The breakneck pace of innovation offers some good.

Dan Goldstein keeps making more and more progress understanding the impact of Facebook, and about himself. Having first read Marshall McLuhans "Understanding Media" 27 years ago, I should've remembered: All new media are capable of serious dislocating effects. And they are tools, not panaceas. One always brings oneself to the place of innovation. It's up to me to figure out an acceptable way of using this medium in a way that is conducive to social and intellectual growth. Something to be continually kept in mind while logged on is this: tools and instruments of human progress hopefully serve a societal purpose - they are not here specifically as a kind of electronic medicine whose function is to make me feel better. With that in mind, I've come to reconsider my definitive, yet quite possibly erroneous statements of the last ten days:

1. Rather than freaking out about unavoidable feelings of information overload, it is wise to consider that social media may REALLY reflect a major trend: Individuals may actually be destined to involve themseves in the affairs of hundreds/thousands of others, in an unprecedented way. In a way that could easily appear inconceivable at the present. Some of you have no doubt already realized this possibility, and taken steps to organize your networking activity accordingly. I may be halfway there, but have a long way to go in discovering what approach works for me.
2. Again, with McLuhan's theories in mind: History has demonstrated time and again that we tend to view the present through the "rear-view mirror of the past." Facebook and other sites are so new and largely untested that the jury surely must still be out about many aspects. My opinions may be intense, even interesting, but hardly authoratative. The future beckons, and if I lack the kind of intellectual courage required to confront it head-on, that's my problem. The future is, more than ever, NOW. One can run, but one can't effectively hide.
3. All media have their advantages as well as their drawbacks. Describing Facebook as "Odious," or "Monstrous" may have struck me as accurate when I said it. But I pride myself on at least trying to avoid over-simplifying things. Making across-the-board condemnations like that was a mistake.

Special thanks to a Facebook friend who very recently stressed the strong need for me to take responsibility for my networking activities, especially how I may impact others. And to also be responsible for numerous other areas of my life. He knows who he is.

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Media-Extensions-Marshall-McLuhan/dp/0262631598