, and how it is changing lives and society.
I recently came across Mari Smith, and for me she is quite a role model. She is a very successful marketing expert, but she is also a rounded human being....in the best sense! She has mastered the art of communicating about her products in a very human way, so that you feel she really has your best interests at heart.
Facebook seems so straightforward, but I always found it rather confusing. Mari does a free introductory guide, which makes the whole thing much simple. It is free to download, and is easily aborbed in a few minutes, but it helps refine the Facebook experience in a few easy steps. Very useful, especially if you want to use Facebook to promote your business.