January 31st, 2012
Hi, this is the first of a series of posts which tend to explore the awareness of Social Network’s users in regards to the actual usefulness of the various type now into existence. I do not intend to minimize or to shade the actual functionality of your favorite social networks which surely have a lot of practical utility for those using them. Same for myself when using Twitter. I love it and wouldn’t cope without it. It is now part of my everyday life and this surely cannot be changed. I believe the same holds true for any of you whatever your favorite social network is.
Few months ago, however, my mind was invaded by some strange and alien thoughts. Surely I was engaged into a sort of cosmic brain storming by some distant entity coming form another planet !! It started to question me about the actual usefulness of social networks which it calls them in a different way : Social Distraction Networks ( or was it destruction ?!? Can’t really recall to mind the exact word it’s used ). My first reaction to this was really unpolite: “what the hell are you talking about ?? Millions of people using social networks every day on this planet, you know that ?? We are all enthusiastic of them and enjoy using them. What’s the problem with you ?!? ” This, more or less was my reply. Then the challenge started.....
This little “piece of alien” started his transmission of thought from his distant adobe. Light years away from us. It was trying to inculcate into my mind that there are other ways to use our social community networks. Ways that could not only keep us in touch with friends, exchanging experiences and thought, plying games in a virtual environment that gives us the possibility to use our real money to buy credits so that we can give a huge virtual carrot to our bunny in the farm !! Clever isn’t it ?!? Again I answered in a rude way: ” Hey, you know what ? A huge carrot can also be used in a different way rather then feeding my bunny in the firm !! Got it my little friend ?!? ” The conversation went on along this line for a good while but I’ve rather save you the rest. Surely you can use your imagination to complete this tread. After several provocations like the one described above, the little alien started to explain me the reason why it has been appointed by the congress men ruling his distant planet to engage a transmission of thoughts to us. The reason boils down into this: Evolution.
Strange as it may seams, he gave me a quick example showing me a tweet made by alrightythen@jeezelouise :
“They only gave us the Internet because it was a newer, faster way to sell us shit. Instead, we found each other.”
WE FOUND EACH OTHER…why did it show me this tweet ?? what’s the meaning? what does it has to do with evolution?
Well the rest of the story could be boring. So I will save you from it. But the little entity left me something to think about. Along the path some of the insight started to get noticed by me. Our need of social networks as they are conceived right now is not to be challenged at all. Instead the alien was suggesting that we should evolve into a new way of being social which would be also practical & profitable for all of us. #UtilityNetwork was the word that eventually came up to my mind. And, you guess it, the little alien was overwhelmed by this “discovery” ( not really sure if it was because I was starting to get it right or because he was having fun of me though ). There is something missing in the usefulness of our social community. Something that we all perform somewhere else. And this goes only to the advantage of few individuals, speaking in a broad way of course.
Will come up with some more within a few days.
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