Turning Friends and Followers into Real Relationships

Discuss: How is the Social Media Tsunami Affecting Relationships?

For better or for worse, I believe that social media have impacted our world as much as the telephone or the electric light. In particular the ubiquitous phenomenon of “sharing” our lives online must be affecting human relationships in many ways.

How to Motivate People to Do What You Want?

Ben Franklin is quoted as saying that the only way to get people to do what you want them to do is to find out what they want and show them how to get it by doing what you want. I believe it is a pretty good bet that anyone you meet wants to belong and to be approved of. By giving them what they want, you can motivate them to do what you want.

Is it possible to have too many contacts? Maybe so!?

I find myself spending a LOT of time adding “friends,” “followers,” and “connections,” and I am proud of the number I have. I assume that there is potential for value from contacts.

How Does the Internet Affect Interpersonal Communication?

It seems that we trade quality for quantity and speed. There is more superficial conversation and less intimate involvement. Carr says: You can argue that people are communicating more intensely with friends and family now, because in the past you had to be physically next to them, or at least near a phone, to talk to them.

Is Nothing Constant Except Change?

“Ay, there’s the rub!” In the stone age the tribal elders were revered and respected for their wisdom, because their experience was directly relevant to the challenges of the day. However, the problems of the 21st century are often different from the experience of the elders. In some situations, such as communications technology, the practical application of 20th century experience is questionable.