Have you ever been alone in a crowded room? It can happen to anyone, and the remedy is to engage in the conversation of the room. So not to look like a bull in a china store, you put yourself out there, introduce yourself, listen and participate. Soon you will shed the wallflower costume.
Broaden the scope of the room to the entire planet, and that is the idea behind the book The Age of Conversation. If you are reading The Hot Iron or other blogs, you may have seen the word “conversation” used a lot. Rather than people posting static comments on a Web site, they (as done here) open it up to comments, thus making the post a topic of conversation and comments the interaction of the conversation. In this book, Gavin Heaton and Drew McLennan posted a topic – on conversation itself – and received 103 comments, which are compiled and presented in book form.
My greatest takeaway is that, at a high level, conversation online is not much different than offline. Norms of having a dialogue with people you have just met or really don’t know still apply, and the idea is to engage with others. Of course the online medium provide greater advantages you don’t get offline, such as engaging with people on the other side of the planet or typically untouchable CEOs.
Another takeaway is that we tend to gravitate to people we share a common opinion or approach with; likeminded individuals. With 103 ideas presented, naturally you won’t agree with the content or approach of all of them, and that was the case with me. Ideas presented by people that were practical or less prophesizing resonated with me more as I tend to take a more practical approach.
A final takeaway was the need for such a book. More and more I find myself explaining social media and networking to people, whether they are friends, clients or colleagues. In the grand scheme of things it is still a new topic. A book like this can serve as an introduction to what you can gain from having such conversations, as well as be a catalyst for creating your Facebook account once and for all.
I recommend The Age of Conversation for both folks in the conversation and not. It is not all words either – there are several illustrations, with my favorite being from my friend AJ in Sydney, Australia. Interestingly, through AJ I met Gavin Heaton several years back. Through this book, I have reconnected with him, as his name rang a bell when several other people recommended the project behind it to me. Which is the whole idea, isn’t it?
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Comments
Like your thoughts Mike. As a researcher of interactive media, I see conversation taking on extended meanings through the social media of online virtual worlds. Yes, we see a mimic of the offline chat with strangers. Yet chat between newly met avatars can spark camaraderie quickly when experiencing new things like riding a hoverboard or figuring out game skill ladders. As more ppl, typically of the younger generation, go 3D for social networking with potentially diverse audiences, how will these conversations continue to extend through virtual media? I think in exciting ways - as we embrace new approaches to social networking with our fellow humans in a global society.
Comment by Sara
on 04/25/08 at 12:32 PM
oooo. Thanks for posting that link, I just bought the book. Theories of conversation is something that I find very interesting—especially how to foster that online. The iThink application on facebook is something that I’ve found very intriguing lately. Although I’m finding that I don’t use it as a conversation, it’s more of a voting process.
I wonder how many people view leaving a comment on a blog to be more like a vote, rather than a conversation. The key is that the blog needs a mechanism that allows a user to track the conversation. Mike, gotta love your “notify me of follow-up comments.” I have one too, and I find that it is much fun to have conversations with people over blog posts. It’s a shame when people don’t allow a way to easily track reactions to a comment. That’s where iThink fails. I post my thought, and then I don’t ever check it again. So it almost becomes a vote then.
Comment by
spudart
on 04/25/08 at 02:53 PM
@Sara - Thanks for visiting! I look forward to talking with you more on this, and hope to get you as a guest writer!
@spudart - I agree with you on following the conversation, as it’s hard to keep logged in all the time. I like how Twitter allows RSS feeds so I can track some or all people. And I have used your “notify me by email” function too, and it’s cool to see comments months after a post!
mp/m
Comment by
Mike Maddaloni
on 04/25/08 at 03:05 PM
Great review of the book, Mike. When I give college talks on social media I always take a couple along to give away. There is a wealth of value in there!
Comment by
Gavin Heaton
on 05/02/08 at 09:00 AM
Hi Gavin - Thanks for stopping by, and again great job on the book!
mp/m
Comment by
Mike Maddaloni
on 05/02/08 at 10:26 AM
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