Purely for the purposes of the Give

As regular readers to this blog and other sites about 'social media', those of us with such mediated lives hold that people simply 'get' such communications. No explantion is required, especially in answer to the question 'why use Twitter?' Other's who 'get' this evolution of the web, of social platforms, of technology are well tuned to the Information Age - shaped by networks, links and our connections with others.

Such an Age presents new social opportunities...

Purely for the delight of the connection and to take advantage of one such social opportunity is provided by one AndyWhitlock. This week is taken as a Week of Favours (now in colour), where Andy is offering seven days of favours - 11th to the 15th of January. One favour per day and anyone can ‘apply’ for one.

Here are the favours,

1. #favour1 – He’ll make/find you an image
2. #favour2 – He’ll blog something for you
3. #favour3 – He’ll look up something for you
4. #favour4 – He’ll tweet something for you
5. #favour5 – He’ll write something for you
   

To apply you need only TWEET @andywhitlock or comment on his blog post.

In the same week that I have been commissioned to write reportage on consumer-to-consumer behaviour comes Andy's very apt recreation of community spirit and vigour. Interesting, because you need have no direct tie to Andy and because in the spirit of other aspects of Web 2.0 his favours are Free.

Cyberspace 1990s was based on an inherent individualism - where making a connection (whether to another person, or even dialling to get onto the internet) were experienced as risky situations. Technology had to be negotiated, choices made, communications initiated, contact slooooooow. Somewhere admidst the Web 1.0 read write early hay day some resources conveyed a sense of 'community' (see Howard Rheingold and Barry Wellman for more). More rencently identities offer a reconnect as an adjunct to 'real' world connections, rather than 'fantasy' or 'play'. Increasingly Web 2.0 in its 'friend/lier' guise has reframed community again, which has not gone unnoticed by various social commentators, including,
Anderson’s (2009) The Longer Long Tail: How Endless Choice is Creating Unlimited Demand;
Gladwell’s (2006) Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking;
Howe’s (2009) Crowdsourcing: How the Power of the Crowd is Driving the Future of Business;
Leadbeater’s (2009) We-Think: Mass innovation, not mass production 2nd Edition;
Shirky’s (2009) Here Comes Everybody: How Change Happens When People Come Together
Surowiecki’s (2004) Wisdom of Crowds. All which, if you haven't, you should read.

We can debate individualism another time, but one aspect of Andy's generous offer strikes me, it is imperative that we are seen to make the ‘correct’ choice as we are presented with ever-increasing choices. Add to this more pressure, when making the ‘incorrect’ choice could lead to unforeseen consequences (or just a bad friend on Facebook). On the web, the range of resources that are the most popular tap into this shared notion of choice by community - Twitter, Facebook, Flickr etc. all play on the notion of community of people sharing experiences, moments, recommendations and updates about cups of tea.

There's something rather comforting about these mediations, especially as we have the ability to take these with us through increasingly mobile devices and handheld technology. Obscurity is no match for the web, to be turly mobile it seems we must lead from the charge wave our hands in the air and polish up our community spirit.