I’m one of social media’s biggest fans. The byline of this blog says “social media PR”. I probably have more accounts on social media sites than I need, although I am weeding out the non-essential ones. I like reading social media blogs (amongst many other niches).
So, I’ll raise my hands and say yes, I’m guilty of being a big proponent of social media.
One thing I would hope I don’t do is evangelize about it to the point of boredom and “Who cares?” responses. I know it’s not for everyone, or every business. I feel it could be, but if it’s not to be, it’s not to be.
The reason I like social media so much is because it offers a realistic alternative to the “me, me, me” mentality that is so prevalent in the world around us.
Instead, it encourages discussion, openness and a willingness to listen and engage in discussion. What it doesn’t (shouldn’t?) do is encourage forced views, hostility and closed mindsets.
Which is why, today, I was stunned to be called a “racist” and someone with “aggressions” towards China and her people when I was trying to get across various points on social media, and Twitter in particular.
The conversation that this accusation comes from can be found in the comments thread in this post from Social Media Today. While I encourage you to read the full text to ensure that I don’t offer a simplified and biased view of the exchange, the basic gist of it is as follows.
Social Media Today member Jerry Bowles wrote a piece that inferred 99% of Twitter conversation was “self-serving drivel”. I questioned this, and it seemed that a good discussion about Twitter’s value was about to start. Another member, Larry Choi, proposed that Twitter’s numbers were no more than small potatoes, and that the service isn’t used in China.
I suggested to Larry that perhaps the reason Twitter hadn’t taken off in China was because of the well-documented problem with the Chinese government and their Internet censorship policy. If websites were being closed down and monitored for any anti-government beliefs, then it would be very hard to monitor a medium as instant and as interactive as Twitter.
My response to Larry is what caused the accusation that I’m a racist with aggressions towards Chinese people and the country as a whole.
Cameron Soong replied to my suggestion with the following: “Danny Brown seems to have a racist problem vis a vis the Chinese people. A pity. His aggressions could be more useful to the stakeholders in Twitter.?And leave China to the Chinese, please.”
Now I’ll admit to being many things (and having been called them a few times as well!) but one thing I am not and never have been is racist. Anyone that knows me personally will know that I am one of the least racist people you could meet.
(And my sincere thanks to Jason Tryfon for his support with his comment).
I’m not sure why Cameron thought this way – further in the comments I ask Cameron why, but as of writing there’s been no response. And again, I recommend you read the post and comments in question so it’s not just my version of “the story” that you’re reading.
The whole episode left me disappointed. Apart from the unwarranted accusations that Cameron made against me, it also made me question how we can try and increase awareness and respect for social media, when even members of a social media website can be so negative and vitriolic.
It seems ironic that in a discussion about social media tools, Cameron effectively went into broadcast mode and ignored the conversation – everything that social media is not. Is it any wonder that social media continues to be looked at as a novelty rather than a genuine personal and business tool when those inside it are practising the opposite of what it’s trying to be?
Perhaps Cameron can answer that.
In the meantime, Jerry’s point about Twitter is a valid one that certainly makes for a good discussion, and it’s that type of conversation that makes social media the medium that I support so much.
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