“Hashing it Out” by Robert Ortiz @robertortiz #usguys

#Usguys Discussion Group Topic: Overuse of Hashtags in Tweets

“It” 2.0 Knocks You Senseless and You Forget the Basics

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkCNJRfSZBU

World of WarCraft is another example where real group social skills focus in a new age virtual setting. This example features in action the Clan concept (#UsGuys call it Tribe) of working together and leveraging skills to overcome obstacles insurmountable by anyone member of the clan. But this mostly circumspect clan gets completely wiped out by the bad guys when one of its members, one Leeroy Jenkins, all 1-minute attention span of him—pops the cork early. Faux pas, Leeroy! Funny—because death or dollars were not truly on the line. Only time investment of 20 other people was lost here. But time has value too and that’s one reason why we hash “It” out.

Twitter most of all the new forms of social networking tools makes “It” discussions interesting and enlightening. More so than figuring out how to get a word in during 7th grade lunch, noticed in Yahoo! chat, read in an about.com forum, or beyond mere wage slave pawn status in some nearly pointless department in some corporate office somewhere—more than these training grounds, Twitter puts “It” right in our face and calls itself exactly what it is and who we are.

For we really are birds twittering on about something or other. Ever just sat on a bench during lunch time and watch sparrows and pigeons play out the drama for you? Give it a shot then, the allegory draws itself. We sing and high fly in flock or gather seed while bopping along the ground. We fight for sustenance and attention. We huddle in groups and coo together. We sing out in the morning, afternoon, evening our own particular song and use certain notes that announce our affiliations. Wherever we choose to perch.

Hashtags that create discussion groups are our trees in which we perch and tweet from. The hashtags themselves are the names of these trees, living virtual trees with emergent identity. Doesn’t take longer than an hour in one of these trees to learn who’s who and separate wheat from chaff. Hashtag Regulars perch and Hashtag Tourists stop for rest on migration. Both types can add value. Who the alphas are and why. How to be a thought leader. Whether the group is bathing, hunting, or socializing. Who contributes value and who takes without giving—All facts made transparent by this new medium and age-old “It” deduction.

The most important thing to remember though, is that we’re all just humans trying to be human. We can’t sacrifice our humanity to gain points in the twitterverse. Chase Adams

Of course we are not really birds. Though we may act like them in all sorts of ways. Most recent blog post I’ve read concerning maltweetment practices was “The Power of 140 Characters” by Chase Adams. Like the 140 characters format, this article is a very short exposé on the powerful nature of tweets. Moral of the story is one must always remember there is reality on the other end of the line. “It” is always a human reality you face in the Twitterverse. A small but important lesson he offers. Probably one easily lost on us all, for the grand irony of it, that from time to time this medium of social networking does tend to breed dissociation from our subjects in our minds.

This discussion may have several origins. The most positive origin I can think of is—what gives the Social Media world its shine—the passion for the drive to be transparent and to ever increase the quality and frequency of the sharing of our minds. Still wondering what Twitter is for? Just keep re-reading this last statement. I read a lot of Vonnegut last summer—from one of his non-fiction books is a line he includes from a conversation with his son who said, “Dad, I think we’re all here just trying to help each other get through whatever this thing is.” At the heart of any Twitter discussion group is this sentiment.

The distinction between children and adults, while probably useful for some purposes, is at bottom a specious one, I feel. There are only individual egos, crazy for love. Niccolo Machiavelli

Reason I invoked Machiavelli of all writers, is that his political philosophy better than most, probably, recognizes the reality that stands opposite his prince and principality. His seminal work is not a ‘this is the way the world should be’ manual but rather ‘that’s the way the world is so here’s about not getting overthrown in it‘ manual. Also there is a correlation between physical principalities and virtual principalities.

Read or re-read The Prince by Machiavelli.  If you haven’t already, you are missing out on one of the best comedies of all time! People are funny creatures—I know this is true in the 21^st Century and it seems to have been going on for all long time, according to the big M. Refreshing this philosopher’s advisory in your mind will sooth you, by and large, however it is you operate within a social networking group. The practice of adapting and expanding old-world thought to the virtual commonplace is now—the philosophies that got us to this point are ever-still useful.

Twitter discussion groups are both social and professional arenas where business practices and human behavior smash together in a no-where place, in a Utopia. The Utopia has value—and that’s the rub! How much time-energy goes into the creation of your discussion group? And how do you value your individual and collective time? Such questions are behind the anger impetus when it seems clear barbarians have stormed your gates. It is natural for folks who create and contribute to utopian space to want to preserve their invested equity in the making of the thing. Natural like a dog guards his bone. Might also be natural urge to draws swords against perceived invaders. An evolved response here is better than a natural one. Do not let the perception of invader determine your response.

There are social and economic concerns dealing with folks who stumble into your virtual space and chum your waters recklessly. Who drop drive-by tweets on your group’s eyes, heavy laden with irrelevant hash. Best strategy is to look for bright sides. Take heart knowing this set of Tweeters is here now and probably not coming back soon. Next time you see a tweet from a newcomer that says nothing without a pound sign in front of it—think about a man in a trench coat who walks up to the front of a room and flashes nudity and then runs out the door. Have a laugh. Because it’s funny.

Chase Adams’ message about keeping the human in mind will always be relevant in any social networking group, online or not—after that, the most important thing to remember concerning the myriad faux pas that can be done within 140 characters is that, just like anywhere you walk for real, folks fall somewhere within a social skills scale of 1-10. Twitter or not, some people just don’t get it. Some get it too much. That’s not funny necessarily, but it is fun. That’s why I’m at the table.

When your well-travelled popular discussion group is hijacked for a moment by tweets trying to draw eyes off to another ideal-realm—think how storefront retailers treat theft. They invest a little money in anti-theft measures, but mostly account for the theft loss in mark-up—which represents a particular attitude of acceptance for certain behavior patterns. Good business practice is to realize in advance the full cost of operating the business and account for it at the outset. Shrug off then with ease such things as theft or flood damage or what have you. Like with any good product or service, there will be imitation and knock-offs. Like with any genuine super predator in the ocean, there will be schools of remoras. Divine business practice is let them be. Consider the marketing spin of their presence and embrace these drive-by tweeters, a sign of your true worth in the social networking market. The more you have, perhaps, the more powerful you truly are.

Not that I don’t believe etiquette should be codified for social network groups. To ensure a focus on sharing and creating ideas and promoting them, a Twitter House Rules list is probably a good idea. Many popular forums keep tacked up etiquette posts for all newcomers to see. Discussion group originators and leaders should take charge and make an outline. Make it a funny list of rules—because good comedy along with some quality rules will enhance your recruiting, increase newcomers who commit less faux pas. But also Remember for every samurai there is a ninja, for every white hat a black hat exists. A list of rules or principles may eventually go just as far toward recruiting and training rule breakers as anything else.

When I see vitriol volley about on a subject such as multi-hashed tweets—I take the time to understand where it comes from because every problem requires solution. Yet I can’t help but think these concerns are raised by tweeters who are n00b-haters at heart and do not realize it. Nor do they realize the full detriment of being a n00b-hater includes dampening your group’s pipeline of new thought and activity. Remember the same thing happening in Twitter discussion group occurs in any lunch room in any grade school anywhere in any place and time. Occurs in the workplace. In locker rooms. In any social venue. Been happening all our lives. n00bs you want to block out for committing etiquette transgression, for scoring 1-5 on the Social Skills scale, are possibly those who have yet to find their lunchroom table. Their intrinsic value matters though—they are ships carrying precious cargo in search of port.

On the one hand it’s not worth losing sleep over. On the other hand is the fact that a proactive big-picture treatment of newcomers is most helpful to your mission. N00bs are the lifeblood of any organization, yours included. Some of these n00bs could become thought leaders within your ranks and increase the overall value of your group. Embrace them right and you will be rewarded.

Be Excellent to Each Other. Bill & Ted

If we are to be real in the Twitterverse, let’s be realistic about who we really are anywhere else. Some of us are funny. Some are serious. Some of us give. Some take. Most of the time we do both left and right handed things at once. Many hands make much work light. We are trying to be good most of the time too. And help each other through whatever this thing is. If we flub, we can always make it up. The first technology given us is Life itself—and I haven’t seen a total and complete manual for life lying around anywhere I’ve been. Have you? So let’s just tweet about them apples!

Now—let’s see comments from you Hashing “It” Out =P

Post by Robert Daniel Ortiz @robertortiz on Twitter