Navigating The Networks
I started this article with the title in mind: "Navigating The Networks" (a rarity, as I mostly start an article then come up with a title instead) - in regards to the varied social networks that have become the very fabric of out online lives (the "existence" of which, is your respective "blogs" et al), primarily because, well, it was getting harder and harder to navigate thru the myriad of online locales that one deals with, perhaps daily. And I am not yakking on about your own blogs and/or websites (Current or Old ;p) - those have become a stable need, regardless of how many people visit it per day (if you are a designer or artist, I mean). And as well portfolio sites like Behance et al - sites whom is not considered your general social networking websites.
The term alone "social networking" is so eerily familiar and smack dap of late-80s and forgettable-90s for me especially (or so my memory wanders), with connotations linked to local dating fixes (of which I have never been a part of, not being an undergrad in which Singapore treasures so much so to even arrange dating events for singles ;p), where single-folks are "socially" encouraged to "network" and "make friends". (The term "the rest is up to you" still cracks me up somewhat fierce).
And now with the interconnectivity so intimately intertwined in our online lives, it has become the very fabric of our being, hasn't it? (The fact that you are reading this, proves a huge part of the [oint, doesn't it?) And of course I am not referring to "dating", but being a part of the online culture that which is "social networking". Strangely, two decades ago we had only land-lines for telephones and tea-parties, and you don't have to make "friends" if you did actually want to. So maybe social networking is making the world ever tighter? Think "close-knit" and not "smaller" :p
At the here and now, I am managing my blog full-time, as well Twitter and Facebook (both personal page and Public Page), and even Flickr (more utilitarian than community bonding for me though), that already has left me breathless! And while Tumblr might be my gateway to the Far East (aka China and it's affiliate countries, who do not censor / clamp down on apparently), I am left wanting in effort and time. My Multiply is now left draught-dry while MySpace is as dead as (I chuckle a the thought the horror some folks might get with the invoking of the "MS" name) … well, simply cyber-dead hahaha.
And there be other networks out there teasing the taunting folks, this time with the offered opportunity to connecting with more, and even likeminded folks. Oooohhh the temptation is ever strong especially in a cyber-squatter like me (I will not lie). But somehow "want" and "desire" falls victim to "time" ….
Not much time is left for other networks, which frankly do not need nor want me enough to need me (or so my memory wanders - yes I tend to do that a lot), so I shall stick with the above (which ironically, might one day soon become co-joined as a whole? Whaaaaa?). I could as easily become a robot spreading my cyber-seeds of news nugget, but what would be the joy in that? More presence? Better ad rates? HAH
While ironically, each and every past web-locale had been a huge part of our lives, "back when". Folks have invested so much time and effort on their MySpace, as did Multiply, it is indeed hard to let go and move on to the next, and hence go thru the pain again in a few years time, when one gravitates toward the new bright and shiny one, one after another hahaha
Thankfully for me, my MySpace was an after-the-fact after the blog started (although there seems to be loads of folks whom I've contacted that has not replied, nor followed me back to the blog), but my existence on Multiply is by far much earlier than the existence of my blog. In certain countries (like Philippines), Multiply still thrives (although the new "marketplace" conversion is quite daunting an event), and as much as I try to navigate or even re-transport images and words ~ frankly, the "past" remains still, the past, and that it had factually "happened", regardless of the "now", and perhaps even a huge part of your cyber-life back there and then, as well. Hey, and it is not just about images too ~ remember when there were Tripod and Xanga? (Sorry I could not continue with my LiveJournal tho). And yes, there was Friendster too, c'mon don't pretend (and Hi5 and yes, the list is scarily endless hahahaha).
People have caught on (if they already did not earlier) that THE word to use for locales, is their online-nicks, or even their own names. Now no one can ever claim "American Idol" has not had done their fair share of influence in the past decade huh? These days, EVERYONE can be, and IS a "STAR", isn't it? (That's another whole post for another day, promise).
In a lot of ways, it no longer is about the longevity of the internet platform (although for many it still is :p), but the longevity of the user, and where he/she travels to, that matter - at least to the people that read / view them.
Cheers
Andy TOYSREVIL
The term alone "social networking" is so eerily familiar and smack dap of late-80s and forgettable-90s for me especially (or so my memory wanders), with connotations linked to local dating fixes (of which I have never been a part of, not being an undergrad in which Singapore treasures so much so to even arrange dating events for singles ;p), where single-folks are "socially" encouraged to "network" and "make friends". (The term "the rest is up to you" still cracks me up somewhat fierce).
And now with the interconnectivity so intimately intertwined in our online lives, it has become the very fabric of our being, hasn't it? (The fact that you are reading this, proves a huge part of the [oint, doesn't it?) And of course I am not referring to "dating", but being a part of the online culture that which is "social networking". Strangely, two decades ago we had only land-lines for telephones and tea-parties, and you don't have to make "friends" if you did actually want to. So maybe social networking is making the world ever tighter? Think "close-knit" and not "smaller" :p
At the here and now, I am managing my blog full-time, as well Twitter and Facebook (both personal page and Public Page), and even Flickr (more utilitarian than community bonding for me though), that already has left me breathless! And while Tumblr might be my gateway to the Far East (aka China and it's affiliate countries, who do not censor / clamp down on apparently), I am left wanting in effort and time. My Multiply is now left draught-dry while MySpace is as dead as (I chuckle a the thought the horror some folks might get with the invoking of the "MS" name) … well, simply cyber-dead hahaha.
And there be other networks out there teasing the taunting folks, this time with the offered opportunity to connecting with more, and even likeminded folks. Oooohhh the temptation is ever strong especially in a cyber-squatter like me (I will not lie). But somehow "want" and "desire" falls victim to "time" ….
Not much time is left for other networks, which frankly do not need nor want me enough to need me (or so my memory wanders - yes I tend to do that a lot), so I shall stick with the above (which ironically, might one day soon become co-joined as a whole? Whaaaaa?). I could as easily become a robot spreading my cyber-seeds of news nugget, but what would be the joy in that? More presence? Better ad rates? HAH
While ironically, each and every past web-locale had been a huge part of our lives, "back when". Folks have invested so much time and effort on their MySpace, as did Multiply, it is indeed hard to let go and move on to the next, and hence go thru the pain again in a few years time, when one gravitates toward the new bright and shiny one, one after another hahaha
Thankfully for me, my MySpace was an after-the-fact after the blog started (although there seems to be loads of folks whom I've contacted that has not replied, nor followed me back to the blog), but my existence on Multiply is by far much earlier than the existence of my blog. In certain countries (like Philippines), Multiply still thrives (although the new "marketplace" conversion is quite daunting an event), and as much as I try to navigate or even re-transport images and words ~ frankly, the "past" remains still, the past, and that it had factually "happened", regardless of the "now", and perhaps even a huge part of your cyber-life back there and then, as well. Hey, and it is not just about images too ~ remember when there were Tripod and Xanga? (Sorry I could not continue with my LiveJournal tho). And yes, there was Friendster too, c'mon don't pretend (and Hi5 and yes, the list is scarily endless hahahaha).
People have caught on (if they already did not earlier) that THE word to use for locales, is their online-nicks, or even their own names. Now no one can ever claim "American Idol" has not had done their fair share of influence in the past decade huh? These days, EVERYONE can be, and IS a "STAR", isn't it? (That's another whole post for another day, promise).
In a lot of ways, it no longer is about the longevity of the internet platform (although for many it still is :p), but the longevity of the user, and where he/she travels to, that matter - at least to the people that read / view them.
Cheers
Andy TOYSREVIL
