Positively Media

How we connect and thrive through emerging technologies.

Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D., M.B.A. is Director of the Media Psychology Research Center and teaches media psychology at Fielding Graduate University and UCLA Extension. See full bio

March 13, 2009, Media

Comments on "Zen Moment: Social Media isn't a "thing," it's a state of being"

Zen Moment: Social Media isn't a "thing," it's a state of being

By Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D., M.B.A. on March 13, 2009 in Positively Media

It’s okay if you nod knowingly when people talk about social media but haven’t got a clue what it really is. I’ll let you in on a secret: No one does. That’s because it isn’t a “thing.” It’s a way of life. As much as you may not want to hear this, it’s also something that’s here to stay. The only choice is to exhale and get with the program. Read More

Dr. R., I found your

Submitted by Cathie Brown on March 13, 2009 - 2:45pm.

Dr. R.,

I found your Positively Media blog to be very informative about the rapidly changing methods of interaction which media technology provides. I definitely identify with the digital immigrants, but I'm encouraged that I can learn 'new tricks.' I particularly liked your reference to the human need to interact with our environment and most importantly with one another. We often think of technology as somehow serving as a barrier to interaction instead of recognizing it as the conduit to interaction that it is.

Cathie Brown

Technology as Gateway to Communication

Submitted by Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D., M.B.A. on March 13, 2009 - 6:33pm.

Hi Cathie,
Thanks for your comment! I really believe that the more energy we put into thinking about how media technologies can and do contribute, rather than what they "do to us," the more we can shift the tide toward positive applications and uses. But, as you know, it does require a certain amount of effort to let our brains and mental models of "how things are supposed to work" catch up with the evolution of technology!
Pam

Just like email 15 years ago?

Submitted by Pauline Wallin, Ph.D. on March 13, 2009 - 5:11pm.

The social media phenomenon seems to be where email was 15 years ago, with a similar seductive appeal. Back then I used to look forward to opening my inbox to see how many new messages were there. I subscribed to several newsletters, just because I could. But it wasn't too long before the volume of email became unmanageable. You know what I'm talking about....

I see a similar thing happening with social media. It's exciting to have hundreds - or even thousands - of friends and contacts. We can have dozens of conversations simultaneously. But what will happen when the newness wears off? What will social media look like 10 years from now?

Pauline Wallin, Ph.D.
http://marketwithauthority.com

The Future of Social Media

Submitted by Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D., M.B.A. on March 13, 2009 - 6:23pm.

Dear Pauline,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. It's definitely hard to get our heads around where social media will be in 10 years, given how much the media landscape has changed in the last decade! I think it will continue to be more and more about people and relationships and less about specific technology. The boundaries between technologies are already dissolving across platforms with some interesting psychological ramifications about expectations of what it means to communicate, interpersonally and as a citizen nationally and globally. Personally, I see a lot to be optimistic about. The emphasis of social technologies on people means that individuals exert effort on their own behalf, building a sense of connection to communities and, one hopes, belief in one's own power to act as part of a larger goal.
Pam