On the usefulness of exposing yourself online
For the last year or so there’s been a ton of articles about how MySpace, YouTube etc is creating a new generation of narcissistic exhibitionist teens who put it all out there and wait for the pedophiles to come knocking. On one hand, I agree that many teens may not know what they’re getting into and that parents need to pay attention and take reasonable steps to keep their kids safe. That said, I think the long-term impact of this phenomenon could be remarkable.
I’m hardly a teenager at 38, but in the last 10+ years I can trace practically all of the important developments in my life to exposing myself online. At a practical level, I really mean that I’ve met a lot of people (including my wife) simply by emailing them. Being exposed and relatively open online has also helped my business by helping me find customers, investors, partners etc.
My point? I’m probably in the top 10% of people in my age group in terms of leveraging online networking. The remaining 90% are too busy or set in their ways to take advantage of these new technologies (and understanding the etiquette that goes with them). When it comes to social networking, my generation is a bunch of old fogies with their VCR clocks doing this:
A much greater percentage of kids today intuitively understand this. Right now they’re doing sophomoric stuff on MySpace, but today’s teenagers will be looking for jobs in a few years, and in 10 years they’ll be the hiring managers. Of course they will take advantage of social networking tools like MySpace, Facebook etc and will look askance at anyone who doesn’t, just like I’m amazed when I occasionally meet someone who doesn’t have an email address.
(As an aside, while I was writing this post I got a phone call from someone in Belgium who has followed my company very closely online. It may or may not lead to a business opportunity down the road, but the fact that he knew who to call, even though I’m 7-8 time zones away in another country, is yet another example of this trend.)
Hat tip: The Social Networking Weblog
April 3rd, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Derek, I do agree with you in terms of exposing though the caveat I throw in is that this relevant to those who seek this exposure (which does happen to the overwhelming majority). I entered the online world when I was 38 and presently I am 46 and my way has been about the usefulness of using online as a personal exploring rather than online exposure. I saw your name pop up at the AlwaysOn platform and then as usual I scurry off like a rabbit to discover new things and take notes of the things like a venerable web-archaeologist.
Since entering the WWW in 1998, I have built a huge database of links and information which is what I pick up on my online journey. The nature of my career is that it requires a high degree of discretion, so I don’t gain anything by being branded online, so I am quite happy not being noticed online other than a notoriety I do not particular crave or want.
In terms of exploring rather than exposing as a “usefulness” the web really has a venerable feast of discover points and so many different human experiences that would be an absolute impossibility to discover or find in a real world existence. The net is truly a dynamic experience that to me it extends far more beyond “usefulness” from exposure, and it can truly be a life changing experience, but that really depends on purpose - it is perfectly OK to do the simplest thing and that would be useful to that particular person. To each their own way, so long as that way is thoughtful or constructive in its purpose.
Anyway, we might not use the online world the same way, and you may be far more considerably linked, but that is kudos to you because you are using this wonderful resource the way you see fit. Anyway, I have pretty fast fingers and I could keep adding paragraphs of platitudes and observations, it is suffice for me to say that as an explorative experience, the last nine years have been fascinating. Thank you for allowing me this space to share my thoughts, even if I happen to be more of a lone wanderer rather than the regular socialite.
I have enjoyed this brief venture into the Scruggs world, (noting in ironic fashion that I just said above that I would not be adding more paragraphs); much of which is new territory and offers a bunch of links for me to keep wandering onwards. I will now put on my cyber backpack and move on and quietly continue and engage on my personal journey. I don’t normally leave notes like this on most of the websites I visit on the way, but yours is new territory and it looks like a smart oasis, and since what write online I link to my personal database, this is a good reflection point, otherwise I remain more or less in the manageable boundary of AlwaysOn platform.
Apologies if I don’t write my full name out but a few dibs on the old Google reveals my explorative trails, I much prefer a humbler approach to the usefulness of web discovery, but again I do agree those who do expose themselves online can derive much usefulness as well. This is the first time I have come across a “Live Preview” feature, I don’t like leaving orphans at the end of a paragraph and I also love the ticking VCR clock touch above, great way to make a point about how we view things in life
All the best to you Derek.
M.
April 3rd, 2007 at 8:21 pm
OK, the live preview does not prevent orphans like the word “platform” above, but your website is still pretty cool
M.