Pondering Parallel Universes in Social Media
I like to think of the Internet, mobile and other information sources in terms of layers. With each new iteration of web technology we’re adding layers and dimensions to the way we communicate online and off. Call web 1.0 the information and transaction layer, web 2.0 the communication layer and social media the human layer. These parallel dimensions intersect each other in ways that defy our 3 dimensional way of perceiving things. The mashing together of intent, info, geo-location, time-shifting, crowdsourcing and all the other memes emerging out of the networks has created something much larger than anyone could have envisioned only a few years ago.
This helps me understand the degree of resistance those of us in Social Media encounter when pushing new concepts into people with a traditional media mindset. It is very difficult to accept that a world like marketing has changed irrevocably. No more broadcast. Everything personalized. Instant movement of reputations. Instant celebrity (boy was Andy Warhol on the money! Fifteen minutes indeed…).
This is not a matter of thinking outside of the box. We have to think outside of our comfortable universe because we’ve expanded it exponentially.