Stand Up And Make Some Noise For Your Miami Tweeeeeeeeeeet

Scanning the twitter-verse, I came across this video posted by LeBron James.

(Click on the Title of the blog and the video will be pictured. You can do it now or after you read the blog, it's your call, I'm not going anywhere)

It's LeBron going to an open house for his son's school.

Bronny is getting ready to start Kindergarten, and LeBron checks the place out.
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There are several elements that I find fascinating about this 2:57 video.

First of all, think about how much the boundary has been stripped between athlete and fan.

In the past, we never really KNEW our sports heroes.

We didn't want to.

Information was carefully selected by sports-writers, who used to be drinking buddies with the athletes.

But somewhere along the way, the sports journalist went from trying to glorify these stars, to trying to destroy them.

Perhaps it was jealousy as the zeroes grew after the athletes' checks.

Perhaps it was just the evolving nature of "gottcha" journalism.

The end result was superstars like Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter who talk, but never actually say anything.
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In a sense, twitter has cut out the middle man.

In the past, if you were going to get a story about LeBron James as father, you'd have to rely on a writer capturing that.

The problem is, that opens the writer up to interpret the athlete's life and inject their own views.

That's what happened with the GQ cover-story about LeBron.

The article featured brief interactions with LeBron's kids, but they were told from the writer's point of view.
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That's what made this posting so interesting to me.

It was a Blair-Witch style video, and there was no filter.

It was just LeBron-as-Dad.

Of course, you could say, perhaps he's mugging for the camera a bit, manipulating his image.

Maybe.

But to me, it sure just seemed like a proud dad checking out his son's school.
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The final aspect that I liked about the clip, is that it's literally shot from LeBron's point-of-view.

So not only does the viewer get to see the world through his eyes, we also get to see HOW people react to him.

You can see parents and kids turning around with that "WHOA that's LeBron James" look on their faces.

It's a look that's real and a bit raw.
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The good news for Heat fans is that the Big three: LeBron, Wade, and Bosh are all savvy with social media.

Throughout their time here, we'll be privy to parts of their lives that they wouldn't be able to share otherwise.

As much as I'll enjoy following the basketball team, I'll also enjoy following the Miami Tweet.

My Love-Hate Relationship With...

I'm constantly interested in my relationship with facebook (pictured, you try to come up with a visual pun for facebook).

One might argue that I'm slightly obsessed.

My girlfriend likes to call it the "third person in our relationship" (even though without facebook there likely wouldn't be a relationship).

But my relationship with the social networking site has changed, as has the site itself.
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I first heard of social networking in the same way I've heard about anything else that's cool in my life, from my brother.

Years ago, he encouraged me to join friendster. I didn't. I just didn't see the point in tracking down people who I had barely wanted to talk to in high school.

Then, myspace came along. I literally only created a profile because I had a friend who was OBSESSED with it. So I joined the bandwagon. There were only two things I liked about myspace. I liked updating my profile song. And I really enjoyed when the fake ladies would ask to be my friends. I appreciated the female attention. However, seeing as myspace was only for teenagers and pedofiles, and I was neither, I decided to evolve to facebook.
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I was somewhat of an early adapter to facebook. I know that because I can name about 10 friends who I told they HAD to get on this thing.

The appeal was instant.

I loved the concept of status updates. At the time, I was making a few bucks writing one-liners. What a great place to workshop. Plus, as an incessant texter, I could save myself having to mass text 10 friends, by just posting a status update.

And honestly, I've always kind of THOUGHT in status updates. About 10 times a day, I'll think of something that I think is either clever or interesting. Rather than telling it to my basketball-shaped black and red Miami Heat pillow, I can now tell it 400 of my closest friends.

Plus, I could use the chat function to chat with my siblings. It was perfect.
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And then it BLEW UP.

And that changed facebook.

Now, it's a vehicle for self-promotion. And EVERYONE is using it.

From politicians, to every news station, to political groups, it's not just a place to putz around anymore.

Bosses are becoming your friends.

And know this, once you're friends with your boss, that changes what you say.

The site is no longer a repository for random thoughts.

One must censor one's actions.

Which is fine I guess.

It's just another public medium.

It's not like I was posting bikini pictures before (though much to my chagrin, someone did tag a shirtless photo of me at Calle Ocho--- skinny jews do not look good shirtless at Calle Ocho--- hence I de-tagged it ASAP).
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I think about the social implications of facebook OFTEN.

Here I am.

28 (soon to be 29) and I'm sitting at home, reading an update from a girl who I haven't seen since 12th grade?

Or I'm scanning through 45 photos of a wedding I wasn't invited to.

Why the hell do I care?

I don't know or like this person, but I can't stop looking at their profile.

How bizarre is that?

The answer, it's not.

EVERYONE is doing it.

Which makes it even stranger to me.

Simultaneous stalking has become the norm.
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The other downside of facebook is this.

People don't usually post a bunch of pictures from the nights when they're feeling fat, rent a movie, engage in self-loathing, and then go to sleep.

They're usually the more joyful, fun times.

When you're looking at facebook, not always the times you're out and about.

And so, the people in the picture are USUALLY having more fun than you.

Friends or not, that can't be healthy for your self-image.
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On top of that, facebook creates a myriad of abnormal situations.

The "relationship status" question comes up in ANY and ALL relationships.

How soon is too soon?

There's not a person on there who hasn't (or doesn't) check up on ex-girlfriends or boy-friends.

It's only natural.

There's a certain level of curiosity and being as EVERY human on planet earth is on there, it's only normal to look.

Then there's the question of de-friending and re-friending.

People have public meltdowns on there, which is always entertaining. (the next time you want to write a 'woe-is-me' status, pick up the phone and call one of your 235 friends).

Then you get friend requests from strangers.

And high school teachers.

It's just ****ING strange.
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But I know it's the new reality.

We as a society have said, collectively, when pretending to work, I want to putz around on this site.

And so we've all agreed to waste time... together!

That's a strange place to be at.

In our boredom and isolation, we've formed a new community.

Closer than ever, and yet more detached, such a strange paradox.
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Twitter came along RIGHT as facebook got too big.

There are definitely elements I like about twitter (follow me by the way @dukielang).

I think twitter is a place of information.

I read articles there.

I learn facts.

I can follow people I respect.

I've always had a problem with the language of "follower." I must prefer "friend." Because I want to see what you put on your page, that doesn't make me a follower. If anything it makes me a fan.
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But twitter just ain't facebook.

Yeah, it's not the same as it was when I first joined.

But the concept is beautiful.

Who knew that two dorks at Harvard who were just trying to get laid, would change all of our lives so dramatically?

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go post a link to this blog entry on my facebook page.