Back in the 60’s , David Riesman already concluded that “the more might not be the merrier”.
Social network researchers have come up with diverse conclusions about Facebook and Internet use.
Passive vs active participation makes a difference whether we are happier or less happy when using social media.
We have yet fully exploited this new social platform (democratized, groundswell stuff).
Social media and digital content not only have width (geographically), but also depth (time irrelevant).
THIS PLATFORM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY, ALLOWS US TO MAKE KNOWN OUR EXISTENCE ACROSS TIME AND SPACE.
Right now, these platforms are monetized, politicized and socialized.
But in time, they will also be memorialized and multiplied.
People of all races, creeds and generations can access and translate someone’s blogs and tweets into their languages,
and to understand what made someone react and respond at a particular time in history.
In other words, open platform.
Yes, if we passively participate (just browsing) in social network, we might feel lonelier. And vice versa.
Riesman’s Lonely Crowd again, even with Smart Phone and Wi-Fi (wireless on the beach).
Social Network is not a utility (Application layer, not Physical Layer). It allows each of us to create and share content i.e. collective cognition, not dumbing down.
Sort of what I am doing and have experimented with Liking, Blogging and Commenting (hopefully filming and video someday).
My Warhol‘s “15 minutes of fame”.
Neither Warhol nor Orwell could have predicted the rise of the Internet. Or else, they wouldn’t have staked their claims on
limited fame or state control, respectively.
Turns out that Riesman has been ahead of his time: we are social animal subjected to existential loneliness, a fate from which we can not escape with or without Facebook.
Thang Nguyen 555 