Comments on: Sean says it’s a revolution http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436 Since 2005: progressive spirituality from a postmodern heretic and unashamed intellectual Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:25:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Cindie http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436&cpage=1#comment-65289 Cindie Tue, 04 May 2010 14:29:32 +0000 http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436#comment-65289 Just found this on the Interdependent Web email round-up. Whatever works! All churches are experiencing declines. We have a great faith to offer to world, and social media helps sell it. I have noted that it allows me to stay in touch with fellow church members every day. We post on Facebook - and it's usually silly - but when there's a serious issue or call for help, the response is huge. The big rock in the road at our church are our older members. Some of them are connected or want to be (and I'll be offering a Facebook workshop to them) but many proudly proclaim that they don't even own a cellphone. We have to bend over backwards to cater to this shrinking demographic, and I don't think there's a lot we can do about it. But keeping our youth and young adults engaged is critical. To support young adults, I am starting a babysitter list for their own events. Seems simple, but no one has done this before. They have their own tight group but need the larger church's support. They're the ones who will take over when I am gone. Just found this on the Interdependent Web email round-up.
Whatever works! All churches are experiencing declines. We have a great faith to offer to world, and social media helps sell it.

I have noted that it allows me to stay in touch with fellow church members every day. We post on Facebook – and it’s usually silly – but when there’s a serious issue or call for help, the response is huge.

The big rock in the road at our church are our older members. Some of them are connected or want to be (and I’ll be offering a Facebook workshop to them) but many proudly proclaim that they don’t even own a cellphone. We have to bend over backwards to cater to this shrinking demographic, and I don’t think there’s a lot we can do about it.

But keeping our youth and young adults engaged is critical. To support young adults, I am starting a babysitter list for their own events. Seems simple, but no one has done this before. They have their own tight group but need the larger church’s support.

They’re the ones who will take over when I am gone.

]]> By: Dan http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436&cpage=1#comment-61238 Dan Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:42:58 +0000 http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436#comment-61238 Ms. M @ 5 -- On the other hand, about the only time I get to connect with you is online.... Joe @ 7 -- You write: "Maybe people like factoids … words presented with high energy music …" Or maybe Qualman is Machiavellian enough to use social media to gain lots of attention so he can prove that social media is a powerful force. Seriously, though, you raise good points, especially your second point (b). What's not clear to me is how "social media" is much different from Usenet, BBSs, and other online communications tools of 15 years ago -- except that maybe now social media is owned by for-profit companies which need a catchy phrase to sell themselves to venture capitalists? All this being said, an increasing amount of communication is taking place in some new and interesting ways. I saw an article in a newspaper recently that claimed that email now accounted for less than half of all Web-based communications (sorry, couldn't find a citation for that right away); if that is even vaguely true, that's a trend that congregations should be watching. The growth of online learning in colleges is also a trend worth watching. We should also be paying close attention to populations that continue to have little or no interest in or access to online communications (not all 20-somethings spend lots of time online), and close attention to populations for whom online communications are as natural as breathing (some 80-somethings spend more time online than I do). Yes, the video is annoying, and probably grossly inaccurate (and yes the soundtrack really sucks). I still think you and I should keep making podcasts -- which reminds me, I'll be writing up scripts this weekend.... Ms. M @ 5 — On the other hand, about the only time I get to connect with you is online….

Joe @ 7 — You write: “Maybe people like factoids … words presented with high energy music …”

Or maybe Qualman is Machiavellian enough to use social media to gain lots of attention so he can prove that social media is a powerful force.

Seriously, though, you raise good points, especially your second point (b). What’s not clear to me is how “social media” is much different from Usenet, BBSs, and other online communications tools of 15 years ago — except that maybe now social media is owned by for-profit companies which need a catchy phrase to sell themselves to venture capitalists?

All this being said, an increasing amount of communication is taking place in some new and interesting ways. I saw an article in a newspaper recently that claimed that email now accounted for less than half of all Web-based communications (sorry, couldn’t find a citation for that right away); if that is even vaguely true, that’s a trend that congregations should be watching. The growth of online learning in colleges is also a trend worth watching. We should also be paying close attention to populations that continue to have little or no interest in or access to online communications (not all 20-somethings spend lots of time online), and close attention to populations for whom online communications are as natural as breathing (some 80-somethings spend more time online than I do).

Yes, the video is annoying, and probably grossly inaccurate (and yes the soundtrack really sucks). I still think you and I should keep making podcasts — which reminds me, I’ll be writing up scripts this weekend….

]]> By: Joe http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436&cpage=1#comment-61178 Joe Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:17:51 +0000 http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436#comment-61178 Two reactions to the video and your commentary: a) I found the Erik Qualman YouTube video extremely annoying because many of his claims do not stand up to scrutiny. For example, he says "By 2010 Gen Y will outnumber Baby Boomers." There are about 60 million members Gen Y'ers in the US born between 1978 and 1994, vs. 78 million Baby Boomers born between 1946 to 1964 in the US. In the video, Qualman also says, "Social Media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the Web." On his blog, he cites as his source for this claim as the Huffington Post, which in turn cited a single report on Reuters that found a researcher looking at Internet search engine data found that during the period he examined, more people entered search queries about social media than porn. This research is pretty weak support for the claim that, "Social Media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the Web." On Qualman's blog, he lists all the claims made in the video, and his sources. On that blog, you will also see that most of his claims have been debunked by his readers. It's amazing to me how many hits the video and others like it have generated. Maybe people like factoids ... words presented with high energy music ... b) It's unclear to me what the "social media revolution" is or even is there is one (yet). Yes, social media (a rather amorphous term encompassing a vast array of technologies and interaction styles) is quite popular, and growing in usage/consumption. But has it transformed society, culture, values or consciousness like other revolutions have (e.g., American, French, civil rights)? So far, not so much. Two reactions to the video and your commentary:
a) I found the Erik Qualman YouTube video extremely annoying because many of his claims do not stand up to scrutiny. For example, he says “By 2010 Gen Y will outnumber Baby Boomers.” There are about 60 million members Gen Y’ers in the US born between 1978 and 1994, vs. 78 million Baby Boomers born between 1946 to 1964 in the US. In the video, Qualman also says, “Social Media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the Web.” On his blog, he cites as his source for this claim as the Huffington Post, which in turn cited a single report on Reuters that found a researcher looking at Internet search engine data found that during the period he examined, more people entered search queries about social media than porn. This research is pretty weak support for the claim that, “Social Media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the Web.” On Qualman’s blog, he lists all the claims made in the video, and his sources. On that blog, you will also see that most of his claims have been debunked by his readers. It’s amazing to me how many hits the video and others like it have generated. Maybe people like factoids … words presented with high energy music …

b) It’s unclear to me what the “social media revolution” is or even is there is one (yet). Yes, social media (a rather amorphous term encompassing a vast array of technologies and interaction styles) is quite popular, and growing in usage/consumption. But has it transformed society, culture, values or consciousness like other revolutions have (e.g., American, French, civil rights)? So far, not so much.

]]> By: Jeremiah http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436&cpage=1#comment-61150 Jeremiah Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:57:17 +0000 http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436#comment-61150 On a personal, community and congregational level, Facebook has had a huge influence on my life for the better. The ability to forge connections in new ways with anyone and everyone on the planet is utterly breathtaking. Used wisely, I suspect social media can help to transform our spiritual lives in ways we cannot yet even foresee. But nothing is a substitute for face-to-face interaction. On a personal, community and congregational level, Facebook has had a huge influence on my life for the better. The ability to forge connections in new ways with anyone and everyone on the planet is utterly breathtaking. Used wisely, I suspect social media can help to transform our spiritual lives in ways we cannot yet even foresee.

But nothing is a substitute for face-to-face interaction.

]]> By: Ms. M http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436&cpage=1#comment-61133 Ms. M Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:16:27 +0000 http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436#comment-61133 I was in a gathering of eight dear ones last night. Folks I don't get to spend time with but once a year for three days. At one point during our "just hanging out time," four of the eight were on their lap tops typing away. Left me feeling really sad. Being together, talking about real life issues of connection and disconnection, the worries of the world and spirit...and the compelling sense that I, too, should be focused on things on-line not IN LIFE. Ok, gotta go! I was in a gathering of eight dear ones last night. Folks I don’t get to spend time with but once a year for three days. At one point during our “just hanging out time,” four of the eight were on their lap tops typing away. Left me feeling really sad. Being together, talking about real life issues of connection and disconnection, the worries of the world and spirit…and the compelling sense that I, too, should be focused on things on-line not IN LIFE. Ok, gotta go!

]]> By: Jean http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436&cpage=1#comment-61122 Jean Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:44:51 +0000 http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436#comment-61122 It seems that, at its best, "social media" is never a replacement for face to face contact, but rather an augmentation, as you say, an extension. My little experiment this academic year on Facebook has shown me at least that -- I know my students outside the classroom in a bit more breadth by the quirky things they post on FB, and they by the same that I post, and somehow those ephemera allow us to see one another as more human, more connected, than we would otherwise with the simple, and formalized, connection of the classroom. It seems that, at its best, “social media” is never a replacement for face to face contact, but rather an augmentation, as you say, an extension. My little experiment this academic year on Facebook has shown me at least that — I know my students outside the classroom in a bit more breadth by the quirky things they post on FB, and they by the same that I post, and somehow those ephemera allow us to see one another as more human, more connected, than we would otherwise with the simple, and formalized, connection of the classroom.

]]> By: Dan http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436&cpage=1#comment-61104 Dan Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:59:49 +0000 http://www.danielharper.org/blog/?p=6436#comment-61104 Jean @ 2 -- I think you're on to something here: not getting rid of the old, but blending the new social media with books. Donald @ 1 -- I think maybe that's what I want to see with social media and church: not diminishing the church experience by replacing it with social media, but extending the church experience out into social media. If that makes sense. Jean @ 2 — I think you’re on to something here: not getting rid of the old, but blending the new social media with books. Donald @ 1 — I think maybe that’s what I want to see with social media and church: not diminishing the church experience by replacing it with social media, but extending the church experience out into social media. If that makes sense.

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