All too often, when we talk about social media, undue attention and focus gets placed on the technology. It's easy to understand why. Technology is sexy and exciting, and it's fun to write about it with an exclamation point after it (Twitter! Facebook! YouTube!).


There's nothing wrong with getting excited about technology. But I must admit that I am concerned, over the tendency that we collectively have to fetishize the technology. I fear that we sometimes forget that social media is ultimately about connecting people together.
Note that I said people. Not computers, companies, or faceless "users." Social media is powerful because it connects real people .... and their dreams, hopes, fears, or aspirations .... with it.
I probably don't need to tell you that today is September 11. There's a lot being written and spoken today about what The Day Has Meant, but I'm not going to do that. I don't want to get political. Instead, I just wanted to share a dream that we in the business of social media will someday take some of the energy that goes into breathless droolgasm over the latest technology du jour (Twitter! Facebook! YouTube!) and channel it toward building a more connected, cohesive world. Let's take all our talk of "conversations" and "friends" and make them truly mean something real.
A wise man once taught me that the best way to connect with others was by telling a story, so I will share one with you. Six years ago, I remember being shattered by what I was watching on television. Writing has always been therapeutic for me, so after hours of news reports made my soul feel numb, I recall going to my computer and writing until I felt better.
I remember about how the world seemed broken, and how I would fit into a broken world. There was a lot of anger that day to go along with the sadness, so I didn't even sign my name to it. I was afraid of reprisal. But today, I'm putting my name to this post to tell you what's on my to-do list for tonight: I'm flying.
That's right, I'm flying. Six years ago, if you had asked me what I would be doing in 9-11-2007, getting on an airplane would not have been one of them. Today, I'm proud to say I'm not afraid.
Social media is powerful. We have amazing tools to tell stories, make friends (with the lower-case f), and create connection. After all, it's more fun and exciting than writing yet another story on Twitter! Facebook! and YouTube!