"FACEBOOK, TWITTER"...The "New" Monkey On Our Backs?...You Be The Judge!

"FACEBOOK, TWITTER"...The "new" Monkey on our backs?...You be the judge!

This is a post inspired by Mario Jannatpour today when he wrote his post: Are Facebook and Twitter killing America?

My response to his post was: "I think I see your post as an analogy of what is happening in this country--and I agree. Symbolically, the Twitter, Facebook crowd are looking at life entirely through the lens of "social" networking, not through the lens of hard work, including manual labor. The trend to be a part of the Internet realm without having to participate in the physical act of creating goods and products or even offering services that may mean income for the average American, has made us all a little less aware of the real hard work that it takes to stay afloat. We are losing out to the masses and cheap labor of the 3rd world. I don't look forward to the days when we wake up and realize that we don't have the means to survive a change in the world that could include OUR world as a 3rd world country."

Mario let me know that I was in sync with the message of his post and acknowledged it there as well....

Now I am thinking that the idea he put forth is such an important one--not to try to destroy the social media faves like Facebook and Twitter but to maybe "awaken" something in us that we all need to be aware of. We have seen the reach of both of the "big" ones and we have watched as the results of the message gets out and as the whole Middle East broils in it's own juices---and tumbles into the chaos of unrest as it tips country after country, toppling the leaders of all, all at once!

What is the message? What are we missing? Is there something we can't quite see behind that curtain of "Innocence" that is portrayed in the names of these giants: Facebook (almost humorous) and Twitter(slightly childlike)! Do we really understand the force of these two behemoths in particular? Are we prepared for the future that is unfolding in the world with the impact of social media? What life-altering affects are about to unfold because of the influence of social networking?

All these questions are just some of the things we need to ask ourselves--maybe we will avoid some of the unrest that came about in the 3rd world---maybe not. I am willing to bet that the unrest we are witnessing in Wisconsin at the moment is being perpetuated by the idea that the display of an angry mob will move mountains and can win a whole movement a victory, a victory that can not be denied!

And what of a whole decade of youthful participation in social media---are there habits being formed, lifestyles that can not be understood with the same way of thinking from our own lives? What of the bad habits??? Is there a parallel to the "monkey on your back" from the world of drug abuse? What do we make of the "new" thinking and the unfamiliar reasoning that is being brought into being--and coming very quickly into this world we live in? How will it impact us? Is it unimportant to consider IT, or is it life-altering in it's novelty?

JUST A FEW THOUGHTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA---WHAT DO YOU THINK???