You probably noticed that Facebook and Twitter are all the rage nowadays. Social media seems to be changing how we relate to one another and could possibly affect the future of society. Many are saying it is a revolution.
Or it is all a bit over-rated? Malcolm Gladwell, popular speaker, blogger and author of the best-selling book The Tipping Point, seems to think so. He recently wrote an insightful article in The New Yorker called "Small Change: Why the Revolution will not be Tweeted." Click here to read it.
It’s very sad to see so many young people and EVEN adults right across the age barrier live in virtual reality worlds more than living in the real world. In this world they can be anyone they like… perfect people with perfect worlds! The realities of the suffering and horror stories in the real world have become such that the human mind is seeking an escape! I’ve had hundreds of requests just on Facebook to join and play virtual reality games like Farm-ville, Pet-ville, Zoo-ville, Garden-world etc. Recently I’ve watched a series on ABC called “Visions of The Future”… Mind boggling stuff! They have invented virtual reality social sunglasses that block out the real world and are programmed with a TV screen direct to your brain to make you believe you are living in a perfect world while you walk around and it even gives you directions so that you do not bump into things and lets you know when you approach a person you know or don’t know! There are robots out there now that perform tasks that the human beings used to do or are doing. Technology and knowledge is increasing in such a fast rate, just as the book of Daniel said it would! Our world has become so fast and busy!
As much as I love Malcolm Gladwell for his intelligence and insight, he can also tend to oversimplify and in this case focus on one tech or another instead of what is possible when both online and offline live entwine.
The example from Clay Shirky’s book that he criticises is a good example. He says “What more can we expect? More of the same.” and yet he should know that far more has already happened. The interaction of web technologies in the China earthquakes is a great example. Watch Shirky describe it in the this fantastic video. http://bit.ly/3yDVXu
I am not so excited about the technologies themselves, but I am excited about how loose-tie interconnectedness can enable individuals and communities to interact in ways we don’t even yet foresee the power of.
Behind all of this is our need for recognition and intimacy. If these tools are used correctly then we see great things. I am more in touch with my extended family now via Facebook than I have been since growing up with them all in a small country town. Just like most things, they can also be taken to the extreme and negative outcomes result. Is that really the technologies fault though? Is the Bible evil because people misuse it to be racist, bigoted and even start conflict? Of course not. A knife can be used for good and evil, and so can a newspaper.
My question: How are we teaching people, especially our children, how to make proper use of these technologies without restricting the amazing new ways they can discover to interact and collaborate?
I feel that it is truly a kind of revolution because as mentioned it has really changed the way people connect to each other. Being a part of social media sites has become a must today. Especially for the youngsters. These days even celebs have started to use these sites to interact with the public.