Bruce Stewart Is On Fire This Morning !

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He’s always thoughtful and articulate, but I think he’s in a groove this morning (see previous post and other recent comments he has generated this morning to some of my recent posts)

However .. here’s another important piece of thinking and writing from his head and fingers, on Facebook (and no, this is not about promotinhg me or my ideas .. it IS about recognizing Bruce’s intelligence and skill in writing clearly about complicated issues).

He is issuing a clear-headed and heartfelt message about why the “social” of today’s networked exchanges is so deeply human and so very important .. in my opinion.

 

(From Bruce’s Facebook pages)

Thanks to Jon!

My friend Jon Husband, the originator and tireless advocate of the concept of Wirearchy (http://www.wirearchy.com/) called me this morning to ask if I would allow him to publish a comment I had posted on his blog as a blog posting in its own right.

Every once in a while, we are blessed with recognition for the work we’ve done. You can see the original blog post here and the new post Jon has made from my comment here.

I’m posting this here because I want to make two points:

Comment on others’ postings. Your thoughts have value, whether they are “recognised” or not. Leave comments here on Facebook, on the original blog if it is linked, etc. (I do this here with the work of Werner Patels, and the comment I leave on his link here on Facebook is made with my circle of friends and acquaintances here in mind, just as the ones I post to the blog itself are meant with his readers in mind.) For writers, there is no greater gift than a thoughtful response, and tagged in this note are two excellent writers of broad interest and keen discernment, something I’ll say about both of them whether I am in agreement with the positions they take or not!

Recognise others. If someone comments on your status, your blog, etc., carry on a conversation (even if it’s just for a moment). The essence of social networks is “social”: that takes interaction. We throw our comments out there, not knowing what they will engender. Sometimes the most vibrant and meaningful thing you may say may send someone offline for weeks to think about it. You just don’t know what your impact might be — but it’s always worth reaching out.

The “wisdom of crowds”, the “social media” and the like begin with each of us. “Broadcasting” was the last century’s model. Today it’s conversation. Take your part in it.

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One Comment

Bruce Stewart

Oh, Jon, you are too kind.

Your cutting-and-pasting what was a Facebook note and putting it here shows that the most resolutely closed world can be pried open, although in this case perhaps not to the future of Mr. Zuckerberg & Company’s personal benefit.

We need a lot more of this.

With the exception of Twitter — where the 140 character limit makes linking (and generally with a link shortener) almost mandatory — circulating material, doing extensive quoting, etc. is a key part of getting conversations going. I suspect most people are a lot like me: the choice to follow a link starts with a rapid calculation as to whether I have time for this “diversion”. Reading something reposted directly, on the other hand (with full credit given) opens a very different door: I’m here already, so I just read it.

Let’s encourage more of this kind of extensive sharing.

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