Social Sheepishness

Today, I logged onto my Twitter account and read this:

"While I was sleeping a few days ago a shepherd in Uzbekistan logged onto the internet, created a Facebook account and then took a photo of his favourite sheep to become the 1 billionth person on the planet to join Facebook."

I was boggled. To think that technology has reached so far into third-world countries that such a thing is even possible; and to realize that the front edge of the technological envelope has moved way past me now. What might the Next Big Thing be?

Many rage against the social web and the predominant role it plays in our lives. It is an invasive new digital dimension overlaid on our "analog" lives. Although there are some guidelines of etiquette, or best practices we wish people would follow, they are not observed by everyone. Sometimes even Yours Truly slips up and gets over-reactive. This is what happens when we are physically separated from those with whom we are interacting.

(I have observed this as the manager of a helpdesk, where my career has been for the past several years. An irate caller feels free to be nasty and impolite to the hapless analyst who answers the phone because they are not interacting face-to-face. If the same conversation were happening with both parties in close physical proximity, it would be quite different.)

Irrespective of our drive to share photos of our favorite sheep, there are some unpleasant things about interacting with other humans over a digital medium.

In our country (as in many in the Western world), we give lip service to the idea of freedom of speech. Or I may do so only until an opinion diametrically opposed to my own comes streaming down my Timeline. Because I can't avoid the assault of these different ideas (short of de-friending or blocking someone), I'm uncomfortable. This discomfort becomes amplified when people aren't considerate about how they share their opinions. And it all becomes much noisier during an election year.

Quite apart from politics, religion, or other issues that normally divide people, there is another concern with the issue of privacy. If I'm putting information about myself, my activities, my opinions, my family, and my sheep out in a very public place, how can I be sure that, someone with an uncontrollable desire for lamb chops isn't salivating at that picture of my favorite sheep? Don't they have better things to do with their time? Don't I have better things to do with mine?

On the plus side of the ledger, our Uzbeki shepherd may be reconnected with his old friend who is also a shepherd. Because they are out in the fields so much, they don't have time to socialize much with anyone but sheep. They create a Facebook group, called "Men who raise sheep", where they can share anecdotes about their favorite sheep, and best practices for taking care of the health of their wooly charges. If this is an open group, shepherds from all over the world may find it, and contribute further knowledge. Since Uzbekistan is a very unique part of the world, they might find out other things about that country.

(For instance, in the process of writing this blog, I have found out that Uzbekistan is one of only two double-landlocked countries in the entire world, the other being Liechtenstein.)

What a wonderful thing! My life has been enriched today simply by becoming aware of this simple shepherd who has embraced technology. What have you learned? Keep your eyes open, and your mind open to the wonderful uniqueness of those around you!