Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
rogerandmike.com
Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
1–10 of 19 posts
Re: Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
#2Worth reading, from someone who has a bit more insight than your average blogger.
Re: Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
#3before reading: emphatically yes.
Re: Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
#4>For entrepreneurs, the key message is to be really careful about doing a social networking startup in 2012. The social networking wave is about to crest. There are very few ideas and opportunities in this space that aren’t crowded.
We take a too-narrow definition of social networking. If we want to find the next big thing in the Internet, we need to take a step up the stack of abstraction and think more broadly about connections.
Human beings are wired to connect. It's fundamental human nature, and the subject of the still-new social neuroscience field. [1]
Evidence of this is pervasive throughout our culture. Relationships, marriage, cities, tribes, fan clubs, Hacker News itself - _connecting_ in a meaningful way with other people is what we do.
The Internet's success is it's ability to facilitate connections, making them easier, more personal and more meaningful: email, IRC, instant messaging, gopher, the web, facebook, twitter - it's not just facebook and twitter that are "social networking," every successful Internet communications technology has improved the state-of-the-art in allowing us to connect with each other.
So don't consider "what's next for social networking" -- or "the social networking wave is about to crest." The label restricts your mind. Ignore labels, think big. Consider human nature, relationships and how you can connect us to each other in a more meaningful way. Perhaps you'll find the essence of what the pundits will call 'web 3.0.'
1 - http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2006/10/22/how-to-read...
Re: Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
#5>For entrepreneurs, the key message is to be really careful about doing a social networking startup in 2012. The social networking wave is about to crest. There are very few ideas and opportunities in this space that aren’t crowded. We take a too-narrow definition of social networking. If we want to find the next big thing in the Internet, we need to take a step up the stack of abstraction and think more broadly abou…
"The Internet's success is it's ability to facilitate connections, making them easier, more personal and more meaningful"
I agree that the internet can better facilitate connections but in what regard do you feel that the internet has made interpersonal relationships more personal and meaningful? In my opinion it has done dramatically the opposite. In fact Id argue that the internet doesn't have a role in having a personal and meaningful relationship with someone.
Re: Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
#6All other things being equal, yes, it's better to get in on the next thing early than to get in on the current thing late.
But the variables that go into a) when you came up with your idea and b) how convinced you are that the idea is worth pursuing are Not Independent of the wave functions discussed in the article!
Part of the reason you're convinced that your social networking idea is sound is that there are concrete examples of successful businesses operating in the space.
At the end of the day, you either believe in your idea's potential to create value for investors in virtue of creating new/increased value for users, or you don't.
If you do, go for it and live with the wave phase you're dealt.
If you don't, waiting around hoping to pitch it in Next Thing terms probably isn't going to help you.
Re: Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
#7>For entrepreneurs, the key message is to be really careful about doing a social networking startup in 2012. The social networking wave is about to crest. There are very few ideas and opportunities in this space that aren’t crowded. We take a too-narrow definition of social networking. If we want to find the next big thing in the Internet, we need to take a step up the stack of abstraction and think more broadly abou…
"The Internet's success is it's ability to facilitate connections, making them easier, more personal and more meaningful" I agree that the internet can better facilitate connections but in what regard do you feel that the internet has made interpersonal relationships more personal and meaningful? In my opinion it has done dramatically the opposite. In fact Id argue that the internet doesn't have a role in having a pe…
Agree completely. I think the quantity of our relationships have gone up, while the quality seems to be going down.
Re: Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
#8>For entrepreneurs, the key message is to be really careful about doing a social networking startup in 2012. The social networking wave is about to crest. There are very few ideas and opportunities in this space that aren’t crowded. We take a too-narrow definition of social networking. If we want to find the next big thing in the Internet, we need to take a step up the stack of abstraction and think more broadly abou…
"The Internet's success is it's ability to facilitate connections, making them easier, more personal and more meaningful" I agree that the internet can better facilitate connections but in what regard do you feel that the internet has made interpersonal relationships more personal and meaningful? In my opinion it has done dramatically the opposite. In fact Id argue that the internet doesn't have a role in having a pe…
Efficiency is probably a better descriptor. How about The Internet allows us to make those connections more efficiently, and each generation of communications technologies increased both the efficiency and quality of our interactions.
I don't disagree with your assertion the internet has diminished the quality of our relationships. I'm a luddite in many ways, but that mindset is part of what has led my thinking down this path.
(1) Human beings are meant to connect, (2) the internet is a tool to facilitate connections, (3) each generation of connection technologies has improved upon the previous, (4) social networking is just the natural evolution of Internet communication technologies, (5) there is still significant room for improvement.
Re: Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
#9Yes, but no.
Let's remember that "social networking" is a very, very big thing. In essence it is the foundation of most major communication networks, including the old phone network and the modern internet. It is more than just the little windows into socialization and networking that twitter, facebook, linkedin, etc. represent.
People trying to make the "next facebook" or twitter or what-have-you are going to have problems due to the saturation of very capable competition. But that doesn't mean we've plumbed the depths of facilitating social interactions through software, there's still plenty of room for innovation and disruption.
Re: Are We in a Social Networking Bubble?
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
"The Internet's success is it's ability to facilitate connections, making them easier, more personal and more meaningful" I agree that the internet can better facilitate connections but in what regard do you feel that the internet has made interpersonal relationships more personal and meaningful? In my opinion it has done dramatically the opposite. In fact Id argue that the internet doesn't have a role in having a pe…
Agree completely. I think the quantity of our relationships have gone up, while the quality seems to be going down.
Honestly I think this line of thinking is a load of baloney. Creating meaningful personal relationships is up to you, not some internet site. You can still call, send a letter, show up at a door, grab a bite to eat, get some drinks, take a walk in the park, play stickball in the street. It's up to you to maintain close relationships. Granted, it's impossible to have "1430" close friends like on FB, but it's not bad having a wider, loose connection with thousands of people ontop of that.
Also, it's still up to you to call your mom, meet up with old old friends once or twice a year, go out to your hometown bar the night before Thanksgiving. Facebook doesn't take away those "moments you'll never remember with the friends you'll never forget." It just lets you keep in touch with those who might otherwise have dropped off the face of the earth. Don't blame some "social media". Also, kids these days, are just kids, let them socialize, it's probably not any worse than video games or TV, and you can't stop adolescent girls from gossiping, even if you take away their text messaging.