For my birthday I asked my friends to share their favorite posts of my Spanish blog. I did the same for my nameday, which matches two weeks later. The truth is that people joined the initiative willingly, and I learned a lot, both for myself, and what I write, and on my friends.
Well this post is dedicated to the sponsors of “Esto no es Yugoslavia“ and the more than 160 visitors we got in every act of sponsorship.
My social networking experience shows me that the “like” is killing internet. Internet and social networks are designed to share. Sharing knowledge, ideas, advice and even unrest.
Instead, “like” at Facebook as the “favorites” of Twitter and similar tools in other networks, are destroying the voluntary sharing of content and limiting users to say “yes, okay, I like” as cows watching the train passing by. Or dinousaurs watching Motorits. And even if we ignore if it was a Motorit, we know what happened to the dinosaurs.
For the record, “likes” are appreciated, but it was not the original idea. These ideas, in fact, are three:
Comment:
When you see on the net an article, a recipe, a story, a video or even crochet patterns that interest you, try to leave a comment. It can be a simple “Thanks, I always wanted to knit a fuchsia pink pokemon and I could not until now”, or a review of what you’ve read, or “please look at this link, which completes your opinion.” You can answer a tweet. Or comment on a status / photo. Whatever! Say something if the person is creating worthy content. If you don’t leave him/her a wink, s/he never even know what you thought. You have to be polite, but not dumb.
Share:
For the same above-mentioned reasons. Because the person writing is your best friend and you want to promote him/her. Because the author is a freak and you want to ridiculise him/her at your Facebook wall. Because the writer is cute and you are trying to attract his/her attention. Because it’s an outstanding post. Because you want to reach 1000 tweets. Because your mouse is bored. Because your friends are already sick of the standard photos with quotes stale in your home page. Retweet, share, recommend. It will look as you are an educated and informed person. Do it for the sake of internet culture. Please share, what is not shared is only half enjoyed.
Participate:
The first two commandments speak of the hype that you can give to others. Let’s now look to our own belly and say what we think, what is busting our guts or what makes us happy, all at once or separately. Together or better by parts, as Jack the Ripper would propose. If you have a lot to say, then blast your blog!. Lately I have been encouraging people to open up theirs, to put it nice (well, sometimes I give one hand in the design), and to give it a rhythm, publishing regularly.
If you have things to say, but you think of the blog as a torture, then you have the notes of Facebook, for instance. If you don’t have Facebook, or what you write is too elaborate to be a note, then sign up to a collaborative web, which can be general or topic-oriented. The aim is to get you out in the virtual world, chattering, sharing and showing off.
Any other commandment?