You can find all kinds of people on social media. The diversity is amazing. I have engaged with people of many cultures around the world. I have come across butterflies, honey bees, and unfortunately many stink bugs. You can find all three on almost every social network, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.
When I started using social media, I was pleasantly surprised to find people in other countries who had the same goals as many here in my country. They want to meet interesting people, learn about other cultures, and improve their luck promoting their businesses. I am no longer surprised by this, but it still fascinates me how others in places with cultures so different from mine can be so similar to me.
Butterflies
Butterflies are everywhere. Social butterflies are friendly to everyone. Sprinkle some pollen and taste the sweet nectar of everything that’s pretty on social media. They flit and flutter here and there with no apparent purpose other than to see and be seen. I like butterflies. They spread a little pollen, a lot of joy and they are pleasing to the eye. You don’t have to look for them, they find you. I don’t go out of my way to meet them, nor do I put too much effort into cultivating relationships with them. With social butterflies, I can get all the small returns they offer, without a lot of investment.
Bedbugs
Stink bugs are curious creatures. They do not sting. They don’t really suck, but they aren’t very attractive things. A stink bug is a pest. They eat all kinds of crops, and what they don’t eat they ruin. They drill small holes in the fruit so that it burps quickly. They multiply rapidly under the right conditions and can have a devastating effect on production. You’ll find them in the comment areas of blog posts, Facebook timelines, and even the occasional sarcastic tweet. They do not add value to any discussion. They certainly don’t have ideas of their own and try to poke holes in the fruitful exchange of someone else’s idea, often causing it to fade. I have no time or use for stink bugs.
Bees
Honey bees are the workers of social media. They are drawn to the brightest colors on the internet – the best ideas. They feed on them a bit and get idea dust all over their hairy little legs. Then they go to feed on other bright-idea flowers, pollinating them as they go, so that they also bear fruit. When they have a full belly, their legs full of idea dust, and they are almost too tired to fly, they return to their hive to share their generosity with their colony.
When they get home, they land on a ledge in the hive and dance around a bit. Scientists studying honey bees did not understand what they were doing for a long time. Then, in a revolutionary study, they discovered the purpose of this curious dance. When a bee lands after a successful search for nectar and pollen, it starts going round and round in a circle. They then stop and cut the center of the circle in the direction they found their bountiful harvest, so the bees that are ready to take off know which way to fly!
Which one do you think is more useful? Are you a social butterfly, a honey bee, or a stink bug?