By Coco
I was in a coffeeshop the other day and overheard the following comment:
“I don’t want to sign up for MySpace. I don’t want to get pornography sent to me.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. My whole essence questioned its existence with this (until now) unrealized moral dilemma:
“Oh my gosh, am I supporting the adult entertainment industry through my nagging, yet genuine, advocacy of social media?”
Then the next synapse fired and answered, “Nope.”
But, the comment did trigger other thoughts. I don’t know the person I’ve quoted above. I don’t know how they came to that whacked misperception. Most people view more adult-themed images in one hour of network television than they would by reading the collective adult-themed SPAM they receive upon signing up for MySpace. I’m not saying that’s right, but MySpace ain’t the biggest demon in the closet here.
The more pertinent point, if that ignorance is still out there, no wonder it’s so hard for some to embrace the idea of using social media. I’m not saying social media is for everyone; but it should at least be considered in every communications campaign we create. If fear and loathing is stopping that, well, that’s very frustrating.
Did you know record companies immediately refused to allow radio stations to play records on-air, for fear of losing sales? You do know, of course, that Ed Sullivan banned Elvis from his show because he swung his hips so … effectively. And, “Wipe-Out!,” that instrumental surf classic from 1963, was nationally lambasted for leading kids into degenerate behavior via it’s wild, wild rhythms. But, the coup de gras is this: the FBI spent 31 months investigating the lyrics to Louie, Louie in 1963-65, in search of subversive content
New stuff surfaces, and some innately fear it simply because it’s new. And, yes, it’s equally true that everything new isn’t good just because it’s new (Speaking of, where’s my Betamax repairman?).
What’s especially ironic here is that MySpace isn’t new in the technology timeline. It’s practically Wiped-Out.
Twitter anyone?