"Antisocial Noise The Dark Under Belly of Social Media"

  There has been alot of talk on the twitters and the bloggers recently about social media being "antisocial". I have seen, felt and partook in some way the dark side that social media can create. It is to be expected it is for the most part uncensored, public and people are behind a digital wall, so it becomes easier to fall prey to being not so nice.

 There always will be conflict between humans, as not everyone will like everyone. We have different value systems, hobbies, lifestyles and yes emotional baggage, that we carry with us everywhere, it makes us who we are. For alot of people in social media be it bloggers or tweeps the only things we have in common is we use social media and we like people to hear what we have to say and that is it. Expecting relationships or friendships based on these thin bonds is just plain dumb. So we seek out others like us, things we share voices that sound familiar and safe. The only problem is as humans we are not designed to communicate in 140 characters or less, nor on mostly one sided dialog of blogs. This leads to misinterpretation, hurt feelings and judgments prior to investigation through real human contact.

 Another aspect of the Antisocial Noise of social media is the so called celebrity factor and ego infrastructure. It is rampant and infectious and threatens to bring down the open access aspect that makes social media such a great tool. We have a hierarchy that is set in place that some are better than others because of the number of followers or clicks on a blog. This is crap because some of the most talented, actors, writers, musicians are the ones almost know about and the so called "A" list personalities are pure poop it is that simple.  We are bombarded with noise from self proclaimed "Digital Celebs" who flog their crap like it is the words of God him or herself.

 Then there is the bulling, gossip, and digital despotism of social media. This dangerous and damaging behavior is epidemic online. The folks who follow you yet message gossip behind your back. Yes we all gossip to some degree we are human after all. What I am talking about is the mean, from a dark damaged soul kinda gossip meant to divide and destroy. This interaction serves only one purpose to build up someone who is so empty inside that no one else is allowed to be happy. Bullies who use access to events or activities to control and create loyalty is also a common theme online.

 Never before has there been a form of communications media that has allowed basically anyone to have a widely heard voice, and it is in it's terrible twos of communication life, allowing for this slash and burn social landscape.

 What to do? Well it is simple and hard, disconnect from bullies, divas, hateful gossip mongers. Do not get star struck by twitter and blogger celebrities. Find people who you would like if you met them in the real world. Watch your noise, and just plain be nice. Also remember just because someone has a computer, i-phone, blog and camera does not mean they are nice people who will offer you anything without strings attached.

 Are there good people, yes lots more nice genuine folks than not. I personally have met and become friends with some amazing people through social media. People who have changed my life for the better. I have also been burned, by the nasty, witnessed the shallow and agenda filled social climbers. they are the exception but the noise the spew tends to be louder than the rest.

Here are some tips for weeding out the anti-social in your digital stream;

1. Unfollow: As easy as it sounds people have problems with this when we base how much we are liked on our follower count. How many people are on your feed that you do not give a shit about really?
2. Follow: seek out people you do like encourage people you know to join in to social media so they can have a online voice.
3. Call Out Bullies: Do not be afraid they cant really hurt you, so call them out. The one thing a bully cannot  take is being bullied back.
4. Have Fun: This should be fun not stressful, if you are getting stressed by your digital life, turn the damn computer off.
5. Do Not Get Sucked In: I have been sucked in myself, so when you think you are being sucked into a online social situation you are not comfortable with disconnect, take a step back and see the whole picture.

Social Media can be an amazing place for everyone if we allow it to be. So go out play nice and for gods sakes no more LOL Cats

"The Digital Sweatshop How Traditional Media Exploits New Media"

This is a blog, yes it is, but I am not writing for profit or a career but alot of writers and bloggers I know are or would like to, so why is it that I feel the online world a digital sweatshop?

 Traditional media of which I work in was and is slow to discover and recognize social media. Some outlets are being dragged into it kicking and screaming, like  so many spoiled luddites. Other outlets see social media for what it is right now, a all you can eat buffet of free content.

  It is both the fault of bloggers and the greedy traditional media who in these times of poor ratings / circulations see blood in the water and use our independent social media writers like Nike uses 8 year old Vietnamese kids to make $200 sneakers. They exploit bloggers and attract them with a promised audience and little more. Some times they will throw you a bone like our local daily throw away paper The Metro News who promises free coffee from Blenz in return for blog posts. This is like being told you have a job and only paying you in goats.

 They are not the only ones, lots of media have jumped on the digital sweatshop and are exploiting our writers, photographers, videographers. Just look at CNN's very popular i-reporters who are given a tee-shirt and a thank you while CNN saves money hires less staff, and make ad money off the backs of social media.

 Are Bloggers to blame? Yes in the sick dysfunctional way that only a chronically abused spouse could. It is time for social media to say enough is enough. To say if you love my content pay me! And not pennies a word. It is also the fault of writers seeking attention and fame who will undercut other writers / bloggers for working for crap pay & or a few free dinners or swag. Stop it you are only cutting your own necks open.

 There are those who make a living blogging or should I say Advertising in list form. These folks hide their mercenary behavior in blog form and also take advantage of bloggers in their community by occasionally throwing them a bone of access. This is like eating your own kind.

 It is time for bloggers and others in social media to stand up and say no, no pay no words, no images, no access that I have but the big guy either will not pay for or does not understand. Enough of the Digital Sweatshop of which we get angry about when it is a physical one. You all write write about this, the largest exploitation of writers since the penny a word writers of the 40s.

NaBloPoMo day 9 " When is a Blog not a Blog but a HTML Infomercial?"

 This post is bound to get me sent to the Blogger version of the misfit toys from x-mas island. It is just a personal observation and snapshot of my views of  social media life.

  I am new to blogging but I have been a avid web browser / lurker since Mosaic was still a browser and all you could find were animated gifs and gopher sites (cira 1993) which in web years might as well be before the baby jebus.... I have seen so much bad internet it is sick. I was even a subscriber of AOL for 2 years til it almost drove me to kill. I am also a working journalist / producer. I do not write about it because it is my life so much of the time i need a break once and awhile.
  So when is a Blog a Blog? When does it cross from social media to social marketing? And should bloggers get paid to advertise products or services in the guise of reviews when by the fact of receiving payment of money or goods and services still be considered blogs.  I do not have a problem with people making a living blogging, if you have a service or product go market it. If that product is you even better I support that fully. Social Media is a great place to market in and around. I have plenty of friends who do this and do it very well.

 The difference is when the line is blurred. Blogging about that wonderful resort or restaurant you went to is great, But if you got your hotel stay for free for the blog post or your diner free to pimp for the eatery. I start to have issues. Some will say that I am jealous, but i am not. I cannot take payment or service for a piece I do not because I am a a professional Journalist and that would be intellectually dishonest, and professionally immoral. I do think that people who pimp for businesses and services should state that they were paid for the article in the post. Or they run the same line as infomercials that pretend to be news shows.... which is very intellectually dishonest.
 Please understand fellow bloggers, I do not have a problem with people "Self Marketing" or "Marketing for friends". But some blogs and bloggers are not friends with every biz in town (especially the really trendy and hip ones)
 These forms of HTML Infomercial, tricks the reader into thinking it is a honest review, a real experience, one persons interaction with some thing they paid for. It is nothing else but dishonest. I have read some of these blogs and i find it easy to figure out quick. there are never any medicore reviews, everything, at everyplace they visit or product they use is Fabulous and not to be missed.

 Are these bloggers parasites? yes to a degree, it is that they feed their wallets off of businesses who are willing to pay, feed, cloth, and house these tape worm bloggers. By no means should we run them out of town with pitch forks and torches, we should just call them what they are. social media infomercials. Bloggers who are just like Shlomo the Sham-wow guy, minus the hooker beating. or the late billy Mays. They just do it in a slick, internet based way. And we do not even have to pay shipping & and handling.
  There are also blogs written by big Biz as well. Disguised as consumer information blogs when again they are just shills.

 I will continue to support bloggers who write because they like to, or write because their minds make them. I will also support anyone who markets themselves and their product in social media. But for me soon it will be open season on blogger infomercials, just like so many of us bag on their television equivalents.  I hope I still have some online social media friends after this......

Day 4 NaBloMo "Why I Love Social Media"

 I hear from alot of my friends, "Steve why do you love Twitter, Blogs & Facebook so Much?"
I have thought alot about it. I have been an internet geek for a while my first browser was mosaic and I remember when internet media high tech were animated gifs. I never lost interest in the net and it still holds me captive by it's ability to allow people to share their pain, joy, humor, craziness and stupidity.
 Once we trolled chat rooms asking A/S/L and flavicons. Alot of us suffered the horrors what was AOL and could tell how fast our connection would be by the sounds our modem made when we connected.

 Now it the number one place for news, shopping naked, booking vacations. and porn of staggering varieties. But the changing force to me has been both twitter and facebook. Social media allows us to bypass the cacophony of noise we do not want to hear and allows us to connect with people who we want to listen to. It brings people together, lets us know we are not alone in our own thoughts.
  Recently I have discovered how true this is, as this week I discovered that I have cancer. I announced it to the world on Twitter and Facebook. I was blown away by the support of people who have never met me yet took the time to offer support. People who also share the good things of social media as place to find people who think like you. I have virtually met some amazing people. like Monica Hamburg who shares my inerests in the weirder side of the web, or Beth Snow who i learned is a DR, plays hockey, names her material items. Or Kimli who loves games, has horrible people who live below her and also names her material items. Or Gus Greeper a fellow lover of sock monkeys. I have thru blogs or twitter  virtually met some of the most interesting people i could imagine. I am grateful for these people in my online life they bring me smiles, laughter joy and encouragement. They redefine my love of people and belief that we can be kind unselfish and still stop to enjoy the little wackiness in the world. The internet is not  a lonely place. Or a place for lonely people It is a place for rich, dynamic people to share ideas and hopefully change the world. I know this is a ramble but i needed to post today for NaBloPo and i am on some serious painkillers........

"Thank You Readers"

I wanted to take a moment to thank the people who have been reading my blog. I am new to blogging and I have to thank a few local bloggers first for inspiring me to keep up producing mumbles from my well known to be damaged mind.

Monica Hamburg ( my first local blog addiction) http://www.yourdoseoflunacy.com/
Kimli Lulubelle Wangzilla ( what a delightfully disturbed woman ) http://blog.deliciousjuice.com/
NetChick ( Tanya) ( for continued support of bloggers & positive thinking) http://netchick.net/
Sleep Junky  ( your humour and dedication to your dad is inspiring) http://www.sleepjunky.blogspot.com/

I hope to rise to your level someday and will continue to write from my mind, heart & loins ( I just wanted to say loins)

I also want to thank all my friends for reading my thoughts and experiences you are all appreciated especially my limitlessly talented and twisted doppleganger Barney Ashworth
http://www.barneyashworth.com/ you will love his music for you Barney ^^^