Social media is dead (not a post about social media)
I’ve been posting way too much about (social) media on Tech IT Easy and I’m sick & tired of it… of both social media *and* writing about it. There’s nothing left to say; everything that has been done, has been done. There will be some “process innovation,” sure, the internet is famous for it. But you know what? You can’t place a human being into a user-bucket and expect your site to fill up. Eventually, all kind of things go wrong, because people aren’t users, they are: MFECWCNBPIABs (multi-faceted, evolving creatures, which cannot be placed in a box—.com: that URL’s gonna be worth millions some day…).
The reason, I’m sick of it is because I take more and more a managerial attitude towards tools, how they fit into my life (and that of organisations). I ask myself: how can they be measured—do they increase productivity, in what way, what other measurable benefits are they? Are there use-cases—are super-efficient individuals and organisations using them effectively, if so how, and where is it published (Analysts’ reports don’t count)!?
The thing is, social media isn’t Tech. People make it out as if it was, because social “media’ists” are the Loudest people on the internet. But these are the guys that write books, (get paid to) speak at conferences, place ads on their blogs etc. A conflict of interest, if there ever was one! Every single A-lister has a stake in social media, whether it is their blog, filling up their blog, or using social networks as a way to market their blog.
I’m done with it. No more social-media “marketing” from me!
So where’s the exciting tech at? What are the next horizons that I want to focus on?
- Mobile tech perhaps: I’ve had a post entitled ” the headache that is mobile tech” in my pipeline for a while now, just never got around to finishing it. Essentially, mobile tech (by which I also mean software) is a nightmare, for many obvious and subtle reasons, and I’d love to find an answer on how to circumvent these challenges. At the same time, I still see mobile as a necessary evolution to PCs for many reasons: no.1 being that they also place human beings into “user”-categories.
- Green tech perhaps: reasons to love this subject is that it is a source of competitive advantage for companies. Just look at Wal Mart and how it’s setting a standard, but also look at Shell and how it’s focussing on alternative technologies. Adversity breeds innovation!
- Finding new (more democratic) investment models: I’m not finance-guy, but my thesis was 99% about the financial problems being faced by tech startups. Similarly, there is a big need for financing people all over this planet, which organisations like Kiva are trying to solve. It may be more of a social movement, than a technology, that’s not to say that there aren’t overlaps. And I’m sick & tired of banks abusing our money and creating scandals like the current real estate crisis.
Those are my three, for now, though not exclusively. For myself, I’m interested in new ways to e-commerce for instance. I might write something about that in a few months. If there is an exciting tech on the horizon that you feel should be covered more often, feel free to suggest it in the comments!
In any case, if I post another word about social media on Tech IT Easy, please internet-slap me.
(That does not count for my fellow bloggers on Tech IT Easy, of course!!!)
With best regards,
Vincent
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DArn ! I always fall for philos like “What is Tech”. Problem is that I also begin producing answers. So until I fix this, you deal with my answers.
“Tech” is like 80% on how it is perceived which is also very relevant on who cares on the 1st place. So “Tech” is inevitably a thing of teenagers and then a massive one. This may explain why social media are more a “Tech” thing than nanomechanics.
Come on Vince, maybe they are cheapening but they are not dead.And anyway after the TV kingdom, they are dezombifying. Anyway if you decide to give them up, your mobile-green-money seams neat. My fourth bullet would be humanitarian tech. I got to catch up Dallas on TV now,just in case they really are dead.
Dallas? I think those guys really are dead…
About social media: I just like setting myself boundaries, particularly when I feel like I’ve gone to far. Social media may not be dead for everyone, but it is a dead topic to write about for me.