So as I arrived home today after seeing the movie Social Network I could not help but think about the significant influence and affect social networks actually have had on this world- internally and externally that is. I mean think about it...How many times do you check your facebook, twitter, tumblr, blogs, myspace... a day? We basically have computers in the palm of our hands and eyes glued to those devices 50 percent of the day. Think about the potential and ease of access connected to that fact. Our world has been externalized on this thing we call the Internet. Now not only do our roommate's/friends/family/significant others know what we are doing, but so does everyone who we choose to share that with on the lovely 'world' of the Internet. Think about the capabilities that these social networks have and have had-good and bad.
But.... what really is a social network? Is a social network an external device utilized with the tip of our fingers across a keyboard.?.?.Or is our social network the many face to face encounters we endure on a daily basis? I mean ideally we want both..right? To be able to keep in touch with people, and share our lives with those who would not necessarily be able to be part of it on a daily basis. Yet at the same time we want to be able to walk away from that network and go to real life encounters and socialized settings. I guess that is why there is such an enormous buzz with things such as: facebook and twitter. I, personally, use both plus some of these other social networks and I think they have been a very positive addition to the lives of many. It is actually crazy to think how fast information spreads utilizing these sites, as if it wasn't flowing fast enough before all of these sites came into existence. You can type something on twitter and all your followers, whether you have 30 or a million, will see it within seconds. This is significantly beneficial in so many ways. Think about the possibilities it has brought to charities, movements, and businesses...
Being that I have a marketing degree- I have learned the power of words, and the power of words on a network where thousands of people tune in JUST to read those words....the possibilities are endless. That is REAL power. A power of intriguing people to the point where they fixate on these status updates and picture uploads... it is quite incredible. But then there is also debate as to whether this is actually a good thing? Do we really want people to know every detail of our lives?! Some write where they are and what they are doing constantly on the sites...is that really safe? People share their lives with friends AND strangers...is that responsible? And then what about the professional realm of it?? I have heard so many stories of friends being denied jobs or fired for things they said on twitter or pictures they posted on facebook? Yes- everyone has their skeletons, their personal lives...but should we integrate that personal life into a network that blurs the lines of professionalism and socialization? I'm not too sure we should. Facebook went from a very exclusive network to a network like all others. Once strictly for college students, facebook has opened it's doors to any single person with a mere email address. What really sets it apart from the rest anymore? Of course some may argue Facebook is worth the amount it is worth (25 billion dollars) because it began to integrate: business, advertising, and no strict exclusivity. However, did that in turn take away it's diversification? I don't know...I guess this is a personal opinion each individual has to arrive at on their own. It is just quite crazy to think about how the youngest billionaire in the world, Mark Zuckerberg-26 years young, was able to create this online hang sesh where people spend a significant amount of time on each day.
Someone said to me tonight,
'It is crazy to think that every individual is just one idea away from being a billionaire.'Now I being the person I am... do not agree with this statement 100 percent but with the right resources, knowledge, background, and drive an idea CAN form into a monumental movement in this world that will go down in history. And that IS a power many can inherit with hard work.
Think about it....
Perfectly Imperfect
xoxo
Crystal Kimberly
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