It started when you were a kid. The person that looked at your paper during tests, the person that wanted “help” with his/her homework, or that person that read the newspaper over your shoulder in an airport.
What do all these people have in common?
No initiative, no original idea, easier to “steal” from others than to give up anything themselves, because “Hey, let the other guy do all the work or pay for the newspaper.” I am noticing this is really easy to do when it comes to Social Media. So easy to lurk and be anonymous. So easy to take someone’s thoughts and make them your own. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me, but some days it really does. I guess today is one of those days. Some folks are new to this game, so I understand and they certainly get the benefit of the doubt here. But there are many folks in the “Marketing and Media” profession that are takers and they always have been, if they had gone to the same high school with me they probably would have cheated off my French tests.
Today, they are the people that want to connect with you on Linked In or “Friend you” on Facebook, “Follow” you on Twitter.
Here is a blog post from Chris Brogan that reaffirms really what this is about. If you are one of the “professionals” that monitors tweets or Facebook content and never provides any help or input to anyone that you are looking at, then this is for you. Of course Chris does it in such a nicer way that I am feeling right now, he is a grown-up afterall.
I read Chris’s stuff for inspiration for when someone has hurt my feelings, for when I need to learn. Chris is a “giver” in the “UBER” category. Not all of us, (which includes me) can do what he does…but we can try. And in the long run, it does pay off, I truly believe that.
So the next time you are checking out someone’s Facebook page, leave a note. If you use Twitter, retweet someone’s brilliance or find one of your own. Look around you and see what you can share with the world.
PS. I got this photo from this blog, you may find it as amusing as I did!