People Who Need People Are the Most Technologically Advanced People in the World – with apologies to Barbara Streisand

People Who Need People Are the Most Technologically Advanced People in the World – with apologies to Barbara Streisand

Our foray into the significance of social networking reveals an interesting dichotomy: social networking sites can allow for greater communication between individuals, but also contributes to less physical interaction. Social networking naysayers cite increased isolation, potential addiction, and decreased productivity. However, in his inspiring blog, Satell (2013) explores the more positive and far-reaching aspects of these new technologies. For instance, overpopulation has been a grave concern for decades and many dire predictions have been made, but even though the world’s population continues to grow, life is better than ever. Satell credits technology and specifically social networking because, “More people means more scientists and more entrepreneurs, more brains with new ideas who can more easily find other, like-minded people to collaborate with.” His fascinating discussion of Tasmania relates to isolation and not only the loss of technology, but regression. It seems, after all, people need people for technology to advance.

Satell’s (2013) emphasis on collaboration shows far-reaching effects for education, business, and more technology. He credits the theory of the strength of weak ties with enhancing and improving relationships and opportunities for connections – and the surprising twist (as the theory’s name implies) that it is not the closest connections that create the greatest prospects. I have seen this in the classroom when students are put in groups. Information is exchanged and someone who knows someone (or something) provides a necessary link that opens doors for employment, housing, or entertainment – creating a human bridge. Let’s say Student 1 needs a place to live and Student 2 has a friend who has a connection with a housing manager. Student 1 then can employ Google or some other search engine to find the specifics. This may seem like a commonplace occurrence, and indeed, it is, but social networking increases human capacity for sharing knowledge and creating larger networks.

Follow Satell’s blog at digitaltonto.com.

Ali, S.N. (2012). Social media: A good thing or a bad thing? Social Media Today. Retrieved from http://socialmediatoday.com/syed-noman-ali/608781/social-media-good-thing-or-bad-thing

Satell, G. (2013). How social networks drive innovation. Innovation Excellence. Retrieved from http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2013/09/13/how-social-networks-drive-innovation/