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Isn't it all pretty much worthless? A few years ago I thought with google and 'social media' (hate that term) that no one would ever be misinformed again. B

Isn't it all pretty much worthless? A few years ago I thought with google and 'social media' (hate that term) that no one would ever be misinformed again. But look at 'em, people are dumber than ever. If every social thingamajig and comments section were deleted off the internet I think it would be an improvement. Yeah, I see the irony of saying that in a comments section on the internet.

dpiers 13y ago
Human interaction is hardly worthless, regardless of the 'quality' of said interaction. We are social creatures, and the vast majority of people have an innate desire to share their lives and thoughts with other people. Instagramming the trail when I went for a walk last night^1 didn't make anyone smarter, but it allowed me to share a piece of beauty from my day that could quite possibly have made them feel happier. That said, I disagree entirely with the idea that people are not more informed because of social media. The first reports of the raid resulting in the death of Osama Bin Laden came from a civilian in Islamabad who was live-tweeting about the sound of helicopters overhead^2. Say what you will about Twitter/Facebook, but they were both instrumental in the Arab Spring and helped revolutionaries topple numerous oppressive regimes. The news is being broken and made on social media. It's a communication tool unlike anything humanity has ever had access to, so some people will continue to swing it wildly like a child who has just been given a toy hammer, but that does not negate its efficacy in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing. 1: http://instagram.com/p/aHyO-UgngM/ http://instagram.com/p/aHyO-UgngM/ 2: http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/05/02/osama.twitter.reports/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/05/02/osama.twitte...
- mrwnmonm 13y ago
  you made me think that this topic is very complex. your example is nice (i mean the instagram photo), but sometimes people just post silly things, sometimes i feel it makes me stupid
- joyeuse6701 13y ago
  mm, Unless social interaction leads to a net negative outcome for the rest of the world: I'm thinking of Nationalism in Europe and Japan for example during the early 1910 and 1930s. I'd argue that the consensual agreement in the sub-humanization of Jews would qualify as worthless human interaction. As for the instagramming, here's a counterpoint: http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2011/01/the_antisocial_network.html http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2011/01/the_a... Sharing what makes you happy doesn't necessarily makes others happy. And as convenient as social media was in speeding up the spread of news for the OBL raid and coordination for Arab Spring, it's also lead to witch hunts (Boston Bombings), and general spread of false information (politics anyone?). You're right, some people suck and using social media, and others are very efficient at it. But I think for what purpose someone uses a tool is important.
- Dylan16807 13y ago
  'comments' don't imply interaction. You need the capability of a back and forth, not just drive-by words tossed on top of the pile. The typical facebook wall post will host plenty of interaction. The typical glued-on comment section with spambot frosting? Perhaps not.
glomph 13y ago
People are not dumber than ever. More people are just communicating with a medium you have access to.

dpiers 13y ago

Human interaction is hardly worthless, regardless of the 'quality' of said interaction. We are social creatures, and the vast majority of people have an innate desire to share their lives and thoughts with other people. Instagramming the trail when I went for a walk last night^1 didn't make anyone smarter, but it allowed me to share a piece of beauty from my day that could quite possibly have made them feel happier. That said, I disagree entirely with the idea that people are not more informed because of social media. The first reports of the raid resulting in the death of Osama Bin Laden came from a civilian in Islamabad who was live-tweeting about the sound of helicopters overhead^2. Say what you will about Twitter/Facebook, but they were both instrumental in the Arab Spring and helped revolutionaries topple numerous oppressive regimes. The news is being broken and made on social media. It's a communication tool unlike anything humanity has ever had access to, so some people will continue to swing it wildly like a child who has just been given a toy hammer, but that does not negate its efficacy in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing. 1: http://instagram.com/p/aHyO-UgngM/ http://instagram.com/p/aHyO-UgngM/ 2: http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/05/02/osama.twitter.reports/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/05/02/osama.twitte...

mrwnmonm 13y ago
you made me think that this topic is very complex. your example is nice (i mean the instagram photo), but sometimes people just post silly things, sometimes i feel it makes me stupid
joyeuse6701 13y ago
mm, Unless social interaction leads to a net negative outcome for the rest of the world: I'm thinking of Nationalism in Europe and Japan for example during the early 1910 and 1930s. I'd argue that the consensual agreement in the sub-humanization of Jews would qualify as worthless human interaction. As for the instagramming, here's a counterpoint: http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2011/01/the_antisocial_network.html http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2011/01/the_a... Sharing what makes you happy doesn't necessarily makes others happy. And as convenient as social media was in speeding up the spread of news for the OBL raid and coordination for Arab Spring, it's also lead to witch hunts (Boston Bombings), and general spread of false information (politics anyone?). You're right, some people suck and using social media, and others are very efficient at it. But I think for what purpose someone uses a tool is important.
Dylan16807 13y ago
'comments' don't imply interaction. You need the capability of a back and forth, not just drive-by words tossed on top of the pile. The typical facebook wall post will host plenty of interaction. The typical glued-on comment section with spambot frosting? Perhaps not.

glomph 13y ago

People are not dumber than ever. More people are just communicating with a medium you have access to.