He Who Lives In A Glass House .....
Let me begin by saying that any criticism I aim at anyone in this article should not be taken personally. I am fully aware that I myself am guilty of whatever it is I am complaining or blaming others for. That's what makes this phenomenon all the more interesting to me.
How This Got Started or I'm Not Obnoxious, Really I'm Not
Generally speaking I don't think that I take advantage of my friends. Well not any more than the next person does. OK, so maybe some of my friends may disagree with that but they are not here to argue it so suspend your possible disbelief and trust me on that. Anyway, I am just saying that I try not to bombard people with hundreds of email, texts, voice mails, instant messages, Face Book, Twitter, Digg, Friend Feed etc, communications everyday. Although I am very active for sure.
Was It Something I Said ?
A few weeks ago however I did have what I considered to be a pretty important communication to give to a number of my friends so I decided to send out an email of the bulk kind. I know, I know, but I really hardly ever do that. But for time sake I did this one time. I sent out an email to only about forty of my friends. This particular email actually required an answer of some kind.
Zero, Zilch, Nada, Nothing !! Yeah, Yeah, that's funny. I don't really have any actual friends, maybe they are trying to tell me something, blah, blah. Come on I'm trying to make a serious point here. No one answered my email. This got me to thinking about this topic.
Psst, Did You Get My Email ?
A few days later I was sitting on the couch doing some work on the computer and saw that I had gotten an email. I opened up my in box and there was an email from my wife. Now my wife and I have some business's that we do together so it's not so unusual for her to email me or CC me on something she has sent out. However this particular email read something like, "do you want to go see a movie tonight." OK, so even that wouldn't have been so strange except for the fact that she was sitting not six feet from me working on her computer.
Now this is getting to be a bit much. Oh yeah, and am I the only dad who's gotten a text from two of his kids wishing him a happy birthday, I think not !
You Are A Rock Start or How To Extend Your 15 Minutes Of Fame ?
It was Andy Warhol who said "each person in his life gets fifteen minutes of fame." Or something close to that anyway. This may have been true enough in his day but today I think there is a different story. The social media tools have escalated so far and so fast that I think they are no longer a means of just staying in touch with friends etc. That they were ever intended to go beyond that is hard to say although it's obvious that a large number of them have spawned for the sole purpose of doing commerce. More on that later.
They have gone beyond sending perhaps critical information to someone. Like a text to a friend, "hey I'm stuck in traffic, be there soon." Or " hey honey, don't forget the butter." Now these lines of communication are jammed with such vital pieces of information like , "wondering", "eating sushi", "ZZZZZ, and oh yeah, "taking a dump." Now that is some very critical information for sure. Now, before you get all pissed off at me here, remember what I wrote at the beginning, I'm guilty too. Never posted anything about my bowel movements that I can recall though.
Then there are the socially important group groups and causes we have forming on Face Book, Become a fan of Sleeping, Laughing, Crying, Lint or Become a fan of Me. How embarrassing is that ? Maybe these mediums are a way for all of us to steal some part of celebrity. To life out and perhaps extend what Andy Warhol was commenting on. To see our name, words pictures and videos on the big screen. OK, maybe not the big screen but doesn't Apple have like a thirty inch monitor. Big enough, I'll take it!
Money, Money, Money !
Perhaps, as I mentioned earlier, a large part of the problem I think is commerce, the almighty dollar. It seems like if there is something in this world that can be used to create money it will not only be used for that purpose but that purpose will consume and overrun that activity. I am not a communist or a socialist. I like money just as much as the next guy, maybe even more.
I am guilty too. If these mediums were devoid of people trying to make money or push causes then maybe there would be way less people on them and the ones that were would be hanging on to each others every important post . "Lost my key's!"
With the glut of so much communication from so many mediums all communications are equal in value to all other communications.
Does Anybody Still Wear A Beeper ?
I remember when pagers first hit the scene. I told myself I'd never wear one of those things. To be "on call" 24/7. Like Pavlov's dog responding to the buzz and running to a phone like my life depended on it. Well of course I got one. Then came the six hundred pound cell phone with a battery life of about 3 minutes. Couldn't get more than a few hundred feet from the car or charging device. Of course don't get me started on computers. Bought my first one in 1994. I paid $3,400.00 for the latest and the fastest too. It was like sixty six MHz. Wow ! Lucky thing it too weighed about six hundred pounds cause six months after I bought it it was obsolete but it made a great paper weight.
The point is obvious that technology is here and is here to stay and it's only going to get bigger and faster. I get it. I mean after all I am using the internet to communicate this to you. I will use Face Book, Twitter etc. to get this out for sure. It is a means of reaching lots of people in a hurry. My point is we need to make sure that we are using these tools to actually reach people and make sure we too are truly reached through them as well.
It's All Good
In the end I think these mediums are like the atomic energy. OK, that was a serious turn. In our world anything can be misused. Anything can be overdone. Just look at obesity in our country (That's a whole blog in and of itself). We as a people over do. We as a society over consume. We want more and more and we want it faster and faster. I don't want to give away my age here but I remember when I grew up there were two maybe three choices when it came to buying sneakers. You know "gym shoes." There were Converse and PR Flyers. So, I am way older than you. Now not only are there hundreds of sneaker of all size and sports to chose from but there are tons of stores that specialize in those shoes.
So yes, I think these ways of getting us into better and faster communication are good but only if we differentiate and use them in moderation. Use them as tools to actually get into better communication with the people and the world around us.
Please leave a comment on what you think. Take the survey if you like. If you like what you read give me your name and email and I'll keep you posted on more stuff.
Thanks for reading!
You Can Learn More About Me Here!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Who's Planet Are You On?
You Just Can't Look Away
It's becoming more and more popular these days to push the whole "green movement". You are seeing it all over the place. Even large corporations are jumping on the "go green" bandwagon. I saw a commercial the other day from one of the major fuel company's promoting just how much they actually care about this planet we live on. Are you kidding me ? The question is do they really mean it or are they just using it as a PR (public relations) point. And how about you and me ?
Are we really taking this whole concept to heart in our day to day lives or do we just give it lip service?
It's All Your Fault
The stone cold truth of it is that the vast majority of people on this planet could give a damn about it's future. Our culture for the most part is mainly interested in the now. What can I have now. What can I consume now. What's in in for me now. These are very sad statements but I believe in order to fix or remedy any situation it is necessary to first fully view the
situation as it is. No matter how ugly it is.
All you have to do is look around in your own life to see that what I am saying is true. Let's take recycling as an example. This is something we could all do that would make a very large impact on the health of this planet. But, the vast number of us don't do it. It's just too much of a hassle and interferes with our busy lives.
How Much Simpler Could It Be ?
Let's take something even simpler and more impactful than that. How about taking your own bags to the grocery store so we can stop the killing of thousands and thousands of sea creatures that are killed every year by the plastics that get dumped into our oceans. Not to mention the tree's that we could save if we didn't need a paper bag to carry out our purchase of one or two items.
I know I'm being very harsh here but the way I see it if we don't really start waking up to the reality of this on a grass roots level there won't be much of a planet for our grand children to grow up on.
So What's It Going To Take
I may be over simplifying her but I think it's a valid starting point. This planet is not going to be sustained by massive movements or government intervention. It's going to be saved by each person doing everything they can to change the way they treat their planet. "Going Green" has to be more than a catch phrase or some politically correct statement. It has to become a way of life. I mean that for all economic strata's. Rich or poor or middle class.
It's Not My Job
I think it's harder for people who are struggling each day just to figure out how they are going to pay the rent and eat. The concept of "saving the planet" is for the other person to worry about. I can see how that is but we have to change that. People at every level have to begin to set a good example and insist that their neighbor do the same.
In this world of "everyone has the right to do whatever they want"we have to take a stand. We as a society have got to hold ourselves and each other accountable for what is going on around us. Only in this way can we create the kind of impact that is needed. This all starts with you and what you do.
I Dare You
For some of you may be a little tired of hearing this or maybe you feel you already got the memo on it. I can appreciate that for sure. All you need to do though it take a good look around you to realize that we are a long way from where we need to be to get the job done.
So I challenge you to take a good look in the socially responsible mirror.
See how you can educate yourself and the people around you into a better way of going about living your daily life. See if you can leave less of your "footprint" on your own personal environment. I bet you you will feel a whole lot better.
It's becoming more and more popular these days to push the whole "green movement". You are seeing it all over the place. Even large corporations are jumping on the "go green" bandwagon. I saw a commercial the other day from one of the major fuel company's promoting just how much they actually care about this planet we live on. Are you kidding me ? The question is do they really mean it or are they just using it as a PR (public relations) point. And how about you and me ?
Are we really taking this whole concept to heart in our day to day lives or do we just give it lip service?
It's All Your Fault
The stone cold truth of it is that the vast majority of people on this planet could give a damn about it's future. Our culture for the most part is mainly interested in the now. What can I have now. What can I consume now. What's in in for me now. These are very sad statements but I believe in order to fix or remedy any situation it is necessary to first fully view the
situation as it is. No matter how ugly it is.
All you have to do is look around in your own life to see that what I am saying is true. Let's take recycling as an example. This is something we could all do that would make a very large impact on the health of this planet. But, the vast number of us don't do it. It's just too much of a hassle and interferes with our busy lives.
How Much Simpler Could It Be ?
Let's take something even simpler and more impactful than that. How about taking your own bags to the grocery store so we can stop the killing of thousands and thousands of sea creatures that are killed every year by the plastics that get dumped into our oceans. Not to mention the tree's that we could save if we didn't need a paper bag to carry out our purchase of one or two items.
I know I'm being very harsh here but the way I see it if we don't really start waking up to the reality of this on a grass roots level there won't be much of a planet for our grand children to grow up on.
So What's It Going To Take
I may be over simplifying her but I think it's a valid starting point. This planet is not going to be sustained by massive movements or government intervention. It's going to be saved by each person doing everything they can to change the way they treat their planet. "Going Green" has to be more than a catch phrase or some politically correct statement. It has to become a way of life. I mean that for all economic strata's. Rich or poor or middle class.
It's Not My Job
I think it's harder for people who are struggling each day just to figure out how they are going to pay the rent and eat. The concept of "saving the planet" is for the other person to worry about. I can see how that is but we have to change that. People at every level have to begin to set a good example and insist that their neighbor do the same.
In this world of "everyone has the right to do whatever they want"we have to take a stand. We as a society have got to hold ourselves and each other accountable for what is going on around us. Only in this way can we create the kind of impact that is needed. This all starts with you and what you do.
I Dare You
For some of you may be a little tired of hearing this or maybe you feel you already got the memo on it. I can appreciate that for sure. All you need to do though it take a good look around you to realize that we are a long way from where we need to be to get the job done.
So I challenge you to take a good look in the socially responsible mirror.
See how you can educate yourself and the people around you into a better way of going about living your daily life. See if you can leave less of your "footprint" on your own personal environment. I bet you you will feel a whole lot better.
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