Comments on: Social media doesn’t create new generation leaders

By: Modite - Generation Y is the ER doctor of generations

Modite - Generation Y is the ER doctor of generations — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:18:51 +0000

[…] is only by being fully involved in the corporate cultures in which we work, in the neighborhoods we live in, and in the politics […]

By: Modite - Found in the closet

Modite - Found in the closet — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 02:50:52 +0000

[…] Social media doesn’t create new generation leaders […]

By: Daniel Sitter, Idea Seller

Daniel Sitter, Idea Seller — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:08:11 +0000

Hi Rebecca,

You continue to impress! I would love to hear your response to Lewis Green’s latest post concerning employers and GenY.

Gen Y Wants More

Wishing you a safe, happy and prosperous New Year!!

By: Lisa Gates

Lisa Gates — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:12:20 +0000

Rebecca, your writing is consistently stunning. And what you’re up to is even more stunning. Where’s your book?

By: Terry Starbucker

Terry Starbucker — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 17:05:42 +0000

Bravo. What a great piece of writing. Way to put a little perspective on the relative importance of social media. The fact is, real change just doesn’t happen in front of a computer. We need to be “in the arena”, just like Teddy Roosevelt said almost 100 years ago (if you haven’t read that quote, here it is -http://www.terrystarbucker.com/archive/my-favorite-quotes-part-1/ ). Eye to Eye leadership indeed! On to my blogroll you go. Keep up the great work, and all the best.

By: kara

kara — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 16:26:16 +0000

Powerful read ::

By: Dave Atkins

Dave Atkins — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 12:56:06 +0000

I agree it can be easy to overvalue social media and get so busy blogging or facebooking or whatever that you don’t do anything real. Some of my posts on my site (e.g. http://blog.davewrites.com/index.php?cat=32 ) might give that impression. But I’m under no illusion that adding Barack Obama as a facebook friend is any significant political action. Social media has such a low barrier to entry and participation that it is a new level of opportunity to get people engaged and strengthen or maintain their existing real world connections. It is just another set of tools–but they are new tools and they can be powerful.

By: Rebecca Thorman

Rebecca Thorman — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:42:50 +0000

@ Ryan - I don’t think we disagree. As I stated, social media are just tools. Sometimes it can be powerful, but I dont’ think it’s enough. People aren’t taking action because of those tools, as Norcross brought up, but because of an emotional response. That’s built on real interactions. You can start somewhere, like social media, but just make sure you don’t stop there.

@ Norcross - Thank you for sharing such a great quote. It’s absolutely true. That’s how I was taught as a fundraiser. You can throw out as many facts, but people give out of their heart, their emotions.

@ Rosie - You make a great observation. I think a lot of this comes down to responsibility and accountability as well. Thanks for your thoughtful response!

By: Rosie

Rosie — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:29:46 +0000

@Norcross It’s so true. It’s interesting that I recently heard a podcast of Penelope Trunk where she briefly mentioned that people have the most problem with posts that pertain to taking responsibility for actions. Sometimes I think things like the ‘virtual marches’ and social media can take away from that responsibility. You don’t have to look someone in the face and see their dissent or disagreement with your cause. It’s easy. It takes all the trial out of a cause which is really great on an individual, surface level (who wants to be disagreed with or face obstacles) but then our personal growth comes from perseverance. And if you never face opposition, you don’t build that character.

But also, I think as Ryan said, networks can be a great way to get the message out. But then it needs to be taken into action and to that personal level or emotional experience that your quote talks about.

So interesting! Good food for thought!

By: Norcross

Norcross — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:46:21 +0000

I couldn’t agree more. While I’ll admit I’ve done my fair share of social networking (I actually met my wife on MySpace), I think people forget that it isn’t, in a sense, real, Greg Graffin, the lead singer of Bad Religion (and a PhD in cultural anthropology) wrote an interesting article in regards to “e-protests”. While the article isn’t available anymore, here’s a summary:

To quote from the first two paragraphs:

Recently, I read an article in the paper that related the growing trend of “Digital Demonstrators” (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 3, 1998). It said that “virtual marches” could be an effective way to bring about social change. It stated that “activists can demonstrate with a mouse click…

This really pissed me off! First of all, it is a gross misrepresentation of what motivates social and political change. Ultimately, social change comes from an emotionally based behavior pattern. The reason people change in unison is because we are united by a similar emotional response. We are not moved to change the laws if we don’t have an emotional experience that connects us to the political issue.

Keep up the good work!