Twitter and Facebook: The BIG Illusions of Friendship and Influence
Mark Cuban’s “friendship” is no longer available for the asking.
It is a banner day for incestuous blogger navel gazing and “A-List” link-love swapping.
Forbes Magazine leads the way in annointing the same old crew once more. David Ewalts aparently took the very easy way out in compiling the “Web Celeb 25.” He leads his brown nosing “piece” by declaring “Things change fast on the internet –and fame is no exception.” BUT, then goes on to simply regurgitate “everyone’s favorite bloggers,” FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS!
Michael Arrington, Robert Scoble, Jeff Jarvis, Steve Rubel, Seth Godin, Matt Drudge…WHAT CHANGE??? Ewalts incredulously advises, “competition was steep for this year’s list.” How so? The canned “list” can be created by anyone who follows the blogosphere.
Ewalts nevertheless confirms with a straight face: “The list of 25 names shows how the Web has leveled the playing field –so that now, even the unlikeliest character can become a star.”
Jeremiah Owyang cheerleads once more for how the playing field is being leveled, by instructing “how to be popular on Twitter,” just like him!:
I realize that folks are concerned about another leaderboard as a gaming mechanism, and while it stroked my ego for a while, I’m equalizing the field by giving away what I’ve learned. I realize I need to give and stay humble, and focus on community, so this is the right thing to do.
I ran into the tweeterboard yesterday, and found it valuable, when I first saw it, I was in 8th place, then moved to 1st. Now I’m going to relinquish control to the community, I’m going to give away my secrets in how I was able to attract a large following, in the spirit of sharing because it’s the right thing to do.
Thanks for giving back, Jeremiah! In your humble quest for humility and sincere desire to “give back,” though, unlocking your “secret” Web popularity tricks rings hollow, very.
YAY? Bloggers’ New Year’s resolutions should be to strive for number one Tweet honors? And to be the biggest, fattest Facebook whale?
True holiday giving spirit ought to invoke pro-bono donations of business development time to non-profit organizations, NOT self-serving self-promos.
Leave it to Mark Cuban to pierce the benevolent facade of social networking “friendship”:
I heard there was a 5k friend limit on Facebook. I just didn’t take it to heart. Until I reached 5k and tried to add 5001, at which point FB reminded of the limit. It was a weird moment ,but actually one that I have come to respect and appreciate. Facebook went from being a way to broadcast information to 5k people, probably 4k of which I didn’t know or even have a business link to…
What I had not accounted for was that there were a lot of people who I had never met or had any connection to, who took the concept of FB “friending” literally. They wanted to interact as if we were long time friends. I was getting FB emails asking me how i was doing. What I was up to tonight. What did i think of X, Y, Z. Stuff that I was not going to tell a total stranger, even if they were my FB “friend.”
Cuban’s solution? Milk Facebook for all he can get out of it for his own business interests, aka, “The FB Power Level”:
These are people who in whatever industry they are in , retain some level of power. Having them as FB friends, although very simple and non committal, gives me some level of access to them, and them to me. These are people that if they sent me a FB mail, i would certainly read and respond to , and I think they would do the same.
Pioneering whale Robert Scoble, however, has gone (in a rapid-fire about-face) from unofficial Facebook ambassador to Facebook, WTF! He shares with newfound fellow whale Cuban:
Cool, glad to have someone else hit that limit. I hit it months ago and now have 1,200 people waiting to have me as a Facebook friend. I’ve just given up on managing this stuff. Which is just as well cause now I’m getting more work done.
AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! The big, bad illusions of friendship and influence, Web 2.0 style. SEE: YAY? Weblo Cheapens Facebook ‘Friendship,’ Whales Rejoice!
PLUS: Why Facebook Will NEVER Kill LinkedIn
ALSO: Reid Hoffman: LinkedIn About Face (book) and Facebook: Bloggers Kick Zuckerberg Off Throne, What Were They ‘Smoking’?” and Beacon Privacy Solution: STOP USING FACEBOOK!