A Failed Rain Dance & Misplaced Priorities

Apple fans beware...you will find no sanctuary here.

Lowell Cremorne, a certified Apple Kool-aid drinker, recently posted an article extolling the amazing awesomeness of the iPad and how it represented a game-changing (nice pun) shift for virtual environments such as Second Life.

To the first point, I, along with many other critics, think the iPad is going to be a product flop for the ages. Even Apple fanatics have labeled the device "an over-sized iPod with no calling feature." The app market is going to explode because of this? Isn't that a little presumptuous? I mean don't people have to actually buy the product before they download apps onto it? This starts to lead into my second point, but the crux of Apple's revenue-generating machine is software, which in order to sell it must first move its hardware, which is a big question mark.

Would it improve participation in virtual worlds? Maybe. A portable screen big enough to enjoy and touch features for easy avatar manipulation sure sounds like a winner. But the price tag on the hardware and the limited improvement over existing iPods and iPhones makes me pause. The boon to virtual worlds will only come when the hardware moves.

$1 billion spent on virtual products? Are you kidding me? Its headlines like this that make me question where our priorities as a civilization are headed. Disclaimer everyone, I've never been a fan of virtual worlds like Second Life where reality and fantasy blend so easily that it becomes difficult to tell what is what at times. While I'm sure it has its benefits, I can't get past the idea that we've created and continue to expand a world where people go to "escape" for long periods of their lives. Its not healthy and its like living in the Matrix!

People on disability are spending time and money in the virtual world? Shouldn't you be spending time rehabilitating or spending money on medications? Did you ever want to become a productive member of society again?

Three Take-aways About Speech, Privacy, & the Internet

So after checking out Larry Lessig's speech about...speech, privacy and the internet, three points really hit home for me:

1. Our generation is much better at triangulating the truth.

Definitely in agreement here. I don't even think about it when I'm doing something, but whether I'm reading the news or buying a product, I always consult numerous different sources in order to give myself a clearer picture of what it is I am interested in. I think my parent's generation has a much much harder time doing that kind of legwork, whereas for our generation it seems second-nature at this point.

2. The law controls the other elements: markets, code, and norms.

I was confused by this at first, but I think it makes sense. The law definitely has the ability to activate the other elements, I just wonder if it is the most efficient way to activate these things. New law takes forever to become active itself, making me think there must be a better way to get markets, codes, and norms to oscillate a certain way.

3. Information is more costly to erase than it is to let perpetually live.

I think a majority of people still fail to understand that what gets posted on the internet will essentially live forever. It always surprises me how unconcerned and/or ignorant people are with respect to what they post online, as if the information was something they could take back and dispose of when they are done with it.

My Top 10 Networking Gems, Just for You

So I checked out two top 10 lists this week about networking myths and ways to change the world with LinkedIn. Here is my top 10 list for successful networking:

1. Enter a conversation with someone you know and start laughing and smiling a lot. Be loud so other people can hear you, it will draw them into you and make them think you're fun to be around.

2. Wear something very unique so you stand out from the crowd. I recommend a powder blue tuxedo.

3. Find the most important person in the room (the guy or girl that everyone is trying to talk to) look them directly in the eyes, give a little head tilt, and keep right on walking. It will infuriate them and make them want to seek you out.

4. Fake an illness and make a dramatic showing of collapsing onto the floor. Instant attention. Slip you business cards into their pockets while they try and "revive" you.

5. Instead of "traditional" (read: boring) business cards, give out $1 bills with a post-it note of your contact information on them.

6. Invite people to a really swanky party at an upscale venue, then call to cancel on account of the dreaded "double booking" but also say you should still get together for that business meeting you were going to have.

7. Threaten whoever you're talking to into getting their business. They might just give it to you to make you go away.

8. Talk about how many Facebook and Twitter followers you have. People will love how popular you are in the virtual world.

9. Call up an escort service and try to get them to send you the most beautiful man or woman they have. Introduce her as your "serious girlfriend" and people will think you're a good deal-closer.

10. Don't be yourself. Nobody likes you, that's why you're reading this list.

Who needs pants?

Thanks to groups like Improv Everywhere, social expression is happening just about everywhere. Take a look at the video below to see how a little bit of organization and participation can result in a never-before-seen act of humor.



Not only are examples of this behavior fun and different, they're going to become more and more prevalent in the future.

Eric Carr hits the nail on the head. Mobile devices are going to become more and more integrated into the fabric of everyday life because they will let us know where our friends and families are at all times through a host of new applications largely based around the GPS.

Organization like the one in the above video demands this kind of mobile platform in order to work properly. There is no doubt in my mind advertisers will start to catch on (as T-Mobile already has) to the popularity of these sporadic displays of group demonstrations and utilize them to promote their brands. The question is, will the public react with the same awe and enthusiasm if they know a big brand is behind the demonstration?

Dumb & Dumberer?

The internet isn't making us dumber, its making us more efficient. I also don't think skimming on the internet equates to someone not being able to read a whole book. Is a person who drives five miles every day unable to drive 10? Please.

Doris Lessing argues we're a fragmented culture and that we know nothing of the rest of the world. Oh really? That's a hard pill for me to swallow after seeing how international efforts have pulled together in a big way to help with the Haiti relief efforts. I also know I'm smarter because of the internet because I've covered more intellectual research ground than I would have without it.

Nicholas Carr says the same thing...we can't read longer books and the internet is making us dumber. I just don't understand how you can make a statement like that without showing some numbers to back it up. Show me some proof other than Jay Leno's Jaywalking episodes.

Calling Out Corporations

The matter lies before the eyes of all; everybody sees it, touches it, loves it, but knows it not. It is glorious and vile, precious and of small account, and is found everywhere... But, to be brief, our Matter has as many names as there are things in this world; that is why the foolish know it not.

- The Golden Tract
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(Credit)

HALLELUJAH & AMEN! Somebody finally said it! Corporations need to stop bashing social media and discounting people who actually understand it. NO, social media is not a magic wand. NO, it can't be done by anybody. NO, its not a fad. NO, its not a broadcast platform, its a conversation platform!!

So many corporations blame their lack of success with social media on the wrong things, instead of realizing the truth - their own incompetence is to blame. Hire people that understand social media, just like you would hire someone who understands marketing or finance. Take the medium seriously or you'll continue to participate in last rights rain dances.

That said, corporations SHOULD be doing things like blogging, assuming they can recognize the skill and dedication it takes. Avil Beckford makes it very clear why a blogging presence is necessary and how it helps corporations improve themselves. By encouraging an actual conversation with customers, corporations can successfully stoke the fires of profitability.

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Since nobody answered last week's question, the spotlight won't shine this week. But you're in luck, because here's another chance:

If you were a corporation, and could only pick one social media tool out there, what would it be and why?

Crowdsourcing...the new Crowdsurfing

"The science of alchemy I like very well, and indeed, 'tis the philosophy of the ancients. I like it not only for the profits it brings in melting metals, in decocting, preparing, extracting and distilling herbs, roots; I like it also for the sake of the allegory and secret signification, which is exceedingly fine, touching the resurrection of the dead at the last day."

- Martin Luther's Table talk

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Congrats to Ricky! I liked his answer to last week's question the best:

"My dream job title: (1) CEO of ESPN, Inc. (2) Director of Business Development for a firm with operations in Caribbean/Central America/South America (3) Host of the Saved By The Bell 25th Anniversary Reunion Show."

Don't ever let go of your dreams, Ricky.


Crowdsourcing

Message to Corporate America: FIRE YOUR MANAGERS! Well, not really, but that's what author Jeff Howe is implying as he describes crowdsourcing here:



A fascinating topic in its own right, crowdsourcing has actually been around for a while, though not in the definition Howe applies to it. While he says it replaces jobs previously held by one person, I think it is just a method of data collection. Its like those game shows where you can poll the audience for the right answer. It just takes advantage of the "hive mind" to aggregate thoughts into a coherent answer.

I think it is a fantastic way to discover information, but I hardly think its a job-replacement phenomenon. You still need managers to interpret and analyze data. Often times the public doesn't always have all the information to be making the best decision.

Social Networking: Getting in Touch the CRM Way (Here)

Remember this term: introduction brokers. I'd never heard social networks described that way, but this article nailed it on the head. It doesn't mean anything to know your friends, you want to know THEIR friends because THEIR friends might be able to get you that job you want or introduce you to someone else who can help you.

The CRM technology the article mentions seems like it could be useful, but really social sites like LinkedIn do a great job of allowing anyone to successfully manage their networks. In fact LinkedIn played a large role in me getting my last two internships, as I was introduced to people at both firms via contacts in a friend's network.

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Question of the week:

How has networking opened doors for you recently?

Its a Data-Driven World...I prefer BMW's.

"I had discovered, early in my researches, that their doctrine was no mere chemical fantasy, but a philosophy they applied to the world, to the elements, and to man himself."

-W.B. Yeats, Rosa Alchemica

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Happy Saturday everyone. I hope your three-day holiday weekend is off to a good start. Its actually fairly mild here in DC at the moment, but the forecast is calling for a temperature drop and rain tomorrow so bollix to that.

The meat of this blog will contain weekly reaction to various subject matter within the sphere of social media/networking. Please feel free to agree, disagree, or go completely off the reservation with your own comments. Let's get started.


Visualizing the US Senate by Social Graph
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8I5iMa_VV0)

I'd like to disclaim I am not as knowledgeable about our beloved political system as I should be. It always seemed like such a bore to me growing up that I never really bothered to learn much about it. That said, ever since the last election, I've been anxiously trying to educate myself about all things political. Not just issues, mind you, but actually how our government functions and "gets things done." So anytime I find a tool that helps me better understand how things operate, I get very excited. I am definitely a visual learner as well, so this video explaining the Social Graph tool is pretty darn interesting. You really get a sense for how the Senate voting structure fluctuates around different periods of time and issues.

What I will be interested to see is how the voting structure looks after the mid-term elections are finished (they start November 2). I've noticed a lot of chatter recently about how a bunch of democratic seats are in jeopardy of being lost to republicans due to the lack of policy passed since so many promises were made during the election.


Real-World Social Networks vs. Facebook 'Friends'
(http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-08/st_thompson)

This article was spot-on and refreshingly unapologetic in its assessment of the corporate world. The fact is, managers really don't know what's going on all the time. That's definitely a blanket statement but based on my experience, very true. I will deviate from the author's notion that the reason involves overworked and overstressed managers. I think a more common reason is the fact that managers don't want to know what's going on all the time because:

1. They're lazy and content to sit back and delegate.
2. It gives them someone else to blame if something goes wrong ("Well they never told me this...")

But would this 'reality mining' actually help companies? I'm mixed on the idea. Yes it might tighten a network, but I think most people would feel uneasy about the data collection process and might not act like they normally would. I know I wouldn't.

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So I'd like to end each section with a question of the week. The best response will be featured in the following week's blog posting. Have a great weekend everyone.

When you graduate from Kogod, assuming the stars align, the salary is right, and everything is good in the world...what would the title of your dream job be?

Welcome to the Jungle

What's up everyone? My name is Andy Stief and this is my blog about all things social media. I thought I'd start things off with a joke....hey, did you hear that the Energizer Bunny got arrested today for battery? Haha, poor guy.

I'm a student at American University in the MBA program. This is my last semester and I'm very anxious to be done with school and get back into the working world. I'm writing this blog as a requirement for a class, but I've blogged previously and am looking forward to expanding my experience level.

Now the legal mumbo-jumbo...

On my honor, all posts on this blog are my own.

Wondering about the name of my blog? You'll have to keep reading to find out. See ya!