Social networking is the buzzword for long time now. but How much of social networking is enough? I had heard opinions that range from — social networking is the THING to connect, share, learn, remain abreast — to — social networking is meant for people having ample amount of time  (aka not meant for people who mean business). I am getting active on few social networks – like facebook, twitter, linked in.

I am starting to think about social networking (on computer/internet) world on lines with socializing in society. It is like how much of socializing is ENOUGH? The right question are then

1. How much socializing is enough?
2. How much of gossiping is enough?
3. How much conversations around your hobby is enough?
4. How much conversations with team member on project (vs getting my assigned work done) is enough?
5. How much conversation with people – outside my project – is enough?
6. How much conversation with new (not known in past) is enough?
7. How much of adda  with friends is enough?

You probably get where I am coming from. I can be anywhere on a spectrum from one end – where I am a loner in my world — to other end — I just hang out with people be it from team, outside team, friends or acquaintances or yet another being. Each one of us is unique and his own socializing limits in various settings (work, friends etc.)  and for that matter, I have seen my limits changing over time.

Before deciding how much to socialize, I ask myself – Why do I like being with people?

1. Simply – because he / she is my genuine friend. We connect well and unconditionally outside our social makeup and titles. You know that feeling when you converse without any boundaries or compulsion in your head.
2. He is another human with a mind and his ideas. Some of his Ideas trigger something in me. Some of his findings / experiences gives me free wisdom.
3. As human – we support each other out of self interest or otherwise – especially we know each other.
4. It helps to approach – to get something done – if you know the person a prior.
5. He is my role model or if not, way ahead on the road I am starting my journey.
6. To know the current trends.
7. Just for fun
8. To share my Ideas

From this angle, social networking brings immense benefits

1. I get to have coffee with “anybody”. You decide which channel you want to tune to – and you start hearing his/her commentary. Earlier – it needed a privilege to get to converse with celebrities. Not any more.
2. You have the feed available anytime, anywhere and you can read it, rewind it, reread it, reference it later.
3. Physical barrier is broken. You get to remain connected – no matter where the person is.
4. You get to share your Ideas — to audience you like. Earlier – it was a privilege to speak to an audience.
5. In short, internet based social networking – democratizes social interactions – like internet had democratized access to information and knowledge. It is one of the best thing that could happen to mankind.

Like every invention – it also has its flip side.

1. If I take social interaction – to gossiping and that too – make it mainstream — of my day – it does not help. Similarly, social networking can become main reason to be unproductive – it now even empowers me – to gossip with a “larger audience”.
2. Social networking like internet invention – bring information overload. So many people, organizations – with their individual intent – are trying to capture your “attention” and flooding you with their “Ideas”. On top of that, they have “higher access” to you. Earlier – it required you to be in front of TV or newspaper or in a conference. Now, it can be anywhere anytime – as long as you are on a social networking site or app!

I like to talk about social networking in one another way. As per mythology, whatever anybody has ever said – it is out there in the universe as “pudgal”. If one reaches a level of spiritual practice, he can tune to the pudgal (knowledge) and know it all as clear & vivid as it happened then. With the social networking and cloud services – it is like all – everyone is sharing – is out their in the cloud and one can tune to that knowledge. really powerful!

Now the flipside. In spiritual practice – that knowledge is not accessible unless you have reached to a level of equanimity & ability to “just know” but not connect with everything whereas in social networking gives you power without any premise. It is up to me – to set my filters and limits.

At the end of the day, what you do with “what you know” is important. While social networking empowers me – to tune to any channel to know/experience more – what “I do” with that knowledge – is still important. And to do – I need to set – How much social networking is enough?

It will be nice to know your personal experiences about this.