Comments on: Social Web Ushers in “The Era of Alone” http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/ Practical marketing solutions Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:26:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jamie Lee Wallace http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1130 Jamie Lee Wallace Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:09:39 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1130 @Jayme - the "J-mes are in the house!" ;) As the mother of a nearly 6-yr old daughter who enjoys the electronic gadgets of our day, I appreciate your call to action about helping Gen Z develop those basic communication skills. Kids (and sometimes parents) get so wrapped up in learning technical skills that they forget about the core of what makes us human. Great points. Happy Friday, everyone! @Jayme – the “J-mes are in the house!” ;) As the mother of a nearly 6-yr old daughter who enjoys the electronic gadgets of our day, I appreciate your call to action about helping Gen Z develop those basic communication skills. Kids (and sometimes parents) get so wrapped up in learning technical skills that they forget about the core of what makes us human.
Great points.
Happy Friday, everyone!

]]> By: Jayme Soulati http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1129 Jayme Soulati Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:51:35 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1129 Late to the party, again. The fear here is the inability to develop basic communication skills by Gen Y, Gen Z to lead their future. Am seeing it now. Solution as Jamie says (whoa, an email just arrived from her!), is to remove the temptation. Turn off the 'berry during dinners or keep it on silent put away. Resist the urge for rudeness and seek one another's eyes to communicate. @Soulati Late to the party, again. The fear here is the inability to develop basic communication skills by Gen Y, Gen Z to lead their future. Am seeing it now.

Solution as Jamie says (whoa, an email just arrived from her!), is to remove the temptation. Turn off the ‘berry during dinners or keep it on silent put away. Resist the urge for rudeness and seek one another’s eyes to communicate.
@Soulati

]]> By: Mark http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1049 Mark Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:11:50 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1049 Past blog fodder!! : ) I wrote about this topic in "Managing Generation Zombie" which can be found here: http://businessesgrow.com/2009/08/10/managing-generation-zombie/ I also featured noted organizational development expert Gil Crosby commenting on this post in his article "Digital natives" will need special care in the workplace: http://businessesgrow.com/2009/08/11/digital-natives-will-need-special-care-in-the-workplace/ Past blog fodder!! : )

I wrote about this topic in “Managing Generation Zombie” which can be found here:

http://businessesgrow.com/2009/08/10/managing-generation-zombie/

I also featured noted organizational development expert Gil Crosby commenting on this post in his article “Digital natives” will need special care in the workplace:

http://businessesgrow.com/2009/08/11/digital-natives-will-need-special-care-in-the-workplace/

]]> By: Lisa Foote http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1047 Lisa Foote Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:52:53 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1047 Future blog fodder: How do companies source, choose and manage younger workers who have come of age in this environment? What is the value of old-fashioned officing vs working together virtually? How do we coach better interpersonal skills into a generation glued to mobiles, many of whom are not good at one-on-one IRL interactions? Future blog fodder: How do companies source, choose and manage younger workers who have come of age in this environment? What is the value of old-fashioned officing vs working together virtually? How do we coach better interpersonal skills into a generation glued to mobiles, many of whom are not good at one-on-one IRL interactions?

]]> By: Mark http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1046 Mark Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:44:57 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1046 I've not read that book but its sound as though it was quite prescient. I think "cocooning" is a superb term for what I was trying to get across. Sure, I've built amazing online relationships -- and I also make a point to strike balance in my life. But if you're the type of person who is not predisposed to that balance -- cocooning would become your lifestyle. I'm not sure a butterfly would ever emerge, however. There are vast implications for society. In the past, people would have to develop socialization skills to get by. No longer. What does that mean for the workforce of the future? How we market and connect to those folks? Smart comapnies need to be considering these issues. It's already happening. I’ve not read that book but its sound as though it was quite prescient.

I think “cocooning” is a superb term for what I was trying to get across. Sure, I’ve built amazing online relationships — and I also make a point to strike balance in my life.

But if you’re the type of person who is not predisposed to that balance — cocooning would become your lifestyle. I’m not sure a butterfly would ever emerge, however.

There are vast implications for society. In the past, people would have to develop socialization skills to get by. No longer. What does that mean for the workforce of the future? How we market and connect to those folks? Smart comapnies need to be considering these issues. It’s already happening.

]]> By: Steve Dodd http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1045 Steve Dodd Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:33:55 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1045 Thanks Jamie!! I resoundingly second your thanks to Mark for hosting these "parties". I've learned so much from everyone who participates. Most blogs are very onsided with the post and comments to the post. This one has actually turned into a conversation which is why it has become so enlightening! Thanks Jamie!! I resoundingly second your thanks to Mark for hosting these “parties”. I’ve learned so much from everyone who participates. Most blogs are very onsided with the post and comments to the post. This one has actually turned into a conversation which is why it has become so enlightening!

]]> By: Jamie Lee Wallace http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1043 Jamie Lee Wallace Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:16:45 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1043 @Steve Dodd - I read the book "Clicking" when it first came out and still recall many of those "future" trends which are now our reality. I like the point you bring up about 80% of communication coming from physical signals. I suppose emoticons (which, I'm sorry to say, I often use quite liberally) are our lame attempt to replicate some of those signals. Perhaps technologies will be developed that will add those non-verbal/text layers to our conversations. Maybe we'll evolve to a predominantly video-based "social" network. I hope not (I work in my PJs a lot!), but anything is possible. The other question you raise - about trust - is also very provoking. I read Chris Brogan and trust is obviously a cornerstone of his positioning. I think that it requires more effort over a longer period of time to build trust on the internet. Until you are well-known enough to have thousands of people vouching for you, you need to do a lot of extra work to convince a digital acquaintance that you are who you say you are and not some poser with an ulterior motive. You need to have consistent conversations, pay attention, listen, and respond. Such great conversations here - thanks, Mark for hosting these parties. @Steve Dodd – I read the book “Clicking” when it first came out and still recall many of those “future” trends which are now our reality.

I like the point you bring up about 80% of communication coming from physical signals. I suppose emoticons (which, I’m sorry to say, I often use quite liberally) are our lame attempt to replicate some of those signals.

Perhaps technologies will be developed that will add those non-verbal/text layers to our conversations. Maybe we’ll evolve to a predominantly video-based “social” network. I hope not (I work in my PJs a lot!), but anything is possible.

The other question you raise – about trust – is also very provoking. I read Chris Brogan and trust is obviously a cornerstone of his positioning. I think that it requires more effort over a longer period of time to build trust on the internet. Until you are well-known enough to have thousands of people vouching for you, you need to do a lot of extra work to convince a digital acquaintance that you are who you say you are and not some poser with an ulterior motive. You need to have consistent conversations, pay attention, listen, and respond.

Such great conversations here – thanks, Mark for hosting these parties.

]]> By: Steve Dodd http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1042 Steve Dodd Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:01:20 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1042 In 1996 a futurist named Faith Popcorn wrote a book called Clicking. I'd not picked it up in years, until I read this blog. The book was written at a time when the internet was really just entering the mainstream and the concept of social media had barely been thought of. The first (of 16) future trends discussed was "Cocooning". People are comfortable in their own space for all kinds of reasons (security, familiarity etc.). Popcorn predicted that as technology evolved, people would be able to rely on it for most things that previously had to be done "outside their physical comfort zone". Because of this, they'd not need to venture out of this "physical comfort zone" but would be able to do things they likely never would have been able to do in person (either because of distance or fear). Fast Forward to 2009 - Cocooning = the Era of Alone. What bothers me is where is this going to take us as it continues to evolve. You challenged the term "Social" since there is clearly no social component (in the standard sense of human interaction) in this online world. I wonder that since 80% of our ability to communicate is from physical signals (the true social aspect of communication) if these distant connections will ever really evolve to real relationships and will we ultimately ever be able to truly “trust” them. And, if we can’t, what’s the point? In 1996 a futurist named Faith Popcorn wrote a book called Clicking. I’d not picked it up in years, until I read this blog. The book was written at a time when the internet was really just entering the mainstream and the concept of social media had barely been thought of.
The first (of 16) future trends discussed was “Cocooning”. People are comfortable in their own space for all kinds of reasons (security, familiarity etc.). Popcorn predicted that as technology evolved, people would be able to rely on it for most things that previously had to be done “outside their physical comfort zone”. Because of this, they’d not need to venture out of this “physical comfort zone” but would be able to do things they likely never would have been able to do in person (either because of distance or fear).
Fast Forward to 2009 – Cocooning = the Era of Alone.
What bothers me is where is this going to take us as it continues to evolve.
You challenged the term “Social” since there is clearly no social component (in the standard sense of human interaction) in this online world. I wonder that since 80% of our ability to communicate is from physical signals (the true social aspect of communication) if these distant connections will ever really evolve to real relationships and will we ultimately ever be able to truly “trust” them. And, if we can’t, what’s the point?

]]> By: Mark http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1031 Mark Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:05:43 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1031 @Nitin + @Jamie + @ Kimmo: You've given me about a month's worth of blog ideas here! It's great to have your contributions in this community. Thank you! @Nitin + @Jamie + @ Kimmo: You’ve given me about a month’s worth of blog ideas here! It’s great to have your contributions in this community. Thank you!

]]> By: Kimmo Linkama http://businessesgrow.com/2009/10/15/social-media-the-era-of-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-1027 Kimmo Linkama Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:45 +0000 http://businessesgrow.wordpress.com/?p=116#comment-1027 I confess to being old-school in that I really can't understand a young man and his girlfriend coming to a restaurant together and spending most of their time texting away - probably not to each other. Or if they do, there's something really wrong with their communication skills :) I think part of the prevalent "alone in a group" thinking is that people are afraid of revealing their true selves. I also think many people want it that way. Maybe it's because in the times we live in, there are such high demands for perfection that they prefer to have a little control over how outsiders see them. Of course, physical distance also plays a role. Take myself, for example. You all know me only through my blog, tweets, comments, the occasional e-mail - but since I'm physically on the other side of the Atlantic, there's only a minuscule chance we'll ever meet each other. So, in theory, I might be fooling you all the way, but then again, we would never have met had SM tools not been available. Coming back to what we are trying to achieve through our presence in social media, especially for business, this opens up some interesting thought paths. Not least about trust. A little meandering post, sorry. Just recorded the thoughts that came to mind. I confess to being old-school in that I really can’t understand a young man and his girlfriend coming to a restaurant together and spending most of their time texting away – probably not to each other. Or if they do, there’s something really wrong with their communication skills :)

I think part of the prevalent “alone in a group” thinking is that people are afraid of revealing their true selves.

I also think many people want it that way. Maybe it’s because in the times we live in, there are such high demands for perfection that they prefer to have a little control over how outsiders see them.

Of course, physical distance also plays a role. Take myself, for example. You all know me only through my blog, tweets, comments, the occasional e-mail – but since I’m physically on the other side of the Atlantic, there’s only a minuscule chance we’ll ever meet each other. So, in theory, I might be fooling you all the way, but then again, we would never have met had SM tools not been available.

Coming back to what we are trying to achieve through our presence in social media, especially for business, this opens up some interesting thought paths. Not least about trust.

A little meandering post, sorry. Just recorded the thoughts that came to mind.

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