Socialnomics

New Inbox

Social media is too powerful to create a new way of communication. Based on the foundation of e-mail and instant message system, social media famous of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and etc explore more information to receivers at once. The access of information is not only from A to B, but from every tiny point everywhere. I just met with my client two days ago, during the meeting, they ask me and my teammates to follow their Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin, so that we will know the updates of the project. Our main communication is through e-mail, however, it seems to me that e-mail is a quick message deliver, and social media is even faster.

After we discuss so many advantages of social media, it is time to identify what the drawbacks are. In the chapter 2, page 39, it talks about the interaction between you and your teenagers. On the standpoint of parents, you may often hear their complaints that their children are somehow speechless at home. Your children may come home and just watch TV or sit in front of computer until bed time. When you ask them the day of school, they only answer few sentences or not even a complete sentence. To analysis this problem, we have to look at the basic relationship between your teenagers and you.

Analysis: You have lived with your children for 15 years we said. You talk to them and play with them. However, they way you act is as their parents. You may question “isn’t that what we are supposed to do?” I say Yes to you question, but no to your stereotypes. Of course I am not assuming all the parents are the same. But here is the truth. Some parents compel their children and ask their children to do what they think their children are supposed to do. And every time while their children ask them the reason of doing this or that, they only give their children a standard response or act like that- “I have lived way much longer than you, you should listen to me. I will not hurt you.” This is a one way communication. So, your children start complaining to their friends at school and online to blogs. They rather write up a long page of text on their blogs than telling what they think because their dialogues very often end by the parents. They at least can get some comments or feedback from strangers or friends. And the further problem occurs that is the verbal communication. Since they spend more much time on virtual societies, they are easily allowed to hide themselves like the example raised on Socialnomics book. So while a lot of people are hiding either positives or negatives, the third problem exists. Many teenagers are not fully mature enough to see through the facts. A teenager may videotape a street fight and post on his blog. While his mother asks him about the school, he say “nothing happens.”

Solution: Being open mind to what they think. Think about this: your teenagers may have known a good friend over 5 years. When he just meet his friend, his friend is already open the mind to your teenagers. In the same pattern, your teenagers thus think that parents are not negotiable but that friends are talkable.  Secondly, regularly read their blogs if they let you. But be careful that do not post long lectures on his blog or in public. If lectures are needed, talk to them face to face in a two ways communication. Thirdly, do not throw the standard greeting to them such as “How’s the school? Or what do you learn from school today?” But try to smoke out what they are hiding. “Does Amy talk to you today? Or What are your plans with friends on weekends? ”