this was a shot taken in Las Vegas over at Valley of Fire during the middle of the day. Black and white really looked well for these formations)
(This is gonna be a long one.. fair warning..)
Getting back to the grind here in #Tampa . Dusting off the computer after not traveling with it or a camera for a few days. The time’s let me kinda take in some of my other loves- technology and music.. and has given me some time to think about things.. and I wondered if this was something that was resonating with you guys as well.
There are a few things that I Cant Wait to stop hearing about:
Occupy Everything:
I think that the Occupy movement is an awesome thing. I think that Occupy Wall Street has a great heart in it, and I think that it really does shine in a light into a place that not many people were willing to look.. the dark hearts of the financial industry. The people who participate and support, I believe, are very admirable folk.
However, you cannot go on Social Media anywhere without hearing the “Oh, this should be an Occupy this.. occupy that… occupy the coffee store. Occupy ToysRUs.. Occupy the garage sale. Thats a little frustrating.
There are people in the middle east that are getting POUNDED for expressing their right to demontstrate. As we walk into an overpriced coffee store, there are people here in the US that are living out in the cold trying to make people wake up to some serious questions in equity (please note I say questions , not facts. Its not my place to say whether its right or wrong.. nor do I want this post to turn into that). Turning everything in your vernacular to “Occupy this..” just makes you look dumb and cheapens it. I swear, “Occupy” is quickly going to become this years “Winning”.. and that would be sad.
Google Plus Pages aren’t For You
I think that it’s great that Google Plus has the ability to make pages. I believe that a company (or someone who sells a service) could benefit from having a page. I cant say how many messages i’ve gotten from people who’ve said “OK.. now that I have a Google plus account.. I need a page.. right.. thats how it goes:”
No. You can just not listen to that part.
This is how I see it:
A Google Plus page is a place for you to be able to show a “Corporate” side of things. Announce discounts.. talk about product/services, share information like that. Its a place where fans and customers can go to see X.
Or……. you can send them to your website .
Imagine this. Why not use the Social Media outlet you have here to show people who you are as a person.. the dna behind the product. People want a certain level of transparency, and get really ticked about getting “dealed” .. so why make yet another piece of “Noise” out there. Use this medium to showcase you. As people become interested in “you” and what you do in that context, you become your best evangelist to “Take” them to your page. Creating a Google plus page just means you have two pages to get people interested in, in addition to a website.
Circle Sharing Makes Me Throw Up in My Mouth A Little
While I know that the concept is sound – share a group of people that you dig with others.. it’s a diluted experience. Think back to Twitter. On Follow Friday – you got a bunch of people who just blurted out all of these people that they thought you should follow. So.. you did..
How bout next Friday.. consume the next list.
Next Friday? Another list.
Do you know how many people “Follow” people because its polite? Because they were “Followed” Because they thought they were supposed to reciprocate some social thing that didn’t really mean anything?
Pretty soon.. you lose sight of the community that you were supposed to be here for.
Pretty soon.. you start thinking to yourself “Man.. if I could just get myself on one of these Circles that are being shared”
The moment that happens.. then a Gatekeeper syndrome is created. We wag our collective tails and drool at the mouth on whether we’re in “That Circle” and the keepers of that Circle have X…
When in fact.. it doesn’t really matter.
Come for community. Come to learn. Come to have a conversation.. but don’t come to make a clique.
Now.. if you want to Help someone with promotion: Feature them.
If there’s someone you like online – rather than share their circle.. why not make a blog post about their work and what draws you to them? This both serves as a genuine connection as well as content for your own page.. (which is what we’re all looking for anyway). Take that extra step. If you don’t its all about as much as getting that Happy Birthday text from Facebook..
Completely pointless.
2 Comments
You are a Mensch, RC.
Nicely said