It’s been awhile since I have written and published a blog. I’m writing all the time, in my mind, at work and in my personal life and some pretty interesting stuff may I add. With the best endeavors time beats me every time in pursuing my blogging activities. Now this isn’t an excuse as I haven’t made a commitment to any one (except myself) and frankly, my blogs are not number 1 in the blog parade! Nevertheless I punish myself in my lack of whatever that appears to trip me up. Yes time . . . .
That said I guess micro blogging, posts and comments go some way to satisfying “I have a voice” therapy even though no one may want to listen. Every time we make a comment in the Social Media sphere we are exercising our need to express and be heard.
There is striking plethora of statistics coming out of every “big data” sales pitch and Internet innovation post on the use and engagement of social media. And clearly it shows that the world has developed time to have a voice as part of the natural day-to-day order of life.
I often say “You can always make money but you can never make time”. Time is money, time makes money and various permutations of time over money and money over time and on and on. But it’s not all about money is it? It is all about time and what we value in that moment of “time”.
My last blog published in February 2015 (clearly I do not have enough time) was inspired by the need to reinvent the local library as a more 21st Century offering for this internet generation. That way I guess the act of posting aligns to a very social and open collaboration. Since then a number of articles, experiences and events have amused, confused, angered, and inspired me but clearly not enough to urge me to make time to blog. Why is that?
Is it that access to so many feeds, posts and information sources has reached saturation that the whole experience and value is becoming like wall paper? Is it that when it comes down to it you need significant determination, discipline and creativity to maintain a frequent blog? Or is it that you need time!
For a generation it is time and tools. The tools being the omnipresent smartphone and all the Apps that captures your life in step by step posts, pixelated and videoed on every exciting memory that will hold an audience forever, and just look at the “Likes” and comments! I mean who has time to live these events as we’re so busy capturing them to share.
It will be interesting to see in 10-15 years time if the % demographic shown in this charts reflects the survival rate of some of these platforms. What strikes me is the 25 to 34 demographic dominance of nearly all of these.
So say you’re the lucky one who invents a new Social Media platforms and takes it all the way to IPO and WOW! The success, if predicated on the usage of a demographic that is constantly changing it stance from generation to generation, suggests no real longevity based upon the investment you have made. Would you buy stock? Will the next 25-34s really be so drawn to Social Media? And will the technology still be valid (that’s another blog)?
This century has seen a significant change in how we live, work, communicate, socialize and behave. We can no longer live in a time bubble, safe in our local understandings and ignoring the wider world. The change in technology and the perceived benefits that it brings demonstrates that events all over the world can directly impact our daily lives through the connections that information technology empowered through Social Media. It suggests that we have a voice and want to be heard. It suggests that this is forming part of our daily habits and part of the ritual of living.
We have a voice and want to be heard and will use anything that empowers us to do so. Or “you can post all you want to but you can’t always have something worthwhile to say”.
A LIFE LESS ORDINARY 