Technology Mashup

Is this You?

Starting to type this post I'm thinking that it is about as wise as trying to paint your house with a flame thrower! But some things need to get said, even when it is the metaphorical equivalent of rubbing mustard on the unmentionable bits of a savage dog.

I follow quite a bit of the Social Media chatter and I notice an arrogance and self-righteousness creeping into some commentary that I do not think is constructive.

There is a sense of "I will teach you the new way, the right way, the way you didn't think of yourself and can barely comprehend without my years (cough!) of insight". Well - newsflash folks...

Some of the advice is really badly disguised 'egg sucking' courses. Some of the 'teachers' are very 'content light' - especially when trying to sell into a techie community.

I'm advocating common sense and some restraint. Ideas need to go beyond - "Let's do Facebook inside the firewall" - and if you're planning to build a career on anything quite as fleeting, I'd suggest also getting 'a trade'.

Remember as well that there are old stalwarts and academics that have been around collaboration and communications for many years and whereas Social Media does have some interesting attributes, we are not really seeing an unprecedented social revolution.

In my youth it was CB Radios, chat rooms were over radio waves, and the meet-ups were organised by the local CB clubs :-)

So, let's drop the Social Media arrogance, recognise that such expertise is pretty much common sense, and all get back to showing off in more appropriate ways - like doing handstands on our skateboards.