By Deborah Elliott on March 16, 2009

Social Media: 4 Very Different Perspectives, Part 3

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I recently Googled “social networking for dummies” and discovered – no surprise – a wealth of resources. Remember the good folks that brought us “DOS for Dummies” in 1991? They now offer “Facebook for Dummies” and a host of other titles to help us navigate the brave new world of virtual connectivity.

Mind you, I have been a social networker all of my life. Building community is one of the things I am really good at and communication is my bag. But when it comes to the world of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, et al., I am woefully inept. I just don’t get it. Thankfully, I have a partner who does. I’m looking forward to our first tutoring session.

In the meantime, I have created a profile on Facebook and LinkedIn. And I am looking forward to finding people I know… or used to know… or would like to know. Though I don’t understand why some guy in Bangladesh wants to be my friend. Perhaps it’s the photo.

I understand that online social networking is the happening thing and that it is here to stay. But I also want to make an impassioned plea for a more traditional form of connecting.

I love talking on the phone. Vocal inflection, nuance, the sound of real laughter… all those things are lost in an email. And acronyms and emoticons just don’t cut it.

Let’s keep talking to each other.

Better yet, want to meet for coffee?

Coming up next…our resident technophile David Frackelton.