More like the Jettsons

The first chapter of The New Digital Age by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen left me more irritated than anything.  The only images running through my mind were of The Jettsons and Meet the Robinsons.  Think of how out-of-this-world The Jettsons world seemed, much of it is still out of reach for today's technology, as is traveling by bubbles in Meet the Robinsons.

As amazing as some of these technological ideas the authors have, I picture our society failing because of many of them.  What would people do to make a living if most of the jobs are done by robots?  What happens when auto pilot fails in vehicles while the "driver" is sitting in the back seat? An implant in my nose that warns me when there's unhealthy germs in the air? We might as well live in a bubble.  All of the medical technology explained ways to keep people alive.  Death is horribly hard, but people aren't  supposed to live forever!  We're not supposed to be able to re-grow limbs like a lizard! The average life span is already high. Yes, we would love to spend countless years with our loved ones, however there's a point where its cruel and probably a bit scary to see grandma like that.

 Majority of our society would use huge technological advances like described in this chapter to allow for more laziness.  In comes Wall-e; obese people floating in chairs that take them where they want to go, and technology doing every ounce of work for them down to brushing teeth.

The sad part is, half of the technology they speak of is on its way! I'm already saddened by my generation, myself included, at how much we rely on technology.  How am I going to learn to survive on my own if technology is constantly living my life for me?  Sure, it'd be great if a hologram could be at a kids soccer game while you're really at work. NO! Are you kidding me? Priorities, people.  It's called time management.

The only technology idea I truly enjoyed while reading this chapter is the idea of a bed that massages me awake.  Yes, please.

Fire Up! But hurry, soon something might just do it for you!

How can we make this work?

Wow.  Chapter 2 of The Social Organization: How to Use Social Media to Tap the Collective Genius of your Customers and Employees by Anthony J. Bradley and Mark P. McDonald made me want to get involved with companies immediately.  My first instinct after reading the chapter which takes you through the six principles of mass collaboration as well as the fundamental cycle of collaboration was, "I've got to call my dad!"

As a business owner, my father is always looking for new ideas and ways to spread word about what he's doing.  In reading this book, I'm finding that there is so much more they could be doing with social media! I'm hoping he takes my advice and picks up this book so that we can work together to help his company grow!

Here's a diagram of the components of mass collaboration which broadly shows what needs to be used effectively to have successful mass collaboration.  The principles and fundamental cycle go further into detail on each area of the diagram.

The first page of chapter 2 grabbed my attention immediately - "Social media enables mass collaboration, in which a large and diverse group of people who may have no preexisting connections pursues a mutual purpose that creates value." When I relate this to child life and the Child Life Council, I imagine how forming a social organization within the child life and medical community could allow the field to explode! I'm sickened by seeing children that are held back because of a prolonged hospital stay, physically, cognitively, and emotionally! If we could spread the word of child life to more people, more people would be advocates for child life, more parents would be aware, and more hospitals would put efforts into having child life.

The struggle with child life is that it is not a billable service in the hospital.  It is not viewed as a service that is necessary because it does not provide benefits along the lines of saving lives, healing, etc.  But as an advocate for child life, I see it differently.  In the long run, child life has major effects.  Imagine an infant, diseased and hospitalized for months.  That infant may be held occasionally by a parent or nurse,  fed, changed, etc. But child life specialists not only work with the infant, but the family on ensuring that child is getting the developmental attention he or she needs. This includes building the necessary muscles, sensory development, cognitive development, and relational development with that child's family and loved ones.  If this child survives, they have a higher chance of being on track with the developmental norms because of the work of a child life specialist.  That IS important. By forming a social organization within the child life council, child life could expand and benefit greatly.  The way to share this is to get people who have experienced what child life specialists can do, first hand, to get on board.

This leads me into the second difficulty to overcome. Getting parents and patients on board is difficult because approaching a parent after or even while their child is sick in the hospital can be hit or miss.  It would be a decision made over time by the child life specialist to ask the family to get on board as an advocate of child life and be involved enough to make it a successful social organization.

Overall, I think this is very possible.  I believe it is possible for any organization to become a social organization, it just won't happen overnight; the expectation of our society.

Fire up!

A little extreme, don't you think?

Sometimes when I'm reading I wonder where the ideas these authors have come from. But then I think further, and realize that anything is possible.  All of these ideas about the Internet taking over the world seem out of this world, but that's the point isn't it? When I was born, only 21 years ago, the world would have thought the technology we have is out of this world. So, how can we say anything is impossible?

Jaron Lanier, author of "You are not a Gadget" has a very logical view of how technology can effect our lives and take us over. In a way, I agree with him. I admit that I, along with most of my generation, am addicted to social media.  I love checking my phone to see updates and find myself irritated if there aren't enough updates to keep me occupied at one time.  How can we rely on something so impersonal for communication? Jaron's book has a way of pointing out very vividly that we have to take control now, before we lose it all together.

"The New Digital Age" brings me to the same conclusion.  The way Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen describe technology and how it continues to develop at an unbelievable pace proves that anything is possible.  They describe our technology being antiques in the future, and it is hard to picture what more they can do. But technology has proven it has no limits in ability and power.  It is hard to admit that these technological addictions can be just a harmful as any other form of an addiction, but I believe it will continue to prove that it is.

Well, that's all for tonight. I've got a lot of thinking to do on this topic!

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Child Life Council - A Social Organization

In reading chapter 1 of The Social Organization by Anthony J. Bradley and Mark P. McDonald I've tried comparing the Child Life Council to examples in the book.

I find that the Child Life Council is most like the Schwab Trading Company.  The way the company uses social media to effectively spread information about what they do, as well as what is happening within the company makes them a very social organization. The Child Life Council does the same in the sense of showing what child life specialists are doing around the country to better children's experiences while ill.  The Child Life Council could improve as a social organization by finding ways to spread the word about the importance of child life outside of the hospital.  Social media is a cheap way of doing so. If more child life specialists, nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals used the power of social media to spread the word, child life could have the potential to blow up and have more support than ever. 

Overall, I think the Child Life Council could benefit greatly from more social media use in and out of the child life and medical community.  Awareness is key, and the only way to spread the word is real people sharing real stories.

Brainstorming ideas and finding solutions for spreading the word about child life will be a process I share with you through this journey.

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From really really high up...

From the 40th floor of a beautiful Chicago apartment, (just visiting) I'm Claire Kittle. My goal is to express my opinions on the issues about social media, technology and social organizations that are presented to me in readings.  I will also give my "two cents" on how to find solutions to these issues.  

First I'll tell you a bit about me! 

I am a student at Central Michigan University studying early childhood development.  My dream is to become a certified child life specialist with extra certifications in infant massage, and car seat safety! Child life specialists work with the psychosocial development of children in the hospital.  I want to make a difference in these fighting children's lives and make sure each day is as positive and fun as possible! 

So, child development. Why do I care about the issue of social media? Well, I am working towards an applied business practices minor. So far, I have learned about communication in and out of the business world, and have grown as a person and a student with the help of my business classes. 

A few more important things:

I love reading, giraffes, shopping, and The Big Bang Theory. 

I look forward to sharing this blogging journey with you!

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