At the beginning of this year, there were nearly 200 million active users on Facebook, 70 million videos on YouTube, 1 trillion unique URL's in Google's index, 260 languages that articles have been written in on Wikipedia and 3 million tweets per day on Twitter. These statistics have grown exponentially since then, but the sheer volume of users engaging with one another online is amazing to think about. The vast array of social media tools available and the ways in which we use them for both work and play make it hard to imagine a life without being 'plugged in'. Movies were made about our era of technological proficiency with 'Back to the Future' illustrating a fantasy-like approach to how humans interact with one another as well as the space in which we live. They were pretend - for entertainment. Now, we are living in a reality where no idea seems too impossible. This approach extends to the digital realm and using social media channels to connect to one another like never before.
Take a moment to think about how fast our world has changed in the last 5-10 years. We have faster computers, smaller computers, phones that talk back to us, music that hides in our pocket and virtual communities that substitute any need for physical interaction. We have an array of channels that allow each of us to individualize our identity, alter it and transform our ideas or insights into news that is shared with the masses. Somewhere along the line, the fact that "I've had a bad day" or "Cheeseburgers are awesome!" became more popular among viewers than news of missiles going off in North Korea. We also have audiences that are listening and responding to this information in a way that overshadows how we engage in person. Entire conversations occur without muttering a single word, but these exchanges are creating depth to relationships nonetheless. The next 5-10 years will prove to be even more innovative as humans learn and adapt to a superior generation of communication strategies.
My point in all of this is that we are entering a unique period of time where our reliance on technology defines who we are, what we do, and how we do it - exclusively. We're still on the cusp of this transformation, although the 'good 'ole days' of simple-living are quickly disappearing. For example, the frequency of children growing up understanding how to tell direction without GPS, or how to speak to someone face-to-face in an engaging and concise manner is becoming less and less. Instead, children (and adults) are becoming dependent on the technology that initially was presented to make lives easier, transforming it from a convenience to a life-line. As adults, it has prevented a separation between our professional and personal lives - those lighter computers and phones with data plans create the expectation that we are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It looks like the products of modern-day convenience have gotten the better of us.The advancements in the online space are still so new however, that we can't ignore our excitement. Google's upcoming Wave platform or the personalization of our Facebook URL are two great examples. With this buzz for the newest gadget, application, or idea permeating all aspects of our daily-life, escaping the digital realm is virtually impossible. What we have to pay more attention to is tempering that connectivity with a sense of privacy and autonomy - we need to feel like we can walk away. Perhaps in years to come, we'll look back at this moment in time and realize how important it was to retain a sense of self and avoid the urge to be bound by the technology that we've created.
(Statistics taken from http://thefuturebuzz.com/2009/01/12/social-media-web-20-internet numbers-stats/)
