Comments on: Social Media: How Much is Too Much?

By: Andre Blackman

Andre Blackman — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:43:26 +0000

For me, it’s always about the actual people I get to meet. I think by nature I’m a sort of people person. The convenience of social media affords us the opportunities to stay more “in touch”, however I think our personalities add the finishing touch when we feel the need to actually INTERACT in person.

If you already like hanging out with friends/people outside of the computer world, I think you’re more likely to have a good balance. Just starting to come out to DC social media events and meeting all you cool people has definitely helped me to realize the importance of the online/offline interaction.

By: Ben Matthews

Ben Matthews — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:52:12 +0000

I find myself a bit split by this one. Yes, we need to “connect in the real world and develop strong and solid relationships that will and do transcend into business”, but I’ve also found that it becomes a ‘chicken and the egg’ situation – I’ve met lots of people online that I would never have met offline, and subsequently met them offline to build offline projects, but these projects often require the input of online contacts.

We all need to develop lasting personal relationship both online and offline, but we also need to be open to the idea of developing new relationships that may turn into lasting ones, where ever we meet these people.

By: Paul Bove

Paul Bove — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:49:31 +0000

Great assessment of the impersonality of social media and the desire to take a break from it once in a while. I DO sometimes feel like “an old stodge” and I’m not ashamed to say it. I’ve been exposed to more Web 2.0 and social networking than ever before because of a grad school class I’m taking about the subject. Guess what? For all the fun that can be had on Facebook, etc., I still prefer some face to face with people!

By: maggiefox

maggiefox — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:34:43 +0000

Hey Aaron – I agree, too. The strongest relationships are those you can make “real” by meeting F2F – sxsw being a great example. I’ve always looked at social media as a kind of “relationship prep” stage – we know each other a little, so that when we finally do meet, we don’t have to worry about all that awkward getting-to-know-one-another stuff – we can just jump right in to hanging out.

Awesome to meet you last week!

By: Kalen Jordan

Kalen Jordan — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:15:49 +0000

Ya, its funny, I’ve built several social nets but I don’t really use any of them in any meaningful way to communicate with friends. Also concur with some of the guys above that the online contacts that matter most are the ones you’ve met in person.

By: Keith Casey

Keith Casey — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:54:53 +0000

I’ve noticed that the main people that I twitter with/to are the people that I have real world relationships with *or* those that close friends have real world relationships with. I follow lots of people, but the only people on my IM notification are DCians, PHP’ers, or a handful of business contacts that I have from here and there. Those are the people with the thoughts and opinions that I generally care about. And occasionally, I find new and other people that I don’t know and happen to care about what they think and are doing… but that’s just a nice benefit. :)

On another note, I find it creepy that people find me insightful. Before you know it, they’ll expect me to be in charge of stuff and set agendas and junk. ;)

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:05:48 +0000

Aaron,

Great post, totally agree. I love your last statement. The connections I have made with you and all the others has been so rewarding for me. I love getting together with the like minded people and talk.
I have made more connections offline from my online dealings recently than I have made my entire life with the local community.

Keep up the great work.

jimmy

By: kevin

kevin — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:57:52 +0000

Wait there are people out there?

(looks up from computer)

Oh wow…

By: Dan Thornton

Dan Thornton — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:54:46 +0000

I’m happy to say I totally agree, and despite being a nethead, and Community Marketing Manager for a number of online products, I’m always trying to encourage everyone involved to organise real world events, meets and interaction.

The most valuable people I know online are mainly those who I’ve met in real life at least once…whether before or after we met online.