The Virtual Currency of Social Media: Gratitude

Thanks

Social Graph
Our attention is increasingly split between the growing flood of content, and an increasingly connected social graph. While I’ve long believed in the quality of relationships over quantity, new technology may help us grow and maintain ties to a larger number of friendly acquaintances. Small talk is the new big for opening doors to wider audiences on the social web.  Tit for Tat may be the most successful game theory strategy available in a social world where memory is long, and your reputation is at stake.

The Virtual Currency is Gratitude

It’s time to dust off or download our own copy of “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. There’s growing strength in the virtual currency of sharing a friends message. We can be generous and share delightful content with a single click of the mouse.
Look at the advantages of gratitude versus traditional currency

  • It’s not taxed
  • It’s hard to measure (a barrier to folks trivializing it/lowering it’s value)
  • It’s not taxed!
  • Generously giving it away to deserving folks will increase ones influence (second law of thermodynamics out the window)
  • Inflation doesn’t decrease it’s value (attention versus monetization)

 


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  • eli

    I don’t necessarily accept that inflation doesn’t decrease the value of web gratitude. Could you explain this in great detail please (10 pages or more)

  • eli

    I don’t necessarily accept that inflation doesn’t decrease the value of web gratitude. Could you explain this in great detail please (10 pages or more)

  • http://profile.typepad.com/1235334622s9083 Mark Essel

    the concept is that while the buying power of any cash holdings is decreased with inflation, the reciprocal nature of gratitude remains unchanged. Take for example a generous repost by a friend of one of my web pages. I am more likely to return the favor and then some. Assuming the website product raised it’s price (inflation) the equivelant buying power of the favor is unaffected by inflation.

  • http://profile.typepad.com/1235334622s9083 Mark Essel

    the concept is that while the buying power of any cash holdings is decreased with inflation, the reciprocal nature of gratitude remains unchanged. Take for example a generous repost by a friend of one of my web pages. I am more likely to return the favor and then some. Assuming the website product raised it’s price (inflation) the equivelant buying power of the favor is unaffected by inflation.

  • Guest

    Humans are social creatures. The longing for connection, coupled with the tendency for more technology related superficial connections, makes it easy for people to share quickly without risk of needing to spend their valuable currency of “time.” It’s easier to leave a Voice Mail message or a Facebook entry than it is to pick up the phone and build deeply intimate relationships. That being said, truly caring, connecting and appreciating one another, at whatever level, is a currency directly related to improved emotional, relational and business health. It is human nature to want to give back to those who show up and contribute to our life.

  • Lin@linmorel.com

    Humans are social creatures. The longing for connection, coupled with the tendency for more technology related superficial connections, makes it easy for people to share quickly without risk of needing to spend their valuable currency of “time.” It’s easier to leave a Voice Mail message or a Facebook entry than it is to pick up the phone and build deeply intimate relationships. That being said, truly caring, connecting and appreciating one another, at whatever level, is a currency directly related to improved emotional, relational and business health. It is human nature to want to give back to those who show up and contribute to our life.

  • http://profile.typepad.com/1235334622s9083 Mark Essel

    Fantastic perspective, how far can micromessage relationships go? That’s what designers need to understand (and what I’d like to know)
    My soapbox
    Http://Messel.typepad.com/

  • http://profile.typepad.com/1235334622s9083 Mark Essel

    Fantastic perspective, how far can micromessage relationships go? That’s what designers need to understand (and what I’d like to know)
    My soapbox
    Http://Messel.typepad.com/

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