The Connected Life

2010 May 13

by Tyler

We often focus on the negative when it comes to social media. Just yesterday I was emailed an article by Newsweek about how social media is merely a time consuming distraction that makes us less intelligent. If anything I thought it was humorous about how negative the author was about Facebook and Twitter.

In reality I think social media exists and continues to grow because at the heart of being a human is a desire to connect with other humans.

One of my recent loves has been listening to TED talks. Remember the Mister Splashy Pants video? That was a TED talk. I watched one earlier this week that was an ingenious way to show how we value social media as a means of making human connection.

If you can’t see the video, come here to watch.

Some of my favorite quotes:

I think understanding social networks, how they form and operate can help us understand other social phenomenon. I.e. bank runs, crime, warfare, market crashes, spread of product adoption.
I think we form social networks because the benefits of a connected life outweigh the costs.
Social networks are required for the spread of good and valuable things like love, kindness, and happiness.
“I think if we realized how valuable social networks are, we’d spend a lot more time nourishing them and sustaining them. Because I think social networks are fundamentally related to goodness and what the world needs now are connections.”

Why do you use social media and join social networks?

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http://thoughtsaboutnothing.com Kyle Reed

I think TED talks are a great product of social media. Here is why: they are free. Probably a couple of years ago they would not have been. But today in our society we live in cheap and free place, especially on the interwebs. Giving away such great content for free is awesome, but a couple of years ago would have been crazy.
http://massivetruth.blogspot.com Kevin Leggett

You are dead on. There is power in the ability to create a community around an idea or concept, whether it’s faith or open source software. Social media is a means to creating those communities at a much faster rate than traditional means.

I know that I have been blessed multiple times through meeting fellow bloggers, grabbing lunch with them or having them over for a weekend. And from the get go, I have always been amazed at how Christ transcends technology to bring his people closer together.
http://www.billjonline.com Bill Johnson

I’ve never thought of Facebook or Twitter as a destination, but rather tools to communicate with real people. So, it always baffles me when people say:

“I just don’t have time to get on Facebook”
“I’m giving up Facebook for lent”
“Twitter and Facebook just eat up your time”

When you have coffee with a friend at a coffee shop, you don’t go so you can admire the tables.

But, for the record, I think I’ll give up friends for lent next year.
http://www.contentunderpressure.net Josh

You hit the nail on the head with one of your points:

“I think we form social networks because the benefits outweigh the costs.”

If there are no costs in any of our relationships, then I’d argue that we really have no relationships.
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Ric Wild

I heart TED. Check out the “Inspiring Leadership” video if you haven’t already.