Chapleau experiencing 'tremendous power shift' too as societal change in communications takes place globally

More than 20 years  ago now Howard Rheingold, one of the pioneers of virtual communities, said that " a tremendous power shift is underway ... this power shift is about people and our ability to connect with each other in new ways... "

Speaking at the first Writers' Retreat on Interactive Technology and Equipment conference sponsored by the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and Emily Carr College of Art and Design, Rheingold noted in 1994 that he was struck by the "citizen-to citizen movement now known as virtual community" popping up everywhere he travelled.

I was at the conference preparing to teach my first Writing for New Media course at College of the Rockies where I was also working on the development of a grad program in New (Social) Media Communications launched a year later. Very few people at the time agreed with Rheingold and other internet pioneers who believed as I did that we were embarking on the biggest societal change in communications since the days of Gutenberg and his printing press.

I spoke on the topic of how the Internet could defeat politicians, or help them win,  at an annual conference of the Canadian Association of Journalists in 1996,  and argued, that in due course, it would be a major contributing factor. Interestingly, the old guard in the room vehemently disagreed with me, while campus journalists supported my position.The old guard, and me, had never heard of Barack Obama in 1995.

in my office at COTR circa 1995

Fast forward to now! You don't hear much about virtual communities now, as all the talk is about social media. The power shift has occurred despite the naysayers then and now, because of our need to connect, one with the other, and we have choices like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Skype, and yes, even email.

Recently, I have been thinking about Chapleau folks and how they are connecting with each other no matter where they may live today as I watch a group of Facebook friends communicate with each other each morning. They share the weather report from where they live, so typically Canadian, and other news. I won't identify them as I did not request permission to use their names but I really enjoy their daily meeting.

I have used three photos with this column to provide examples of three Chapleau pages on Facebook which are in my view at least very successful. 

One is the Chapleau History and Genealogy group launched by Louise (Tremblay) Etter which now has over 1,500 members. Its members provide awesome photos and comments related to the history of Chapleau and its people.

I enjoy "Chapleau Kebsquasheshing" the golf club page because weekly it provides information on club activities, most particularly "Adult Night" winners. Despite my almost 30 years away from Chapleau, I still can identify most of the golfers.

And I selected the Trinity United Church page as a great example of how to keep members informed on church activities.

There are many other Chapleau pages, which I am delighted to see, and should any wish to contact me about them please feel free to do so.

Despite having taught social media, I joined Facebook  some years ago now  at the suggestion of former students, and I extend great thanks to them. I have been able to reconnect with so many people with whom I had lost touch for many years, and catch up on their lives. Facebook is also an example of the success of new media with its convergence of all media to digital forms.

At any given time on Facebook, "friends" are using text, still photos, videos and all kind of cool things to communicate with one another and a broader audience if they wish. One-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many!!! While I have focused on Facebook, others like Twitter and Instagram are also in the mix.

While teaching new media at COTR I made many fearless predictions about where we were headed. At times I really didn't have a clue but knew something big was happening. I am still learning.

In the COTR library where students had access to computers, they were banned by the powers-that-be from accessing chat rooms, which in those days was the main reason the students wanted to use the computers. To me it was a sure sign that big changes could not be far off. The kids were way ahead in social networking, while the established order wanted to ban them from the practice. Now kids are "tweeting" and "facebooking" and so on.

When I think of it though, my generation liked to pass notes around the classroom to our friends, which of course was forbidden. Now they stay in touch by texting each other on cel phones, and using Facebook, Twitter, etc. Plus ca change. Plus c`est la meme chose.

I would love to hear your comments on social media and its place in your life, and how you enjoy staying connected with others. Critics welcome too!

My email is mj.morris@live.ca, or feel free to contact me on Facebook.

Facebook messages totally overwhelming in happiness and sadness

In November 2009 after my birthday and then the death of my beloved cat Buckwheat, I really was totally overwhelmed by the messages I received from friends on Facebook. Today as I mark my 69th birthday a year later, I am at a loss for words -- imagine me at a loss for words -- to express my most sincere thanks for all the best wishes I have received. So, I decided to send out last year's message with this new introduction. Thanks to all of you for being the wonderful people you are. God bless.

FACEBOOK MESSAGES TOTALLY OVERWHELMING IN HAPPINESS AND SADNESS POSTED ORIGINALLY  IN NOVEMBER 2009

Twice in November I have  been totally overwhelmed by messages received from friends on Facebook, the popular social networking site. Since about 1994 when I was researching the first course I taught called Writing for New Media at College of the Rockies, I have been making fearless predictions that the internet was bringing about the biggest societal changes in communication since the days of Gutenberg and his printing press.

I have seen so many examples of those changes in the past 15 years but none affected me as personally as the messages I received on Facebook, where most of my friends are former students from Chapleau High School, with a few old friends joining over the past year.

First, it was my birthday on November 3, and Facebook notifies your friends of the date a few days prior to it. I received a few birthday greetings in the days before and thought that was very nice of people, never expecting the number I would receive on my actual birthday and for the following few days. I never counted the total but it was overwhelming, particularly  when they came mainly from people I have not seen in more than 20 years. Obviously I was deeply touched that so many would take the time from their busy lives to wish me happy birthday.

On November 7, because so many were aware of my beloved cat Buckwheat and his place in my life, sadly I had to post on Facebook that he had died at the age of 20 years and two months exactly. This time the messages came like a flood as friends shared my sadness and told me stories about their pets. Trust me on this one -- those messages helped me through a very difficult time and I shall never forget all of you who wrote me.

I also received email messages from friends on both occasions which I deeply appreciated, and  my friend Danny chatted with me on instant messenger from his home in Miami, Florida and gave me the link to http://www.petloss.com/ where I learned all about the Rainbow Bridge.

And my best friend Mike and I talked on the telephone and IM on both occasions and I am particularly thankful to him for talking with me daily on the day Buckwheat died and in the days following. Thanks Mike.

Fifteen years ago Howard Rheingold, a pioneer in virtual communities, now more popularly called social networking sites, speaking at a conference in Vancouver I attended, said that a tremendous powershift was underway -- and it was about people and their ability to connect with each other in new ways. He was right. Those new ways are here now... Here is link to my post on Rheingold: http://michaeljmorrisreports.blogspot.com/2009/02/on-staying-connected.html

Finally as November ends, thank you for making my story about Buckwheat and my Remembrance Day tribute to my father James E. Morris the most popular on my blog.

Thanks to all of you for being the wonderful people you are. God bless.

ON STAYING CONNECTED!

Me pontificating at COTR

UPDATED MARCH 2013
Almost 20 years  ago now Howard Rheingold, one of the pioneers of virtual communities, said that " a tremendous power shift is underway ... this power shift is about people and our ability to connect with each other in new ways... " Speaking at the first Writers' Retreat on Interactive Technology and Equipment conference sponsored by the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and Emily Carr College of Art and Design, Rheingold noted in 1994 that he was struck by the "citizen-to citizen movement now known as virtual community" popping up everywhere he travelled.

I was at the conference preparing to teach my first Writing for New Media course at College of the Rockies where I was also working on a grad program in New Media Communications launched a year later. Very few people at the time agreed with Rheingold and other internet pioneers who believed as I did that we were embarking on the biggest societal change in communications since the days of Gutenberg and his printing press.

I spoke on the topic of how the Internet could defeat politicians, or help them win,  at an annual conference of the Canadian Association of Journalists in 1995,  and argued, that in due course, it would be a major contributing factor. Interestingly, the old guard in the room vehemently disagreed with me, while campus journalists supported my position.

The old guard, and me, had never heard of Barack Obama in 1995.

Fast forward to now! You don't hear much about virtual communities now, as all the talk is about social networking sites, one of the fastest growing and popular uses of the internet. The power shift has occurred despite the naysayers then and now, because of our need to connect, one with the other, especially because we now live in the world of many-to-many medium as Rheingold also predicted.

Take the popularity of Facebook for example. I joined  at the suggestion of some of my former students, and I extend great thanks to them. I have been able to reconnect with so many people with whom I had lost touch for many years, and catch up on thouple of examples.

By 1998 at least five of my students were involved in online romances, and if meir lives. Facebook is also an example of the success of new media with its convergence of all media to digital forms.

At any given time on Facebook, "friends" are using text, still photos, videos and all kind of cool things to communicate with one another and a broader audience if they wish. One-to-one and many-to-many!!!

However, the communications potential of Facebook and Twitter is not being maximized as far too often it is simply a one-way street. For example, journalists use Twitter primarily in my view to retweet among themselves as part of some mutual admiration society.

While teaching new media at COTR I made many fearless predictions about where we were headed. At times I really didn't have a clue but knew something big was happening. Let me share a cemory serves me right, three had gone off to meet their new loved one. They met in chat rooms.

In my office at COTR

One day in the lab, one student who was deeply involved in chat rooms was pounding away on her computer, when suddenly in a burst of anger rushed from the room, went outside and lit a cigarette. I went out to see what had happened. It turns out that the virtual friend turned out to be a he instead of a she, or vice versa, I just forget, but the emotions were every bit as real as in any budding romance.

Finally, in the COTR library where students had access to computers, they were banned by the powers-that-be from accessing chat rooms, which in those days was the main reason the students wanted to use the computers. To me it was a sure sign that big changes could not be far off. The kids were way ahead in social networking, while the established order wanted to ban them from the practice. Now kids are "tweeting" and "facebooking" -- at least for the moment.

Me in 2011 in Orlando, FL

When I think of it though, my generation liked to pass notes around the classroom to our friends, which of course was forbidden. Now they stay in touch by texting each other on cel phones, and using Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc. Plus ca change. Plus c`est la meme chose.

I would love to hear your comments on social networking and its place in your life, and how you enjoy staying connected with others.