I’m Anti-Social…Media
My name is Hope Brown and I don’t have a Facebook page. I’ve never even logged onto MySpace. I don’t “tweet.” There, I said it. I am officially a non-member of the social media revolution, and I’m an endangered species. Many of you may have other descriptors for me, like archaic, naïve; short-sighted, stubborn…I’ve heard most of them before (mainly from my husband, who has nearly 1,200 Facebook “friends” and a Tweet Deck large enough to span three computer monitors). The taunts and threats have yet to persuade me to fall in line with the masses.
Now, before I get virtually stoned-to-death by an entire generation of social media devotees, please allow me to explain. (As a side note, the irony of using a blog to declare my disinterest in new media is not lost on me, thank you). Firstly, let me assure you that I’m not a complete moron. I’d like to think that those of you who know and work with me would attest to this fact. I completely understand the value and appeal of social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.
I know all about the raging debate over the potential death of the press release, and I hear and somewhat agree with all the experts when they warn that PR pros must change our pitches to keep up with the changing times. I also am keenly aware (and saddened) by the demise of traditional media (and REAL journalists!) as it (and they) are replaced by the “real-time” reality of today’s news market. So, I really do get the pervasiveness and the benefits of social media, both personally and professionally, I swear I do.
I just don’t care that “Tweeter X” is excited about the Kung Pao chicken he just ordered for dinner. I don’t need Facebook to remind me that it’s my best friend’s birthday (I know this fact, because we’re ACTUAL friends, you know, like out in the real, three-dimensional world). And I certainly – unlike apparently more than a million people – don’t give a “you-know-what” what Ashton Kutcher is doing with every millisecond of his day. I just don’t.
Similarly, I don’t anticipate that anyone cares about the minutia of my life. I’m sure that throngs of strangers and friends alike are just clamoring to know that I have a massage appointment this weekend and need to run to the store for dog food, right? I certainly am far from shy (another fact that anyone who has met me for more than two minutes can confirm), but I just don’t care to share my life in such a public way. When people need to know things about me – relevant, meaningful and important things – they will. Everything else is just noise.
So, despite the fact that there is a Facebook page set-up specifically for people who think that I should have a Facebook page (courtesy of my husband, of course); I have yet to jump on the bandwagon. Perhaps eventually I’ll find the right motivation to join the ranks of the social media movement…or perhaps I won’t. Either way, I still need to pick-up dog food.
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:03 am
I don’t fault you for this Hope. I think you have good reasons for holding out…..but maybe, just maybe, we’ll look back on this in three years when you finally fold and give in to the dark side. By that time, we’ll be on some other form of social media that hasn’t even been introduced yet! I was a hold out on getting a cell phone at one point and look at me now!
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:02 am
Hope, six months ago, I would have argued with you, and vehemently so. I’m one of your husband’s Facebook friends and I follow his tweets. I have seen social media work, and work very well, but I have also seen it fail miserably. The common difference between those two extremes is defined by words like “purpose” and “intent.” There are more wrong reasons than right reasons to get into social media right now, but I don’t think that will always be the case. Until you find your right reason, soldier on, sister.
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:17 am
hey…isn’t blogging a form of social media? just sayin…
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:43 am
Love the blog Hope! I recommend hitting up Petco for the dog food
May 22nd, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I respect your opinion and have no idea how to tweet. I agree that I could give a &%$ less if someone went to the bathroom yesterday or hates chocolate ice cream. I have a horrible memory so it is good for one thing - birthdays.
Good job Hope!
Julie
May 22nd, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Dear Mrs. Brown,
Let me qualify this by saying I am NOT a PR professional but… from a personal use standpoint, you’re missing the point on all this stuff. Dog food? Any tweeters or facebookers (facebookies?) that routinely posted anything that trivial and boring would quickly be relegated to hidden status and ignored. It’s all about sharing meaningful, insightful, helpful and humorous bits of information that is important to that person. If you disagree on the relevance of said information, you have the ability to silence it. And there is also no obligation on you to share more than you want. You seem to think that twitter and facebook invites an overwhelming amount of burdensome information into your life when in reality you’re only letting in and sharing just as much as you want.
Respectfully Yours,
REJ
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Well, I can’t say that I didn’t know about your anti-social ways :)…however, I am a little disappointed that you’ve made the same comments as others who have never ‘tweeted’ before.
Sure there are the mundane tweets, who had what for lunch. I don’t care about that either unless there is a hot spot I’ve never eaten at and they say good things about the food.
Much like your husband, I attempt to provide value to my followers and from their responses, I’ve done a pretty good job. Whether it’s tips in 140 or less, a link to an article that might educated them, or a link to a funny video because someone is having a bad day…I am providing what others seek.
I’m sure you will join the masses one day, I am fairly certain of it. And when you do, make sure you send me an invite
May 22nd, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Wow, my dear. . . you are a DAMN good writer. You should get a job doing this. Well conceived, my beautiful. You are also a consummate professional.
May 22nd, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Hope, I saw a statistic today that says that 10 percent of newly married couples in the U.S. first met online. This is further evidence that the collective “we” are pathetically anchored to our screens.
Tonight I left my cell phone at home, and walked my family down the street to have dinner and ice cream. And I didn’t suffer for it. Keep hope alive for rediscovery of the value of personal interaction and private time, my friend. Don’t give in to the screen.
May 26th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Sorry, only read the first 140 characters, what were you blathering about?
As a communications professional, I’m of the opinion that you can’t sit out the social media revolution. To me, it’d be like teaching teens to drive w/o ever getting behind the wheel itself. Imagine a blind Martha Stewart telling the world how to accessorize their family rooms or a tastebud-less Julia Child… you’ve got to live it to counsel it.
But hey, this is coming from a former member of the Facebook group that your husband created to encourage you to get a profile (I had to trim down my list of pages, it was getting unweildy).
May 26th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
You go girl! I am on your bandwagon and planned to stay put. There is enough unnecessary noise without inviting more in.
May 26th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I was actually a hold out on the facebook revolution too! I always thought it was a waste of time and my fellow college kids were always way too obsessed with getting that perfect “profile pic” every time we went out anywhere.
I finally gave in during my junior year and you know what? It’s still a waste of time and I’m now just another girl looking for that perfect profile pic. Hold out sister!!
May 26th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
The beauty of the world we live in today is that there are so many communication options. You can choose to tweet, blog, email, text, call, or even — gasp — get out of your chair and talk to someone in person. However you choose to send or receive information, as long as the human race continues to communicate and connect, all is well.
May 27th, 2009 at 6:15 am
I agree with Andy H. and others who believe it’s a good idea to put the phone down and walk away from the computer and have family time. It is very easy these days to get caught up in multi-tasking to the point that you fail to focus on the most important tasks.
HOWEVER, I also believe that if you aren’t getting anything out of Twitter or Facebook then it’s because you’re not putting anything into Twitter or Facebook. My networking and social interaction — in real life — has increased 10-fold because of the networking and conversations that started online.
To each his own, but when it comes to the newest tools of the trade (such as social media), sticking your head in the sand only makes it easier for people to kick you in the a**.
Besides, as the Borg told the gang on Star Trek, “Resistance is futile.”