Social Networking in plain english

As I continue down my road of social media enlightenment, I am amazed, almost daily, at how truly "old school" this method of communication is. Where technology in the age of computers and digital everything has been said to isolate us on our own little "islands"; (the very opposite of being social as it were), the blossoming of web 2.o with Facebook, Linkedin, Blogs, and Twitter etc. has in fact, ameliorated our ability to connect with others on both a one to one and a one to many basis.

This capability of social media to create a virtual "village" where we get to choose our neighbours based on what we have in common, has taken us back to those "party line" days where everyone knew what everyone else was up to and trusted their friend's and neighbour's opinions.

Where we couldn't control what others said or learned about us before without keeping our shades drawn or our phone off the hook; today we have control over what we want others to know about us. Used with discretion and maturity, social media provides us with a tool that disseminates only the messages that we what communicated to friends and followers. It also provides us with the capability to research any topic imaginable. AND it's a great way to make friends!

As I continue my journey, I have and will continue to meet, no doubt, many, many people who generously share their insights, expertise and wisdom. This is one of the rewards of being on the "network".

Enjoy these videos and many more very helpful ones at Commoncraft.





And for those who just don't get TWITTER...