What is the hype about the Social Era?

What kind of a world are we living in? With every day and each passing moment we are tied in and connected to the world what is key in the so called 'Social Era?'

Heard this from +Seth Godin on a recent Podcast on +Michael Stelzner  Social Media Examiner Podcast 

"It's incredibly frustrating for me to see people who have bought into the propaganda of the industrial age. It was fine when it worked for them, it enabled people to hide and be happy at the same time. But now everywhere I look I find people who are frustrated at the same time that I see people who are leaving opportunities untapped. And I wanted to bring those two things together in a manifesto, a rant that would hopefully shine some light on the revolution I think that we are living with right this minute."

He also went on to say this:

"The Industrial revolution of 1910, 1880 is something we got taught in the social studies class. I don't think people really understand the impact of it. You know before 1880 there were no such thing as jobs. The unemployment rate was 0. People probably worked on land or they worked for their father or they worked in the family business unless they were the king. Right now we have a new revolution, one that is replacing the Industrial Revolution and that is the Social Revolution"

Coming to think of it, it is quite true... However, Social Era existed much much before the invention of your so called 'information superhighway' or even the Internet per se... But it made me also wonder:

Why the hype? Why is Social so big, so important in the current day and age?

I guess the answer to that is pretty simple.

• We've found means of connecting to a world we didn't know existed back then.
• The world has evolved in terms of its societal requirements and needs and we can't do away with any of them.
• The means of connecting has made us dependant on technology, more than the need to value people.
• The ease of access gives a new meaning to create a bigger 'Social Reach'
• It has an intellectual liberation to the cause and the concept and the reach gives more freedom, one that was unknown back then. 

While there are far more reasons as to why 'The Social Era' continues to thrive and will continue doing so, we sometimes tend to always forget the bigger question... It's always a good thing that people realize the answers to these two questions.

1. Does 'media' matter more or 'social'? 
2. Is it the tools or the people that make a difference? 

Think about it... 

Srinivas has been a communications professional for over 10 years, and has been blogging since 2005. He has worked with the likes of Social Wavelength, now Mirum India, (A JWT Group Company) for four years and now Heads Learning and Development & Analytics at Social Kinnect: A Digital Marketing Agency in Mumbai. His passion for Advertising, Creativity, Social & Digital Marketing helps make a difference for the brands they work with.