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Online Social Media: Technological Coffee Shop?
by
Jack Terry
Oh, man. Don\’t you just love coffee shops? Not necessarily a coffee shop, you know, but one of those places where locals gather around a cup of something to discuss the deep mysteries of life, solve the problems of the world, and give each other friendly grief? Be it diner, outdoor cafe, or neighborhood pub, these meeting places of mind and camaraderie have played an important part in the development of our modern world. Developing from the campfires and longhouses of the past, they have given us a center for local community, and they are continuing to evolve. Online social media are the campfires and longhouses, the coffee shops and neighborhood pubs of today, and they are becoming the center of a community that spans across the globe.
At these local gathering spots, it is not an odd thing to see doctors discussing the latest sporting events with farmers or construction workers debating the state of the economy with judges or even law enforcement officers joking around with teachers. All kinds of people, from all walks of life, come to these \”watering holes\” as a sort of neutral ground, a place where class and job have less of an impact than ideas and thoughts. Within online social media, especially on the new wave of open forum live discussion sites, this leveling of disparities can become even more pronounced as it is not unthinkable for a doctor in Washington could find herself debating the pros and cons of olive oil versus canola oil with a farmer in Texas, an interpreter in England, and a teacher in Pakistan, and all in real time. Virtually any topic that can be conceived of by humanity now has the potential to be discussed, and among a much larger group than can fit around a diner table.
It is amazing the nuggets of truth, the kernels of wisdom that can be gleaned from just listening to some of these talks, and due to their nature, witnessing them accurately has become much easier than just sitting at the table and listening while others jabber away. The conversations have more permanence, many with logs or chains of posts that can be both reviewed for content and checked for accuracy. This can lead to more factual content which, in turn, can improve the reputation and trustworthiness of a particular source.
We stand poised on the cusp of the formation of a true global community, one that bridges not just social and geographical gaps, but generational gaps as well. Never before has the passion, the creativity, the humor, the wisdom, the sheer potential of the human race been so readily available to so many people all over the world. We can see the future, and that future is now.
Jack Terry is a freelance writer who specializes in consumer education on a variety of topics including
social media
, the world wide web and coffee shops, and is a frequent visitor of
tawkers.com
Article Source:
ArticleRich.com