Feedback
Almost any social media site these days have "public timelines," where the posting of all material can be previewed by everybody in a constant, steady, real-time stream. But not only do original posts show up in the public timeline. There are also posts from people rementioning specific items. One uses "RT" to designate a "re-tweet" on Twitter, and one "reblips" on blip.fm. Many other places have their own version of this feature, allowing people to keep bringing up favorite things. On Tumblr, there's even a hacked google map popping up with geographical locations of new posts to the tumblogs the site hosts.
It's raised a question in my head. How much of the posts in a public timeline are original and how many of them come about because of a previous post? On blip.fm, I've noticed the stream of music usually has somebody reblipping a song that was blipped a few minutes before. It's like someone comes up with a cool idea, and everybody else says, "I like that!" What causes that? I know there are dozens of books on this, including "The Tipping Point," written by Malcom Gladwell. The science behind the transmission and spread of ideas is absolutely fascinating!
But how does one translate that kind of thinking to the massive public consciousness streaming on websites like Twitter, blip.fm and Tumblr? There are probably people who are busily trying their hardest to figure out how to track the fads and conversations going on today on social media sites. After all, if one can piggy-back on that sort of hype, there's a lot of marketing dollars to be found.
But marketing aside, my question is how is that massive public consciousness thinking? What is causing some people to reblip, retweet, reblog certain items? Is it things in the news? Current movies or TV? What is the initial idea that gets so many people taking about it? Is there one original thought, or has the whole thing become so big that its functioning like a feedback loop, the same idea being regurgitated and spit back out over and over again, in different phrases, tones and thoughts?
Just a thought.
It's raised a question in my head. How much of the posts in a public timeline are original and how many of them come about because of a previous post? On blip.fm, I've noticed the stream of music usually has somebody reblipping a song that was blipped a few minutes before. It's like someone comes up with a cool idea, and everybody else says, "I like that!" What causes that? I know there are dozens of books on this, including "The Tipping Point," written by Malcom Gladwell. The science behind the transmission and spread of ideas is absolutely fascinating!
But how does one translate that kind of thinking to the massive public consciousness streaming on websites like Twitter, blip.fm and Tumblr? There are probably people who are busily trying their hardest to figure out how to track the fads and conversations going on today on social media sites. After all, if one can piggy-back on that sort of hype, there's a lot of marketing dollars to be found.
But marketing aside, my question is how is that massive public consciousness thinking? What is causing some people to reblip, retweet, reblog certain items? Is it things in the news? Current movies or TV? What is the initial idea that gets so many people taking about it? Is there one original thought, or has the whole thing become so big that its functioning like a feedback loop, the same idea being regurgitated and spit back out over and over again, in different phrases, tones and thoughts?
Just a thought.