Unwanted Social Networks
February 8th, 2005Can social networks be deleterious? Possibly, says David King.
“I’m certainly enjoying keeping up to date and in contact with other library techies. I’m also able to chat with my wife… those are all good. And I love it when other librarians contact me with questions about techie library stuff. But is it good to be interrupted at work by people I don’t know who just want to say Hi because we share the same name? Not so sure about that one.”
“Possibly my introvert nature is showing? Or maybe, I don’t mind when people contact me for something I consider to be a real reason, but don’t like it when someone contacts me with something I consider to be a lame reason? Could be.”
I’ve always thought about social networks in a positive sense. Working collaboratively, finding expertise among colleagues to use for reference work, chatting with other librarians at a conference or via IM. All positive. But when do social networks become unwanted (or, for that matter, unwarranted)? This is an interesting question without an easy answer and certainly not one to be taken lightly.
I think that the technology has something to do with it (but not everything). Hooking up with someone via IM or Skype is easy. No qualms involved. I like your screen name, click, hello how are you. We wouldn’t do that so easily on the street. Well, some of us wouldn’t. The online environment takes the fear factor away. If someone doesn’t like us online, the worst thing to happen is that the chat ends. We close the window and move on. On the street, it’s harder to close that window, so we put up an emotional shield and just walk on by.
Sure, there are unwanted social networks. And the electronic environment has a lot to do with that. David’s examples show this . In offline situations, there are unwanted social networks as well. Those colleagues who we hide from at conferences (c’mon, we all do that) or that guy in the next cube that we just don’t want to socialize with. It happens. We all don’t utilize the expertise of everyone we know because of personality issues and time constraints.
My thoughts go back to a situation where someone I knew was an expert in a particular field of study and I really need his advice on something. The problem? I really didn’t get along with this person. I reluctantly asked the question and was presently surprised with the reception and the help.
So, that unwanted social network can be needed at any point in time. I’ve been taught by my father never to burn my bridges. And I haven’t. You never know when you have to tap into your unwanted social network.