Happy? with the Web I mean. Because it strikes me we are not.
The social web, or as its latest incantation with Charles Leadbeater’s optimistically pitched ‘cloud collaboration’, encourages; speed, sharing, communication, views, discussions… So far, so happy.
And yet this week I share much with Hadely Freeman’s frustrations in The Guardian who has grappled with the social density (heavy on the dense) of Facebook Groups that invite you to support: The Sausage Roll!, or Cheryl Cole!, or Reading with your eyes open! (OK that last one I made up, but I bet if I launched such a group…) these groups are distinct from the Web 1.0 newsgroup forums, but invite the same styled FlameWar mentality. I am unconvinced (unless truly radical) that the Group/s you may/may not belong on social networks really maketh the wo/man. What is ‘new’ is the eagerness, nay almost glee, with which individuals will make their opinions Known. With a capital ‘K’. Some responses are short of hysterical outbursts, others are tempered with less than subtle threats (if you must just view any of the Jon Venables Facebook Groups that have been doing the rounds this week). Perhaps such outbursts have something to do with the instantaneous need for gratification and/or frustration felt when encountering ‘difficulty’ or another opinion.
The latest research from bizreport speculates that individuals are experiencing increasing levels of ‘web stress’ and that concentration levels drop by 50% during ‘negative consumer’ choices. Whilst the run of social networks will have it that everyone knows everything about everybody and this IS a good thing. It seems that such networking could have the run of us. We can easily lose composure and stare agog, open-mouthed which only adds to our aggravation that we MUST level not only at the screen, but broadcast this to others – hence the Join my Group invites. In terms of decision-making process things appear to be getting more stressful. More social platforms to log into, more data to recall, more people to connect, lead to a more frenetic lifestyle?…
Currently I’m talking to the Digital Isolates, those who have made the choice to log-out, switch –off and opt-out. Permanently. ‘So I don’t have a mobile phone; what of it?!’ is just one response that I have come across. Does such a re-social ordering to deliberately distance integration to the point of not ‘being networked’ reveal a personal ‘failure’ or represent a distinct ‘accomplishment’?…
According to James Harkin (who he? Author of Cybubia: the dangerous idea that’s changing how we live and who we are) things can easily spiral downwards into a negative loop; with individuals happy to shout out reactive comments, roll their digital sleeves up and get into the scrum of mocking and sardonic tweets. They, the non-digital are outside of ‘web-stress’, are they living the easy life. They never experience the negative feedback of a disappointed online consumer purchase, or re-acquaintance with a ‘long-lost’ friend, or flippance to the point of rudeness. Instead, we scrabble around for attention in the increasing noise of riotous information. The same ‘noise’ has emerged as a breeding ground for vicious lynch mob mentality. The brevity required for ‘proper’ engagement to Join a Group on Facebook and post comment, or to send an update to Twitter have revealed an unrestrained almost goading sting in the tail of collaboration cheerfulness.
At this point we could turn from the ‘good’ and helpful approach, to pushback with bad and unpleasant feedback. The anger spewed by those wanting to ‘lynch’ Venables or ‘ram a fist’ at the Facebook Killer are just two examples of this kind of appalling engagement. Being pulled by others to enjoy the freedom of choice and speech is just one of the wonders of the web. To use it for backbiting and viciousness feels like a bad use of time that shades into over-punctuated nonsense(!)!!!! Oh, and it makes you unhappy.
image: elena_kalis_alice_in_wonderland_series_yatzer
About Dr Mariann Hardey
I hold the position of Lecturer in Social Media Marketing at Durham Business School. I also spend too much time enjoying social technologies, media+ stuff. That'll make me a Geek then. And a gal.
