Earlier this week, Chris Brogan asked his blog-following contingent a simple series of questions:
Why … do millions of us thrive in [the social media] environment? Why are we threading the social web? Why are we spending hours a day reaching out, building connections, cultivating relationships, producing and consuming media that only a sliver of the world is even noticing?
What makes this our passion?
It got me thinking…and here’s what I came up with.
I blog because I have to get at least some of what’s flying around in my head out in the ether. (Once it’s out, at least it’s got the potential to do, be, or become something else.)
I tweet because I don’t have the time to blog 1/32nd as much as I’d like — and I can handle 140 characters here and there, on a whim, just to have some sense of action or accomplishment.
I throw my face and bio out on social networking sites because I hate to miss a party, and the Virtual Me can be in more than one place at the same time, hanging out with high school cliques, former colleagues, friends, strangers, and associates of all stripes, past ‘n present.
As for why we — the happy, blogging-tweeting-virtual-socializing collective — thrive in this environment, I think it’s for one or more of the following reasons:
-We dig random encounters.
-We’re into arbitrary voyeurism.
-We’ve got a penchant for synchronicity.
-We find it all very ADHD-friendly.
-We live by one of two phrases: 1) “Because I can” and/or 2) “Because it’s there.”
Do you have strong feelings about social media opportunities? Do you love ‘em, hate ‘em, or ignore ‘em altogether? Allen and I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter. Please take a minute and share them in a comment. Thanks!
