More thoughts on when to RT, FWD etc
Some time ago I wrote a blog post on “My thoughts on when to FWD, RT, re-post etc” it got a lot of hits and RT’s. In light of recent high profile viral causes (not least Kony2012) I felt it needed an update.
Yes the power of the internet is changing the way we as individuals can collectively bring about change… but…
“with great power comes great responsibility” Voltaire
(not Uncle Ben in Superman, as most people seem to think)
There was something that bothered me about the Kony 2012 video that I couldn’t put my finger on. So as I usually do (I’ll admit I’m human, not always) I looked deeper into the issue first, before RTing it or FWDing it on.
Without getting into the detail of the Kony issue (no doubt he is a bad man) it made me view the video differently and that’s when I realised my post needed an update.
There is a trend, I’d almost call it a fashion, to believe that which is contrary to established thinking… just because. Often these views come from edgy “thought leaders” who are often trying to sell books, sometimes (not always) this is deliberate. To be controversial is a form of link-baiting.
Another great example of this is a TED talk buy Derek Sivers who claims that sharing your goals makes them less likely to occur. Great headline, quick forward it! But wait, if you read the paper he refers to it simply doesn’t say that. (I’m not saying he deliberately mis-represented the paper btw)
I ask you this: is it better to be convinced by a slick viral video, or main stream press… by unknown figures (or organisations) than politicians or celebrities?
Of course the answer to this is, it depends.
Do some research, read around the area and make your own decisions, then FWD / RT / re-post it.
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