So last night, as I was twittering while reading a book, watching tv and returning phone calls/text messaging I wondered if 10 years from now, there may be cyber-rehab for all of us who are superconnected *allthetime* and addicted to it.
Naturally, I threw this theory out to my twitter peeps and not surprisingly, a few people thought they'd be ready for cyber-deprogramming group. My pal Connie Reece quickly sent a tweet alerting me I'm a candidate for Socnet Rehab.
Now, while Socnet Rehab may be a clever spoof, I really suspect that cyber-rehab isn't far away. Many of us *are* addicted to our communication tools, as crazy as that may sound. Withdrawal from social media communities can result in depression, anxiety and yes, in severe cases, even panic! Even more telling, as more and more entrepreneurs make money via social media and online/mobile platforms, they have more money to spend on access points to their addiction. They also have money to pay for costly rehab programs.
My question is, what do you think the gateway drug is for us cyber/tech-addicts? Was it e-mail? Text Messaging? Will we have to swear off mobile phones (please God, no).
I hope we can get a group rate somewhere. And they'd better have a hand surgeon on-hand. I don't know about the rest of you, but my carpal tunnel is getting worse; I'm going to need surgery upon check in.
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Philly-based marketing professional. An insane music fan. Intolerable knowledge of pop culture. Admitted over-tweeter.
I'm Annie Heckenberger. I like music. I'm an overtweeter. I lead Social Media & PR at Red Tettemer in Philadelphia, PA.Learn more...
9 comments:
Annie, there are marketing gurus out there reading your post and dreaming up secret ingredients, additives that will make socnets even more addicting. Internal emails and IMs are circulating that will be denied under oath a few years from now ... but you KNOW it's happening. And there are lawyers already fantasizing about filing class action suits against the biggest socnets ...
Sorry, you asked about gateway drugs, I mean, devices and apps. Twitter is my drug and Blackberry is my dealer. There, I said it. I'm an addict. Sign me up for rehab. :)
I love it! And I am with you on Twitter as drug of choice. I thought I was bad with dodgeball a few years ago, but with twitter, my habit has escalated! I think it's also how available twitter is - u can connect easily on any device or machine. It's like having a dealer on every corner...;)
Me, I just went to Mexico for 10 days without a computer or a phone. It worked! :)
Of course the true gateway "drug" is the gateway itself - the internet! When there truly is a pervasive wireless internet connection, everywhere we go, then we are REALLY in for it! I will be adding new wings to the INVITATIONS facility faster than Robert Scoble adds Twitter and Facebook friends! As for Twitter induced Carpal Tunnel... you may want to check out this PSA on the Perils of Twitter! http://socialnetworkingrehab.blogspot.com/2007/11/day-72-medical-side-effects-of-social.html
Whoops. Link too long (spoiled by Twitter's auto conversion) Here is the link to the "The Perils of Twitter" PSA.
http://tinyurl.com/28wh95
Thanks!
I don't know what the gateway drug is today, but I can tell you what the original drug was: the telephone, and in terms of marketing, the long distance call. Back in the bad old days of the mid-20th century, the telephone company (there was really only one: AT&T) hyped their expensive service with slogans such as "Reach Out and Touch Someone." We all did, sometimes obsessively, and the phone company was so successful financially, investments in AT&T were nearly as safe as government bonds. This changed with communications deregulation and the breakup of the AT&T monopoly in the 1980s, which was the sire of all the options we enjoy today, including texting. Ironic, isn't it, that the "Reach Out" slogan, meant for voice calls, can now by thumbed on a cellphone?
I think you're on to something in regards to social networks becoming dangerous. Recently I've started trying to limit the time I spend with anything that has a screen. Easier said than done. I've avoided Twitter altogether because the associated information white noise would just be too unbearable I think.
To me the question really is how social are "social" networks really? Sitting alone, staring at that pretty matrix of pixels in front of us, are we really being social? To anyone who happens not to be a cybergeek the answer would probably be no. In fact, it's pretty anti-social. I've been having some thoughts about this recently (watch out out now, here's comes my plug) over in my neck of the wood: "Social? Add the Asterisk."
About my gateway drug: I remember when our local library in Germany (Bremen) got its first computer, way back in the day. It had a blackboard app of sorts, kind of like a forum that you could only access from that computer (pre-internet!). Man was I hooked on that thing. I think my love affair with the internet started sometime shortly thereafter (I remember reading a big book on AOL back when a 56K modem was, like, ridiculous).
Anywho, greetings from a fellow Philly blogger, see you in rehab!
I have only been on Twitter for one week. I am on Facebook, MySpace, A Small World, Singelringen Global Community, Team Sugar, Splendora etc. I keep up with e-mails on iPhone. But Twitter is different. Twitter is a very powerful vortex. It is a question of time before my husband flings my MacBook out of our bed.
If you haven't been there I'd like to mention that Team Sugar is a great platform.
Lee: I hear you on avoiding new socnets, but I must say, I'm finding that each birth of a socnet brings a better product, which helps me eliminate old ones and move on to a better one - like Twitter. The other crazy result of deeper engagement in a socnet community like twitter is that the more involved I get, the more face-to-face interaction develops. I'm finding that I am actually hanging out in real life, with the local community that I meet online. I may talk about this in another post - thx for the idea;) And welcome to Philly!
Linda: Welcome to twitter. Your husband will learn to hate the word twitter;) I will check out Team Sugar!
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