Hints for the Web 2.0 minimalist
Until recently, I had prided myself with being a technological minimalist. My home was neat, uncluttered and dotted with mid-century appliances. Anyone I wanted to communicate with, I’d call or send letters to. My e-mail contacts were low in numbers. I would physically step into a store to shop. I felt social networking sites were ridiculous and unnecessary. I suppose I just enjoyed what I had, including free time. I liked that I could be successful in school and in the work place all the while living under the wire. I Googled myself once, and couldn’t find anything. I wanted nothing to do with the emerging technologies of Web 2.0 era, and hoped to keep it that way.
And then one day, I realized I was going to graduate soon. Of course, I began searching for jobs and internships. Most of the applications had to be sent through my e-mail account, and most of them (like LinkedIn) claimed I must provide links to my Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and blog pages. Only then did I realize I had to play some catch-up and leave my pseudo-nineties lifestyle. My future depended on it.
I’m currently taking a course at UNLV titled Interactive Media Design. It’s been nice starting from scratch and having guidance from a Web 2.0 instructor. Though to be honest, each time I’m forced to set up an account with a new social platform, my shoulders sag a little. I can feel the anonymity leaving my body. I suppose I’m wary of becoming overexposed, and also don’t want to be bombarded with useless information. Just as I don’t care to learn through Twitter whether someone is eating a tuna sandwich, I also don’t care to see hot tub party photographs on Facebook. My minimalist nature urges others and myself to get straight to the point. Cut the fluff, pointless self-condemnation and certainly scrape off the spam. Like most, I want to know if someone has something to say, something which to learn from. I want to keep my web deposits bare-bones and stick to a professional path. If I’m eager to learn about the hot tub party, I’ll search for it. I just don’t want it thrown into my cyber face. Nor do I want future employers to know I’m somehow linked to such nonsense. I’ll reiterate here: If there’s something to be sold, I’ll find it in a store on my own accord. It’s been difficult to find ways to weed out the unnecessary. But I found some on the journey to Web 2.0 land. And for you fellow technological minimalists, I’ve got a few tips:
1) Understand your goals. Remember the reasons you’re out there social networking and don’t stray far. A perspective employer will be able to tell in 30 seconds what your focus is just by looking at your page. Keeping this in mind will make you choosy.
2) Once you’re choosy, identify significant people and become networked. The brilliant part of social networking is that (for the most part) you pick who you’re connected to. When you have something of relevance to say, make sure the important people have access to it.
3) Actively get to know your fellow bloggers/tweeters/facebook friends, etc. Once that happens, they’ll share their friends and with you.
4) If (undesireable) people you know become offended that you’re pushing them aside, create another account not linked to your real name. You can communicate with them that way and curb away future employers.
5) TrueTwit – This application can supposedly figure out the difference between human tweeters and automated robot tweeters who spam, spam, spam. In my experience it works rather well. The one problem with TrueTwit is that it annoys those who are truly following you by sending them direct messages. Instead of just watching what you have to write, they have to prove themselves to you. Take it upon yourself to figure out if that’s proper etiquette.
