Splicetoday

Digital
Sep 18, 2008, 09:11AM

"Social Media, Blogs and Music: Some Philosophical Thoughts"

While the headline suggests that the following essay is about music, Dave Allen's "philosophical thoughts" are applicable to anything involving new media (including news media). His argument that the Internet is an extension of human nature—as opposed to the "technology drives society" line—is part of a poigniant and comprehensive look into how companies, marketers, advertisers and users should examine burgeoning social networks. A must read.

Online networks might be seen as antidotes to boredom at work, school or college. These new social networks do more than transmit information about their members, they change behaviour by propagating moods. These days we can all share "news" really fast, even about ourselves - for example, my Facebook or Twitter status might say "I'm heading to the beach in Waikiki..." and the mood that simple statement makes might become very contagious.

The Internet confirms what we have all known for a long time - the world is ruled by the power of suggestion but in the case of social networking it is "influencers" that lead the suggesting. Then suggestions might become "group think." John Gray writes - "in evolutionary prehistory, consciousness emerged as a side effect of language. Today it is a by product of media."

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