Sphinn - Old People Don’t Get Social Media

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Went Hot: June 23, 2008 - 8:08 am
Posted By: cre8pc 377 days ago
Topic Type: News Story (Jump to http://cre8pc.com)
Category: Networking

I’m 50 years old. I get the whole social media gig. It’s like Woodstock on the ‘Net, where people gather together for several minutes, days, weeks, months and years to hang out, talk, share, listen to music, run around naked and slide in the mud.

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from EricLander 377 days ago #

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Great article here from Kim, and one that anyone involved in social media ought to read. Without getting too detailed, I'd liken Kim's experiences today to what we see in the search industry while attending conferences. We can talk / IM / tweet / message one another until we're blue in the face -- but when we get to hang out, it's great times.

from cre8pc 377 days ago #

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Thanks Eric! I do wish that getting to conferences wasn't so expensive, because the face to face time is always so much better. I feel more "real" then. It's a more honest presentation of me to others, when done in the physical. In cyberspace, its easier to take on personas or filter and edit ourselves. SM may be confused as correseponding with "real" people but it's not. Behind the veil of a keyboard we can be anybody.

I'm not saying this is wrong. I'm saying that sooner or later, this won't satisfy us anymore. And those of us who remember huge gatherings like Woodstock and " Be Ins" understand that the reason for them, besides the drug experience, was the simplicity of being with people. Meeting strangers and talking to them.

At one Grateful Dead concert, a handsome guy saw me running from security as I made my way down front towards the stage. This man lifted me up with his strong arms, lifted me onto the chair he was standing on, and shared his space with me for the rest of the concert. At the end, he handed me a rose. I never got his name. But I remember him and what he did.

I look for moments like this in the new socially driven sites and I see we have walls up still. People are talking but not connecting. The majority...sometimes you see glimpses of honest human to human communion. But they're brief and interrupted by others who drop in with their stuff. It breaks the flow of energy.

from Jill 377 days ago #

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Kim, I think it can also depend on the type of person you are. I would be aghast at being in a swarm of people at a concert, let alone some stranger swooping me up and sharing his space. To me, that sounds more like torture!

Yet, put me online chatting with a swarm of strangers and I couldn't be happier.

For me, the Internet, in general, and what's now known as social media has always been a lifesaver. It has enabled me to interact with other human beings in a way I never would have been able to otherwise because of my inherent introvertedness.

Personally, I laugh at the "old people don't get social media" line because old people like you and me have been at social media for 15+ years. It's no different today then it was then, there's just new software involved.

from MikeDammann 377 days ago #

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You know what? I hate posts like this!
Why?
Because it encourages people like my mom to use age as an excuse not to progress. ;)

Seriously though, Jill is dead on. It all depends on you. It definitely is harder for people over 40 to "get it" compared to my kid who grew up talking to me on gtalk. It's a fast world we live in. It's only getting faster, so 40 plus or minus, my advice to you is to say screw it and jump right in! :)

Mike Dammann

from cre8pc 377 days ago #

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LOL

@Jill...I think those who make statements that the "over 40" crowd don't get SM have forgotten that many of the top web forums on the 'Net are run by over 40-ish folks. And yes, we've been doing this awhile, in other formats. Egroups, which later became Yahoo Clubs, was where people met others in their niche/interest. There was Dejanews, listservs, chat groups, IM, usenet...it just has a fancy name of social media or social networking now.

What fascinates me is that I'm picking on young people who are growing frustrated with the medium now. These may be extroverts who feel the limits and walls put up by SM sites. Introverts appreciate the outlet.

I don't believe SM is the finished product. Rather, it's a stepping stone to something else not available yet. I'm excited to see where it all goes :)

And remember, I'm old!

from yojpotter2 376 days ago # - show/hide this comment

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I guess in Internet, everybody is young at heart.

from Eavesy 375 days ago #

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I had one of my clients Dads who was like 70 doing pretty well on propeller when it was Netscape. I wouldn't have shown him digg or anything LOL. I think an old person could possibly enjoy mixx as well.

from DVOLA 375 days ago #

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slide round naked in the mud ... lol, my parents do that every weekend..

from JustinBentley 375 days ago #

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Awesome article from a great writer. Thanks for sharing.

Nothing like addressing a sterotype with tales of naked people sliding around in the mud, passing doobies, and smiling on their brother while they try to love one another.....face to face.