This short video by producer Gary Turk has gone viral in the last 7 days. It supports the theory I’ve proposed that the digital technology we surround ourselves with creates barriers to interpersonal, face-to-face communication. His message is a source of inspiration to promote a Kickstarter campaign to get at the heart of this problem. My idea is to travel the country–over the course of 1-year–and interview people from all walks of life and gather suggestions for how to deal with this disturbing trend. My goal is to produce firsthand research and a documentary film that will inspire people to think and act differently. I have observed that far too many people are missing out on meaningful relationships that begin with learning the art of simple conversation. How do you feel about it?
Social Media and Pink Slime
Just finished reading an interesting article about the controversy surrounding pink slime. Click here.
Once the term was used, perhaps quite innocently, the word entered the mainstream and went viral on social media. Today, there is a lawsuit from Beef Products Inc. against ABC News when Diana Sawyer, the news correspondent, first coined the term in a news story. The outcome could have a broad effect on social media tactics in use today. What do you think is a company’s best response to this type of social media attack?
Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?
Just finished a very interesting article from Atlantic Magazine, that not only has implications for marketers and public relations people, but perhaps is a more telling commentary on the state of human relationships. Naturally, the conclusion among researchers is that the technology does not make us more lonely, but it is how we use these tools. There is some fascinating research about social and human interaction that speaks directly to the issue of loneliness and the feeling of connectedness. I’m particularly interested in this subject since I have felt that Facebook legitimizes narcissism. What do you think?
Facebook Dilemma
Read a post today that was highly critical of Facebook. Well, to be more accurate, it actually recommended deleting your Facebook account and provided the top ten reasons why this made sense. First, read the article here: http://www.rocket.ly/home/2010/4/26/top-ten-reasons-you-should-quit-facebook.html and then post your own thoughts about it. Is this just a rant of an unfriendly blogger or a well-thought out post by a disgruntled customer. Or, is it perhaps a thinly disguised attack piece by an employee of a competitor? The main question you need to answer is this: Should the company ignore it or respond?
Piggyback PR 