A Frog in the Social Media Kettle
They say that if you put a frog in a kettle of boiling water that it will sense the danger and jump out. But, if you put a frog in a kettle filled with water at room temperature, the frog will be comfortably at ease. 
Then, if you gradually bring the kettle to a boil, the frog will not notice the gradual change until it is too late.
Gradual change is difficult to notice, even if that change is ultimately significant. I can just imagine the conversation between a couple of frogs in the kettle:
Frog 1: “Do you think it is getting hot in here?”
Frog 2: “Maybe a little. I don’t mind. And, I’m sure it will cool down again in the morning. I’ve seen this before; back in 1999, it got really warm. I’m too busy to worry about it anyway.”
Frog 1: “I think it is getting really hot!”
Frog 2: “No, it is just warm.”
At what point exactly does warm become hot? When do a few grains of sand become a heap? Greek philosopher Eubulides, a contemporary of Aristotle, posed this question in the Sorites Paradox. He argued,
“A single grain of sand is certainly not a heap. Nor is the addition of a single grain of sand enough to transform a non-heap into a heap: when we have a collection of grains of sand that is not a heap, then adding but one single grain will not create a heap. And yet we know that at some point we will have a heap.”
Is Social Media a heap yet? Does this heap reach the point where we will look back and call it a cultural revolution? Is social media driving major changes in culture, the economy, ideology even?
I think it is, and that is the question I want to explore with with this blog. Thanks for dropping by and please subscribe if you like this topic. What do you think?
January 15th, 2008 - Posted in Social Media | |
on January 14th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
We’ve only just begun, my friend. There’s a big bell curve waiting for us to climb and lots of people to come with it. Let’s just hope the powers that be (i.e. Google) don’t blow it all up before we have all the fun.
Welcome to the blogosphere!
on January 15th, 2008 at 2:46 am
In other words, has social media hit a “tipping point”?
on January 15th, 2008 at 2:55 am
Great to see you blogging Marcel:) Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on social media.
on January 15th, 2008 at 3:11 am
My assertion is that SM not a heap yet. There is still time for significant change to be enacted in culture, economy, society, etc by SM. But you know what they say about hindsight!!
on January 15th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Thanks for dropping by & commenting.
Good points Suki & Jason - sounds like you both believe there is more change coming ahead of us than there is behind us and that we are at the beginning of something. Cool.
Mark, “Has SM reached the tipping point” is part of what I am asking, but I’m also trying to explore its broader impact. Hush Puppies reached the tipping point
but they didn’t transform society. I’m looking at the question: is SM one of those things that is (or will) drive major changes in culture, economy, ideology, etc.?
on January 15th, 2008 at 10:26 am
SM will definitely be a game-changer. I think it’s already having notable impact in certain segments. Take healthcare for instance. There are a number of review/recommendation sites focused on rating doctors, hospitals, etc.
More and more, people are turning to blogs, forums, socnets, and, last but certainly not least, Wikipedia, for information.
At what point can we look back and say that the temperature reached 212 degrees? I don’t know, but that day will certainly come.
on January 17th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Congrats on your new blog Marcel. I’m looking forward to participating in the conversation with you.
on August 14th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!