Social media and me - 2.0

I started this class with a pretty accurate understanding of how I interact with social media on a daily basis. Social media fascinates me and I want to be as involved with it as possible, but I for whatever reason I let my engagement in the relatively few sites that I'm a member of lag. I'm not sure if it's an issue of time or if the value that I get out of my social networks isn't high enough, but I do seem to have a more starkly defined sense of regret when I think about how often I use social media sites as compared to the first weeks of taking this class. I have a strong understanding of how a social networking site can significantly change the lives of its users, whether through enabling the spread of political action or by connecting users from displaced communities, and I wonder how my life might be different if I took more advantage of the admittedly optimistic but still true possibilities of social networking technology.

For instance, my involvement with social media was most vividly called into question during the segment on political activism on SNS. While I had never given my political representation on Facebook or Twitter much thought before, I realized that I actively avoided engaging in controversial discussions over SNS. The permanence and replicability seemed like a much more imminent danger in this situation, than say in a picture of me at a bar. However, I have very strong feelings now that I ought to be more active in this society, and where I don't feel comfortable attending a rally in New York City (what with the pepper spray and all) I should get over my fear of expressing my opinions on Facebook or Twitter. Knowing the power that could be contained in less than 140 characters, I think I will at least attempt to change this aspect of my social networking behavior.

Additionally, I've certainly noticed that I have begun to think about all of my actions on social networking sites in a more analytic way. I have always known that Facebook, Twitter, etc. were some kind of media, and as a student of media I have always had a passing interest in these sites, but since beginning this class, I feel that I have a better understanding of how these sites fit into the larger frame of media studies. This has only added to my cursory fascination with social media, but I think it will lead to a more rewarding relationship with my various social networking sites.

@roxyredstar

(first post: http://csmt11.posterous.com/social-media-and-me)

Roxanne Dyer


On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 1:16 AM, Roxanne Dyer <roxannedyer@gmail.com> wrote:
My first experience using social media was early in my high school days. I created a MySpace account to help me stay in touch with my boyfriend at the time. It felt a little pointless to use an entire social networking site to communicate with one person, especially a person I saw almost everyday. Though I eventually added friends, it still felt like a useless part of my life. With no background in AIM, AOL or any other instant messaging programs, I felt completely overwhelmed by my MySpace account and eventually let it fall to the wayside.

It's funny to think how far I've come in terms of using social media. I have about four gmail accounts that I check everyday, multiple times per day. I have a Facebook account that I check almost everyday. With my Facebook account, I'm always logged in, even if I don't plan on updating my status or commenting on any pictures. I just enjoy the freedom associated with clicking on the Facebook link in my browser's bookmark bar and being fed an almost infinite stream of consciousness. Granted, most of my newsfeed is pretty irrelevant to my life, but it's an amazing way to fill idle minutes in my day. I also use Facebook for public relations purposes. I schedule updates regularly and I get a little thrill in seeing the notifications on the pages I manage, even though it's not my authentic self interacting with the Facebook users.

My Twitter account is by far my greatest untapped social resource. I'm fully aware of the wonderful things that Twitter can do, having studied them in more than one class, but I can't seem to make this beyond brilliant social platform work for me. At first I thought Twitter was the ultimate stalker's fantasy, but knowing that I can post as little as I want in any given month has liberated my social experience. I started following reputable news sources along with the cast of Jersey Shore, and the stream of consciousness has turned into a stream of life that is incredibly full of interesting ideas. I've recently acquired a smart phone and now desperately want to be a part of the Twitter feed, but my Tweets feel as insignificant as the onomatopoeia implies. I think the biggest trouble is that most of my followers are people I don't know, and without an audience to write to I'm lost. I'm not sure why Twitter is taking so much longer to catch on with the college-aged demographic than Facebook, but it's definitely defeating what would otherwise be the perfect social network for me.

Roxy Dyer
@roxyredstar