Sunday, August 23, 2015

Me & Social Media

This Cartoon in Time magazine, by John Atkinson, caught my attention and after I smiled I started to think about how I related to it.  First of all, I tried to figure out the symbols.  Going clockwise we had Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Vine, Pinterest and Instagram.  Which do I actually use on a regular basis? Facebook, but I was recently told that only old people use that.  Things are certainly moving fast these days and Facebook is the oldest of the bunch. Interesting since Facebook only came into existence just over a decade ago.


I thought that I was somewhat up to date, technologically speaking, but I had not even heard of Vine the site that gives you a chance to post 6 second looping videos.  So it is not surprising that shortly after it was founded, Twitter, the 140 character site, acquired it.

How many sites can one be on without devoting yourself totally to social-media?   One of the main reasons that old people use Facebook is because their children told them that if they want to see images of their grandchildren they would have to go onto the site.  In spite of the fact that Facebook has over a billion and a half monthly visitors, I know many people who say they don’t want to be controlled by any website.  That is anyone’s privilege but personally I think that they are missing out on a valuable 21st century tool.  For me, it works as a national and even international phone book, as does LinkedIn.  When I am looking for a museum person that is not on my Rolodex or more likely has changed their institution I can usually find them in one of those two places.


Often when someone asks me to link with them on LinkedIn I ask what purpose it serves other than the one mentioned above and the answer is invariably, “I don’t know but I believe one should do it”.  There is no question, however, that it is the professional site where you can tell people the business you are in and where, if you get enough accolades from others, someone might reach out to do business with you.  It can also help if you want to learn about someone that you are supposed to meet at a dinner party.  It is the same as you once might have used the various editions of “Who’s Who”.  Another question it brings up, is who to accept and who to reject on LinkedIn.  I used to not accept contemporary artists because I could not help them being a dealer in Old Masters but I have given up and figure if an artist wants to be connected to me, why not?!


I have posted my missives on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and they have reached people in diverse parts of the world that I would certainly not have met from my website or emails.  In that way people who I have lost touch with for years find me again.

While I post links to my missives on Twitter I don’t feel I am either interesting enough or have enough to say to post regularly.  In my mind I have not closed the door entirely on the possibility of getting more involved there as well.


I read that Pinterest is the hottest website out there and that it is being used as the ultimate sales tool.  There are some major people on it.  I have seen beautiful images of the work a major decorator, Robert Couturier, has done and I can certainly see how these are marvelous seductions for new clients.  I have posted there and need to develop it more. However, from all the images I have posted only one  has been repeatedly reposted.

Maybe someone would like to help me with Instagram.  I post photos fairly regularly on Facebook and I gather Instagram is devoted to images so I may eventually go there as well since I downloaded the app quite a while ago.


I believe that after 40 years of marriage my dating days are over so I had not heard of Tinder until my son told me that he found his girlfriend there and that they live within walking distance of each other --and so far so good!

Google +  seems to have given up the ghost and is backing down.  Which leaves Vine, which I will really have to look into!

Somehow, I never thought of YouTube as social-media but now I realize that I have often posted links from my Missives to YouTube and Vimeo (not mentioned in the ME cartoon) as well.

I seem to be more involved with social-media than I thought I was when I started this Missive but it has not taken over my life.  It has been a very useful tool both for fun and business.  There are those who say it takes the place of personal interaction but I would argue that it actually contributes to the possibilities of meeting and connecting with people.

For those who remain unconvinced I am sure you will enjoy the following article that was recently sent to me by a friend abroad.


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