Received, Daily Mail-style wisdom has it that social networking is destroying our social skills – turn
ing us into grunting savages hunched over our keyboards exchanging tweets with people hundreds of miles away, but unable/unwilling to communicate with our neighbours.
How wrong an assumption that is was demonstrated during yesterday’s Suffolk Twestival. Brilliantly organised by the tireless Emma Jell and team of volunteers, not only was there a great turnout at a series of (real) events across the county but there was an amazing mix of folks at the final evening party. Held at the very excellent Brewery Tap in Ipswich, over one hundred people came along – clearly the only thing they had in common initially was an interest in Twitter in particular and social media in general. But this sparked a whole range of conversations and the physical networking (plus good beer and hog roast) reinforced the friendships that had begun on social media and now became ‘real’.
A demonstration, if anyone needed it, that a healthy mix of social and physical networking is perfect for both enjoying an evening out and making strong friendships. Only thing to work on is a way of making the hangover virtual………
Related articles
- Harnessing the Power of Twitter – Twestival 2011 (socialmediatoday.com)
