Comments on: Why Being a Good Friend Makes You Good at Social Media

By: Robin Browne

Robin Browne — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:27:32 +0000

Part of what I love about dialogue and disagreement is that it forces us to clarify the terms we use. I was just thinking about your "inherent" comment and realized that, perhaps, I wasn't 100% clear on the definition of inherent. So I dropped the dish I was washing and ran to the trusty dictionary (ok, maybe it's not as trusty as wikitionary). My old Webster's defines inherent as "existing in someone or something as a permanent characteristic or quality". So you're right Sue. The net is inherently two way and "Web 1.0" referred to how it was used not what it was. This is evidenced by the fact that early adopters were doing Web 2.0 stuff on the Web while the rest of the world was still 1.0. Communication never ceases to fascinate me! Robin Browne’s last blog post..GTA geeks use Twitter/blogs to gather to give generously

By: Kimberly Bock

Kimberly Bock — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:39:54 +0000

I too am in my mid, ok, late thirties, and share this same feeling. It’s empowering to know that there are finally friends that I can TRUST around me. I spent 20 yrs in active addiction, before getting out in the real world. I knew zero trustworthy people, I knew zero about change. I knew zero about fulfilling, giving, loving, nurturing friendships. But I knew I could BE a trustworthy friend, and that’s all I had…Until I met people online, like you and the many others that we Tweet with, Digg with, Stumble with, laugh with, help the universe with.

I cry sometimes, like as Im writing this, as a matter of fact. I’m finally able to cry from happiness, instead of fear. The world, not just people who are living the lifestyle I removed myself from, is fear based and so unhappy. I love playing a very active role in pushing people in the direction of REAL friends, who talk like how you are talking right now.

It is literally life saving. If I hadn’t found activists I wouldve probably had no faith in anyone because, whether people want to believe it or not, men in suits carry the same greed based, manipulative, destructive qualities, as your local dope pushers. and just as cruel when they need to be. I couldnt believe what I was seeing when I entered marketing/SEO/SM..

I began exposing marketers for their true nature and was kicked out of Sphinn, and other forums, as a result.

Thank goodness, I found you and social change. Now, I have something to live for.

You don’t know me, and I probably said too much. If so, Im sorry. I just wanted you to know how important you really are.

Kimberly Bock’s last blog post..When Morality and Reputation Management Collide

By: Danny Brown

Danny Brown — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:49:58 +0000

I’ve always been a firm believer of treating people how you’d like to be treated – personally and professionally. That way, if you’re mean or disrespectful to someone – well, it doesn’t say a lot about how you view yourself…

If anyone truly believes they can get through life without friends as long as they have money and success, they’re poorer than anyone I know.

Great post, Suze, and I look forward to working with you in 2009 – we have the chance to do something great!

Danny Brown’s last blog post..Thank You’s and Apologies

By: admin

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:01:04 +0000

You make two very good points, Robin. It’s true, one does not have to be good at social media to be a good friend. I would argue your point about seniors not being good at social media – my Mom is 68 years old, and regularly uses Facebook, chats in IM, and subscribes to blogs in a news reader, and even occasionally comments. My Dad, who is 70, maintains his own Wordpress blog, and uses Flickr extensively to share his photos. I realize they are probably the exception to the rule.

Secondly, when I say the online space is “inherently” one of open communication and sharing, while it is true that it was not commonly used for that purpose in the old Web 1.0 days, the original design of the Web was to create a network to facilitate communication and sharing between people (see Tim Berners-Lee’s book “Weaving the Web” for the full story!). You are so right about the fact that it’s really all about how these tools are used. You can boil the water – it doesn’t necessarily mean someone will know how to cook the egg.

Thanks for your comment!

By: Robin Browne

Robin Browne — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:32:22 +0000

Another great post Sue. Two things I’d qualify though. The first is your title “Being a Good Friend Makes You Good at Social Media”. I would argue that those who are “good at social media” (which needs defining itself), are still in the minority but there are lots of people who are good friends – so it follows that there are lots of people who are good friends but not good at social media. I am thinking of most seniors, people in lower socio-economic brackets….
My second qualifier would be that “online space is inherently a place of open communication and sharing.” To this I have two words: Web 1.0.

Robin Browne’s last blog post..GTA geeks use Twitter/blogs to gather to give generously

By: Recap: Social Media Breakfast Ottawa 5

Recap: Social Media Breakfast Ottawa 5 — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:38:25 +0000

[...] important in the online world. In a timely way, this point relates to something that Sue Murphy blogged about today: “Why Being a Good Friend Makes You Good at Social [...]

By: Amrita

Amrita — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:24:33 +0000

Good analogy. From what I’ve seen, people use social media the way they socialize in “real” life. I’ve seen some who only have 1-sided conversations and others who are more generous & engaging like you’ve described above. This doesn’t seem to correlate to a person’s visibility or stature either.

I totally agree with you that you reap what you sow. I try to be a good friend by being there through thick and thin even when it isn’t convenient and being generous at both giving and receiving.

Thanks for the reminder of how important friendships are and how this extends to the new online relationships we are all developing through social media.

It sounds like 2009 will be a good year for you and I wish you all the best!

By: Melany Gallant

Melany Gallant — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:19:23 +0000

Hey Suze, Your point about human relationships being nurtured via social media was echoed during this morning's Social Media Breakfast Ottawa event. We were talking about the various happening in the social media world over the past year and someone mentioned that what social media (the web really) has done is give back our human voice(s). To be a good participant in the (social media) conversation is the same as being a good friend. You need to have effective listening skills. Then join the conversation and share your opinion in a way that gives value/contributes to what you're hearing. Melany Gallant’s last blog post..Help Social Media Breakfast select a logo!