This guest post is brought to you by Karen Orem, a colleague of mine who has some provoking opinions about where social media may be taking us on a relational level. You’re sure to have a response, especially if you use social media to make a living, so be sure to chime in. Also, if you’re interested in guest posting, read the extremely lax requirements here.

Through all the ever expanding social media sites, email broadcasts, eReaders, iPhones, and soon to be countless others, we are able to connect like never before with people that we have something in common with, for whatever reason.  We can tell our iPhones what music we like and don’t like and it will adjust accordingly.  This is great: I can listen to things I like…what a great concept.  I login on Stumble Upon: yep I like this, and no, this isn’t for me.  Wow, look at how I can tailor-make my world.  I don’t need a hardcopy newspaper, I can get the news I want, the way I want it.  I can see the future of TV and computers being one, everything customized the way we want it.  I can download the books I want and eventually, the choices could be tailor – made to me!  I can decide if I want emails on specific topics, stores send me just the coupons according to my specific needs.  How great for businesses, to know what you want, what your family uses and be able to deliver it to you.  We are not too far away to having our customized selections on whatever we want.

Initially, I thought, wow, this is so great!  I can explore my interests, and be exposed to more things that I like.  Then I started to think about the flipside of this.  Eventually, we can be exposed to exactly what we want…but doesn’t that put us in our own little bubble?  Sure, some people certainly do that now, but outside differences are still expressed on the news, magazines, newspapers, at the bookstore.  Pretty soon, I won’t have to be exposed to any differing views, or things that irritate me.  But, there is so much value in being exposed to differing views.   It can create a cause to action, it may question your viewpoint… challenge it.  Hearing different perspectives can spring forth new ideas, increase communication skills, encourage you to find out more about something that you weren’t even aware was happening.  You can gain further understanding of different cultures, understanding, sympathy, compassion, and voice your opinion when you’re exposed to something that doesn’t seem right.  It can help you explain your values and morals to your children, and maybe stop them from going down the wrong path because you became aware of something that you wouldn’t have just stumbled upon.

Does Social Media Really Help Us Relate?

If we’re in the marketing or sales business, how are we going to relate to other people, to continue to have practice in seeing another person’s perspective?

It just seems very ironic to me that on one hand, we have unlimited exposure to so much and on the other hand, it looks like, along with this, we will all put ourselves in a nice little bubble…and then what?

We may go from making the world a lot smaller to eventually limiting ourselves so much that we don’t understand anyone anymore…including ourselves.

About the Author:  Karen Orem specializes in assisting, supporting and guiding in the direct sales arena.  She is a coach in progress and is involved in supporting the DSWA’s Coach Excellence Program, DSWA’s ELITE Leadership Program, Team Connections, The Coach Toolkit and  Direct Sales Distributors.  Karen is also working on her own eBook to support direct sellers in need and a weight loss book which will challenge you from the inside out.   Contact Karen at korem@tx.rr.com.

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