Pick Your Poison

Share It, Digg it, Mixx it, Mash it, Flag it, Tag it, Tweet it, Friend me,
IM me or just call me? Geez, what happened to the telephone?

What is the allure of all these social media outlets? Are we desperate to
prove our lives are relationship-based vs. transaction-based? Or are we
caught up in some kind of ubiquitous narcissism? Doesn’t it all feel a bit
like high-school all over again – this counting how many followers,
friends, quitters, deleters you have? I keep hearing Sally Field say “You
like me, you really like me.”

I believe these tools are successful because they address the fundamental
human need to connect. But, I also think their relevance is threatened by
overuse and overexposure.

The brutal reality is I don’t want to hear your inner musings or how you are
going to Store 24 to buy a soda. But I do value your take on a recent
headline or an update on a major milestone in your life.

For a select few (preachers, evangelists, newscasters), social media is a
numbers game – the more followers the better. But for the vast majority of
us, social media is about being thoughtful. If you are someone I care about
and have a relationship with, then, please, go ahead and share with me your
insight, your careful contemplation, and your unique perspective. I will
reciprocate and share mine. But your trip to Store 24? I say no; don’t Share
It, Digg it, Mixx it, Mash it, Flag it, Tag it or Tweet it. Please, just
skip it.