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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on March 21, 2011 at 9:56pm

Good thoughts Sean, i think you have seen me after a week of tapping the keys.  Yeppers, short sighted, arthritic, over weight hunchback.  Oh my God.  I have finally evolved.  What a triumph.  I thought i was having some sort of onset of paralysis one night last week.  Turns out i had been crashed on the couch, holding my ipad at reading level so long that i was having cramps in my thumbs and wrists.

 

I drove through a school zone today, every kid was walking around texting to the point that they looked like robots doing the ritalin shuffle.  One kid walked right off the curb and busted himself big time.  Did he jump up holding his scraped elbow.  Of course not he went after his cell phone like a mad dog after a bone.  I am sure he needed to text somebody and tell them that he had just fallen on his face.  Bled all over himself but never quit texting.

 

If you want an exercise in frustration just sit in on a couple of tweetchats.  They remind me of a meeting where people come and go while the speaker is trying to make a point but each time somebody comes in or leaves two or three people have to say "Hi, welcome to the meeting."  Or "hey, good to have you drop in see you later".  Then they have to go get a transcript of the meeting to find out what was really talked about.  I thought we got past that when we got out of third grade and learned not interrupt in the middle of something. 

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Permalink Reply by Sean O'Donoghue on March 22, 2011 at 5:20am

Thanks Sandra...

 

Wow, I feel for you - you actually have an iPad...  How's that going for you? Not too well I'm guessing with all the cramps it's been giving you?! :-)

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm an Apple fan - I truly am... I have an iPhone, and a iMac - but the iPad just seems like the poor illegitimate child that was produced after a one night stand between the two machines. And it's name make it sounds like some kind of new sanitary towel!

 

"Hey Sandra, do you have any spare maxi pads??".... "No, sorry Jane, but I've got a spare iPad if you need something big down there?"

 

The iPhone is great - it's a phone, it's small, and it lets you access emails and the internet on the move with ease (if you really want to take your work with you that is). The iMac is my work computer, and does everything I could ever want to do - and then some. I was hoping that the iPad would be a nice fit in between - sort of like giving the functionality and user interface of an iMac or Mac Book - and making it all nice and neat - doing away with a keyboard and mouse. But oh no... all we got instead was a giant iPhone, with an even bigger price tag - why the heck would anyone want one of those? It's like going back to the 90's, when people walked around with giant Nokia mobile phones, and a huge battery stuck in a ruck sack to power them.

 

Just like I've been saying above - what we're seeing now in social media and technology isn't evolution, it's devolution...

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on March 22, 2011 at 1:40pm

Now wait just a minute bucko.  First of all at my age and stage of the game nobody would ask me for a loaner so we'll talk about the joys of technology.

 

I love my ipad.  I have an iphone also had it for years.  The reason i love the ipad is that i can see the damn thing without my glasses.  I have long nails so trying to reply to anything on an iphone email or text is like my dog trying to play the piano.  I spent years with my laptop actually in my lap until it got so hot that i wasn't sure if i were having a hot flash or i was about to set myself on fire. 

 

Have you ever heard of a kindle?  Have you ever tried to use an iphone propped up on the kitchen counter with a receipe on it while trying to turn out a gourmet dinner. 

 

I have never butt dialed anyone with my ipad but i sure have with the iphone stuck in my purse only to hear some little voice screaming at me to quit calling them.  I can talk on the phone at the same time i am reviewing a resume on my ipad.  Not so easy with the iphone.

 

I guess it all depends on one's challenges but i haven't touched my laptop since i got the ipad, my iphone now lives permanently in my car or purse, albeit i may develop carpal tunnel syndrome from lying on the couch holding the thing at eye level...i can see it and i can type on it.

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Permalink Reply by Sean O'Donoghue on March 22, 2011 at 2:25pm

hahaha Sandra... very funny!

 

Yes - I have got Kindle - it's an app on my iPhone and iMac - and yes, I concede, the iPad is better for it. I'll choose not to argue the other points I made with you on the iPad as I can see it certainly serves you very well. Hmmm... maybe Apple should focus their next marketing campaign for the iPad on the "Senior Citizen", just like phone manufacturers did when they made those phones with extra big buttons - have you ever seen one of those??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway... before I get shot down in flames by you Sandra (I like banter, and I don't mind anyone throwing it back at me!) ... I'll get back on the topic of Social Media...

 

Thanks for your comments Morgan - glad to see you appreciate where I'm coming from. Have you ever looked at what the celebs are spouting out these days on Twitter as well? My gosh, so many of them go on about pointless random crap; and no way would they be telling people in person if they were having a real conversation. It's like they feel they need to give their followers a running commentary of every minute of their lives. Why is that? Do they want to make them jealous, do they think people will love them more?

 

Anyway... Facebook has had it's day, and a lot of people I know now can't be bothered to keep up with it. Twitter can be left to the attention grabbing celebs. Youtube is great, but getting far too commercial, and I hate all the adverts. Myspace is still cool, but seems like it's gone underground and used more by the music industry these days.

 

Oh - and what's going to happen to dating in the future? Call me what you like, but you can't beat the sheer buzz from going up to a man or woman you fancy, and simply just starting up a conversation with them. You have no idea what to expect, whether they will like you or not - but once you can get the confidence to approach them, the sparks really can start to fly! With all this online dating, where you can pick your perfect partner online - it's sort of taking the fun out of going on dates where you have no idea what to expect. Not to knock internet dating sites - as many of you may have found a partner on there... but if we were all taught instead how to build more confidence in order to approach men or women in real life - it would be a WHOLE lot better, and far more fun! God, I hope that we don't look back one day, wondering what it was like to approach a stranger and start up a conversation - instead of hiding behind the "comfort" of our computer screens!!!

 

Just my opinion - but social media could be redesigning our lives entirely... although only if you let it. We don't have to do anything we don't want to - I just hope people stop doing things because they feel they have to be seen to be doing them.....

 

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Sean O'Donoghue on March 22, 2011 at 5:00pm

Exactly Morgan! If anyone wants to see mindless plugging and total rubbish being said by someone on twitter - look at Paris Hilton's blog (no plug intended!). It's just total bull, but then what else would you expect from her?

And that leads me to another issue I have with Social Media... In regards to how much it's used by companies now to promote their products or services....

How many companies are turning social media into a blatant PR exercise on a massive scale???  What I don't like is where someone will start off a topic which sounds really interesting, and they then go on to discuss a problem, followed by a solution which their company can offer to combat said problem. That's just covert marketing, and it's becoming common place everywhere these days. People are getting fed up with it… And no doubt this covert stuff is being pushed by "Social Media Gurus" who are advising companies on how best to promote their "brands" via social media.

"Start talking about key trends and topics that you know your customer base will have an interest in. Then indirectly drop in what your company is doing about such issues and how you want to make a difference, via various products or services that you offer"

Give me a break will you!

It's just as bad as watching a TV show that you really love, only then having it interrupted every 5 mins with damn adverts! No one likes being sold to – whether it's directly or indirectly. Doesn't anyone get that yet?

 

So… You might start following a company because they seem to have an interesting blog – just step back and take a look at it in detail to see how many covert references they make to what they personally are doing, what they are selling, or how they are solving various problems… Too many people use social media with a sole reason to generating more business and ultimately more money for their companies. Social media never started out this way – it was aimed at the general public, as a way of them all keeping in touch with each other, sharing their videos and pictures with one another (the media part), and having a bit of a laugh about it all. What we're seeing is a "Corporate Take Over of Social Media" – and that my friends is what's very wrong with social media now, it's just not fun anymore!

That said – I love Recruiting Blogs for the expert recruiters on here who can talk about their observations in the industry, without plugging anything whatsoever. The banter, the humor – you know who you all are, and you really are what makes the site a great community to be part of. Keep it up!

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Permalink Reply by Sean O'Donoghue on March 23, 2011 at 8:25am

By the way...

 

I carried on "working" yesterday until 10.30pm. Sure - after 6pm I was only networking and writing blogs / discussions via social media - but it's still "work"... and I suddenly realised - "God, I've neglected my wife and kids this evening, what they hell am I doing?!"

That may not be the case for most of you - but I feel social media could take over some people's lives if you aren't careful. Many of us feel now that we should be seen to be active on various social media channels - and that all takes up time, in addition to our core work duties. And then you see the kids using mobile internet all night long - chatting to their friends on facebook, msn messenger etc etc... what will happen to the "family unit"... will we all end up only talking to family via social media because we're too busy on our computers to do it in person??? Imagine having to send your kid a message via facebook that their dinner is ready - because they are so caught up on it in their bedroom, and don't hear you shouting up the stairs!! 

 

It's a scary thought... but could be a reality at the rate technology is taking over our lives!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Darryl Dioso on March 23, 2011 at 11:28am

Sorry Sean but I just had to Tweet this post because it was so good and "real" (keeping it?).

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Permalink Reply by Marcia Tiemeyer on March 23, 2011 at 11:54am

I am so glad to hear that someone else feels the same way I do about Face Book and Twitter.  I have a facebook page, but I rarely look at it.  I really was starting to think there was something wrong with me because I don't get excited about putting every picture I take on Facebook.  There is generally a reason why you don't get in touch or talk to someone for several years.  If I wanted my old high school friends to know what I ate for dinner on Saturday night, I probably would have kept in touch with them.   I also feel like if someone is so interested in keeping up with me, they could give me a call and chat for a few minutes.  I'm puzzled with the acceptance of the social media with the younger generation.  They want privacy from parents and people in authority, but they don't have a problem with putting personal information and minute to minute activities on the internet for everyone they know to see. 

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Permalink Reply by Sean O'Donoghue on March 23, 2011 at 12:05pm

@Darryl - if you mean you've just tweeted this on twitter - how ironic is that?! LOL!!!

 

@Marcia - I really do feel that social media is just another dot com boom and bust waiting to happen! It's certainly added something to all of our lives, and shows that we are evolving with technology and it's uses - but the honeymoon period will soon wear off - and hopefully everyone will realise just how important it is to focus our energies on building and maintaining genuine relationships with our REAL friends and families - in person, and not just online. It's also ironic that I'm posting this discussion on a social media platform - so I guess I do have that to thank for me being able to get my opinions across.

 

At the end of the day, we all just need to keep social media in perspective. There are many companies who are profiting a great deal from social media - and it's in their interests to keep this "hype" going for as long as possible. However, people will wake up some day, and realise that all this social media stuff is just a glitzy word for THE INTERNET ... its not REAL ... and we have far more important things in our lives to keep us happy and fulfilled.

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on March 23, 2011 at 1:13pm

Seriously what i find interesting about social media is that the biggest topic in all of the chats i have observed in the past few weeks. (getting ready to write a blog on twitter chats so doing some observing) is how to protect your online "brand".  Man do i hate that expression.  That's another story.

 

I observed a chat last night MDchat.  The AMA has issued a guideline for docs about social media interaction.  The geny's are hysterical that they can't get rid of the crap they have already flopped out there so they are tweeting like fiends which will set up a whole bunch more noise that will call attention to what they have already done.

 

Isn't it interesting that adults, even those with extensive educational backgrounds have to be told to watch what they put out there.  The paranoia being created by adults saying dumb things then trying to make it go away is more than interesting.  If you don't have enough sense to handle yourself like an adult stay the hell off of social media.  I have also never seen so many self styled experts giving advice and retweeting themselves over and over.  I think we might be able to get the same kind of "engagement" at the psych pavillion where folks are not held accountable for their ravings.

 

Having seen several evolutions of techology i predict that a lot of this will shake out to something that will offer some advantages that make sense and a ton of the noise will go away.  For most companies social media is just another advertising channel.  I don't want their ads spamming my email or my twitter timeline.

 

In my bubble the little guys love their ipod 2, they feed their virtual fish and trade their dinosaurs but they only get to use them after homework is done and they have the choice of TV or the ipod2 then both get turned off.  Living on the internet is not much different than having kids who are addicted to TV except it's more dangerous and perhaps more addictive.  My .02cents.

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Permalink Reply by Ben McGrath on March 23, 2011 at 1:42pm

Sean,

Nicely stated. I especially love the line "if you wouldn't do it in real life, why do it online?"

I do not engage in any SM sites except LinkedIn which I use on a purely professional basis.

 

Thanks for telling it like it is.

All the best,

Ben

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on March 23, 2011 at 2:06pm

Sean,

Where can i find one of those phones with the big numbers?  Do they make TV remotes the same way.  Just wait until you are a senior citizen.  If these are the golden years they are damn sure turning things green.

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