I came to New Haven, Connecticut today to visit my good friend Scott Katin, who I’ve known since like 3 year old nursery school, traveled across country with in 2003, and have been in touch regularly via AOL IM while I’m overseas. We hiked up West Rock Mountain, which is right next to his new house here, and chit chatted. Common topic I have is internet , technology, and social media, and how my VIRTUAL friends influence my mood.
I remember my dad telling me when I was young, you are who you hang out with. If you are friends with people who are breaking rules and lazy, it will influence you to be like them. And even if you don’t “Act” like them, t will also make others think you are doing similar things they are doing. Sure, you/we/I can say it doesn’t matter what others think of you/us/I, but actually, in business and life it kinda does.
But while it seemed to be pushed on me negatively when I was little, that if I hang out with bad kids, I will be a bad kid, and forbid / discouraged by my parents to befriend bad kids in school – it also works the other way! If you work actively to surround yourself with POSITIVE people, and positive minds, then it will “rub off” on you as well. It will exponentially increase your chances of growing up positive. These people around you will support you, and prop you up when you get down. And you will do the same for them when times get down.
Putting this in today’s modern world – with the internet and social media, facebook, twitter, linkedin – if notice probably on our “streams” (daily updates from friends / followings) we see messages / thoughts / actions these people are doing. THIS IS INFLUENCING OUR MOODS AND OUR MINDS.
I think twitter is awesome, why? Because I can get information quickly, short messages, and normally my twitter lists (I break the followings into groups) have positive, happy messages. Sure, this is corny to some, and to me it sounds a bit silly, but it is positive energy throughout my day. I check my mobile phone, see status updates of positive thoughts, motivational quotes, and new perspectives, and its like my daily coffee – it keeps me going throughout my crazy day and insane lifestyle.
But there are those negative messages. I have to say, its more on facebook then on my twitter. Maybe I just have some more “special” facebook friends, getting messages about politics, negative news, and “I’m having a bad day”……this kinda knocks me down a bit. But on the other hand, normally I can crack a joke back to some of these negative messages, hopefully changing their perspective and those readers of it.
The other side of it though is, why should I follow someone who has such negative vibes? The rule in life is normally you cannot change people (we naturally want to help CHANGE someone) but they have to be the ones who want to change themselves.
I just think social media and the internet is so amazing...and now with my friends, followings, and linkedin connections, these people are with me all day, everywhere, supporting me and motiviating me, and I am doing the same back.
I truly believe this is helping society and growing / expanding people’s minds and horizons. I am never alone anymore, I have my “Virtual friends”, and will keep on traveling.
Comments
twitter is great tool
makes world closer
shorter to the point
Hahaha!
Agree.
Nicely put.
Yup, like these blog comments, thanks for reading dad
I totally agree what your dad says about”you are who you hang out with. If you are friends with people who are breaking rules and lazy, it will influence you to be like them. And even if you don’t “Act” like them, t will also make others think you are doing similar things they are doing.”
My dad says that to me also,but we still have many different kind of friends………..
I think this type of saying is similar in almost all cultures, ha hhaa but what other kinds of friends does your dad mean? Maybe boyfriend or simple friend
Also I wrote about this chinese theory of different types of friends, have you read it?
https://mikesblog.com/2010/05/in-china-5-kinds-of-friends.html
when my dad says that is mean all peoples that we met and hangout in daily life, there are few different kind of friends in our life,someone you trust, someone you understand,someone you are fun with, someone who is very closer to you and share everything with you,help you,support you and listen to you, and someone might just say”Hi” to you…………….etc
So then the blog I showed you just now is right, like that?
you are who you hang out with. really good! I think your dad gave really good advice. I’d like to add something my parents taught me, in the best of times, everyone wants to be your friend. It is in the worst of times when you find out who your true friends are. I believe this one is also true.
now on the second topic you touch on – twitter facebook and the blog. It seems like you have a hard time understanding why some people aren’t on twitter or facebook at all or as much as you are. It is great for you, because you value the ability to communicate with people easily. Some people, like myself value privacy, and are very careful about what about us is online/available on the internet. so that is one of the reasons that I don’t use twitter/facebook as often as you do, and maybe others feel the same way. so i think its more of a personal preference of how much about yourself do you want on the internet.
and the negative vs positive. yes there are negative things out there. but to me those things are real. often your blog has negative vibes. you sometimes talk about your troubles. they negative but they are REAL and that’s what makes your blog interesting and good. the fact that it is REAL. if your blog was all rosy and great and happy, it wouldn’t be real and therefore would not be as interesting. so I never filter the negative. i believe we should try to learn from the negative as much as we learn from the positive.
Thanks Piotr for your thorough reply, that is a good addition…..
A friend in need is a friend indees.
Look forward to seeing ya next weekend.
About privacy…..yes, scott was also telling me that during our hike yesterday….that those with normal dayjobs worry their boss or coworkers will blackmale them or …
Because I dont have a home I dont worry that someone will see online that im on vacation and therefore rob my house
Valid points.
I like the way when Piotr says about” in the best of times, everyone wants to be your friend. It is in the worst of times when you find out who your true friends are. I believe this one is also true.”
This is absolutely correct!! 🙂
Yeah man,
Privacy is big. Everything you put out about yourself, or even things put up about you, is there forever. Impossible to ever delete. I think of what the police say on cops, “anything you say or do, can and WILL be used against you” this is the same situation. not only thieves robbing your house when youre away, but enemies digging up dirt, like your friend andrew said, or stalkers, or identity thieves looking for your spending patterns making you an easy target because you tell them everything that you do! gotta be careful – its a cruel world out there. and you cant go back and just hit erase. you cant take anything back. its more dangerous for kids and teenagers because they dont have good judgement about what is safe to put online and what is not.
cant wait to see ya, be ready to sign a non disclosure agreement when we see each other ;), I’m a bit nervous about how much of my life will be on your blog
HAHA, i was just gonna say….I gotta ask you how much I can disclose on this blog about you!
I’ll ask you for approval first. to be honest, I have had others “moderate” what I say about them on here…..
But for me, saying something publicly makes me stronger….because then I have accepted in my mind that everyone does/can know this about me, so its not gonna hurt me if people talk about it.
So if someone says “ohh, dude I know blah blah blah” about you, I am not going to be surprized or shy, because I know he/she could get it from my blog.
I have already accepted the fact that my future wife, children, boss, investor, business partner, friend, cousin, WHATEVER, can read these blog posts, facebooks, twitters, etc.
To be honest, that makes me feel more confident, because they know me already. And I am not afraid of people knowing
hope I dont change later….
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