Yesterday was a slow news day in social media, except for the Paul Walsh report that his blog had been banned in China after he reported that Chinese officials beat a blogger to death. I wrote about that and got a few responses, mainly that my problems subscribing to Paul on Google reader were my own anomolies, and not a Google block. But there was no flood of outrage about the Chinse blogger; nor was there any response when I wrote about the incarceration of a popular Saudi Arabian blogger; nor did people much care about Wael Abbas who posts videos showing police brutality in Egypt.
But then I really stirred it up. I wrote a light-hearted, off-the wall addendum to Laura Fitton's outstanding post on a Twitter Village. I suggested we pick a mayor and tossed out a few silly titles for people who are well known in my particular neighborhood of the 700,00 resident megalopolus of Twitter. That should have been obvious for the titles. Do I really aspire to run a virtual senior center? Just what Loic be doing as Secretary of Tweesmic?
And most people saw the humor. They added nominees in comments. They made jokes. Hell, it was a slow news day in Twitterville.
Not since I asked the equally meaningful question over a year ago of: "What washer & dryer should I buy," have I received so many Comments. About one in five are alarmed or irate. They somehow think that (1) I have authority to do such a thing, and (2) I would actually want to do such a thing, or (3) there are enough old people to need a senior center.
I answered the first couple of concerned comments with polite private email. Then I posted a comment that said I was only kidding and now Jay Fresh has suggested I just put myself into a dark and hairy place.
Be serious. (Oops that's the problem.) So let me drag out some dreds: I've been involved in social media for a pretty long time now. I'm pretty much on the record favoring transfer of power from top to bottom. I've co-written a book on the topic; made speeches; written tens of thousands of words on the subject.
If anyone thinks that I really believe we should install government to rule in Twitterville, I think they should take a little Loosen-Up pill. Seriously.
