Krywosa, IMC

With all of the recent Tweets regarding who to follow, how to follow and why to follow its made me think a lot about what Twitter means to me. There have also been just as many, if not more, posts about Facebook: what content to feed to your wall, privacy settings for business contacts, etc. Which leads me to: whats the big deal?

I’ve found that people respond to the fact that I have constant content additions from a number of places. Even those who do not live and breathe social media find some information useful, funny or thought provoking and tell me so with a message. Past business acquaintances comment on my new dog or family members post follow ups to Friendfeed items posted for work from Google Reader. Isnt the cross pollination what social media is all about? The greater spread of information in a quicker format?

Further, I dont know if I subscribe to many of the ‘gain tons of followers’ or ‘get the most out of Twitter/Facebook’ posts that I’ve seen. I feel its much more organic. “If you use it they will come”, if you will. Just like losing weight, I dont believe there is a quick fix or magic equation.

As I said in my previous post, I find that I learn more from people that I dont necessarily have a common bond with than those that I do. I’ve learned more about myself by disagreeing and having a thoughtful discourse than by engaging in ‘yup’ comments tirelessly. Its made me carve out what social media, or anything, really means to me. Having more followers than I can probably handle makes this even clearer: I find that what I’m drawn to may not be what I originally thought I would be. The need I feel to comment on something is much stronger that the feeling that I have to comment.

How often do you disagree with people? Do you follow/friend those much different from yourself or stick with those who are like minded/of the same industry?

I’ve noticed lately that I’ve become somewhat of a hermit in the eyes of my non-digital friends. My ‘in real life’ (IRL) peeps. I wonder if this is detrimental or if its only made to feel that way by those who just dont get the benefit of virtual friendships.

Dont get me wrong: I’m by no means sitting home all day every weekend chatting or xboxing with people across the globe as my main point of human contact. I still go out on the weekends. I still catch the occasional post work drink with coworkers both past and present. I’m still entertaining in my home and meeting people offline in the dating world.

If you’re like me, you know a large number of people online that you may have never met. Not yet, or maybe, not ever. Does that make these relationships less real? Are they one dimensional? Are they just ‘pretend’ or ‘play’ friends? I’d argue not. But some people may have you thinking of yourself as Sandie Bullock’s character in ‘The Net’. Kinda sad. Too much food delivery and not enough interaction. But that was the 90’s and now these types of relationships proliferate and people need to update their judgements.

Some of my online peeps are more involved in my life than some friends I live close to. Some comment more on my virtual existence which bleeds into my ‘real’ life  (blogs, Twitter, Facebook pics and posts, etc.). Lately, I’ve spent more time Tweeting TV shows, football games and social outings with online peeps that they’ve become my main base of contact. But here’s why: I have the ability to always be connected. Sad as that may sound, with the cold, harsh winter taking its toll on my outings with friends, and my recent lukewarm feelings for phone conversations, Tweeting/Facebooking/Texting have become the norm even with IRL peeps.

My argument is that I’m more connected to people than ever. Just because I’m not face-to-face doesnt mean that my interactions are any less fulfilling. I know more now about more people than ever before because I can be updated in real time. I can comment on things that I may not normally have known or be told because they get caught up in the minutia of every day life. I’d argue that I feel closer to more people with minimal effort. I’d ask my non-connected friends why they arent?

So: what is ‘real life’? How do you feel about your digital existence?