Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

Twitter was down again yesterday, based on Facebook status posts. So? Life seemed to move right along. (Life. You remember that? When you like actually saw your family and friends, live and in person?)

One of the most depressing articles I’ve read in recent memory (and I read about the economy, war, Congress, and Adam Sandler movies…) is Breakfast Can Wait. The Day’s First Stop Is Online. Here’s a direct quote from a mom, “‘Things that I thought were unacceptable a few years ago are now commonplace in my house,’ she said, ‘like all four of us starting the day on four computers in four separate rooms.’” Seems parents “struggle” to impose limits on the kids’ use of technology. (Curmudgeon Alert!) In my day that was called “Saying No.”

What was even more depressing was reading some of the comments (274, before comments were cut off) to the article posted online. People were leaping right in, trying to top each other re how they get up even EARLIER. “Here I am at 3:45 online checking my daily quota of newspapers & sports sites for my daily fix. I still fit in a full day of work and oh yeah read the paper edition of my local paper and The Times. It’s quiet and it gives one a chance to feel informed.”

Okay, I’m game. Just exactly what is this person really keeping on top of? Are we, as a society, doing far better work than we were 25 years ago? Are we really informed, or do we just “feel” that way? I subscribe to 452 news feeds; have 20,000 friends;have anywhere, any time Internet access…man, I KNOW what’s going on!…Um, sorry, there fella – but you’re still using the same ol’ Iron Age brain to process all that marvelous new tech-provided data.

I also wonder how “on top of it” the people are by 3:45 p.m.

Now, of course, technology can a wonderful thing…I’m using it right now (duh). I know several people who get a lot out of Twitter, both personally and professionally (However, it should be noted they also have real off-line lives.) But, as typical on Fridays, I’m shutting down by 5 and won’t be back online until Monday (And, I’ve never been available “24 hours a day” to my clients. I’m not a brain surgeon.) I’ve also “unfriended” some people who seemingly do nothing BUT update their status (and link their tweets to the FB status.) One in particular was constantly telling all of her “friends” (numbering in the thousands) that we were AWESOME! MAGNIFICENT! and she LOVED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US! (Yes, frequently in all caps.) Which, to me, totally devalued the words and sentiments. (To be fair, I think she makes her living as a coach and – well – they do tend to run on like that…it’s how they get paid.)

P.S. You can filter over-zealous Tweeters at twittersnooze.

More food for thought (available – um – online):
Ya Gotta Have (Real) Friends
(mailed via snail mail to me by a real friend.)
I’ve Got Mail (Vern Klinkerborg, NYT, originally clipped from my dead tree paper.)

Tags: social media, Twitter perspective, Mary Schmidt