5 Tips for Survival in an Online World

by Lyndi Lawson

The time has come to face the truth - the Web is actually a parallel universe increasingly free of the bonds of earth altogether. It comprises of a world in which 'languages' refer to java script or html or a host of other letter strings that have no meaning in the traditional sense, but transcend the boundaries of race and culture more successfully than any of mankind’s other efforts.

‘Codes’ are not used by government spies to transmit secret information; they are carefully constructed lists of instructions that tell computers and their software how to behave. In fact, there are no secrets. Anyone with enough know-how can find out just about anything on the Web. It is a world that has its merits. And fortunately so, because it is also the universe of the future, and the super-geeks are its leaders. Kind of makes you wish you’d been nicer to those semi-translucent beings in your high school computer labs.

Anyway, it’s a jungle out there. Not a real one of course. Those have all been destroyed by those jocks at school who became civil engineers and property developers. But a Google image of a jungle is about as close to a jungle as our children’s children are ever going to get, so we might as well figure out the new rules - the ones that will help you survive in this new world.

Bob Dylan once sang “The times they are a changing” and despite the fact that it was the sixties, and that he had probably dropped too much acid the day before, it was a surprisingly profound proclamation. He was of course talking about the war in Vietnam and communism and democracy, while these days it’s Iraq, the Middle East, climate change and terrorism. But the adage remains true - the times they are indeed a changing.

For many people, particularly the older generation, this is a scary prospect. After all, technology favours the youth. My Mum has just learned how to attach a photograph to email, and now there is Flickr and Facebook and Twitter. As I write this, I am certain that even this list is out of date. There will be a host of new applications and technologies out there that my brain – an ageing one in technology’s terms – hasn’t even begun to understand. Which leads me to keeping up - something that is essential in this world. With things changing shape and form at the speed of light, keeping up seems a daunting prospect. It’s not as bad as it seems though – just keep your proverbial ear to the ground. Read a technology blog or three, and keep the fear at bay.

Fear is fatal; ask my Mother. Computers can smell it.

Again, fortune favours the young. While the golden oldies are still trying to come to terms with ‘cool’ as an expression of positive sentiment, the youth have already come up with newer, better, cooler words to intonate pleasure. We live in a world where ‘lank’ has replaced ‘very’ and ‘sick’ is the new ‘awesome’ which replaced ‘kiff’ and so on…

In technological terms, the words are changing just as fast, and understanding the lingo is half the battle. ORM, WebPR, SEO, PPC and blogosphere; are just the tip of the iceberg. While the list might be endless, getting a handle on the basics is a sure fire way to get your foot in the door.

If the online domain is the New World, then social networking is the modern day means of communication. Gone are the days of words written on paper. Even social emails are slowly becoming superfluous. And actual conversations are for losers.

Social networking is how you make a place for yourself, or find your niche. Whether it’s on Facebook, MySpace, using Twitter or YouTube or any of the other sites or tools available on the Web, social networking is increasingly the only way to stay in touch with old friends. It’s the new method companies use to market themselves online, the most effective way for celebrities to reach their fans and the best method of finding a partner, a job, a home or an idea… all of this without having to get off of the couch!

Belonging to social networks isn’t really enough in itself though. You need to get in there and get your hands dirty.

Participation is the very essence of finding your online voice. If you don’t put yourself at the centre of the action in a sports match and you skulk around the perimeter, you’ll quickly be dropped from the team. Being heard in the online domain is much the same. Make yourself heard. Contribute to the discourse around things that matter to you, and you will become ingratiated into the very fabric of the community that you are trying to penetrate.  

Contrary to what I have led you to believe, it is not yet necessary to let go of your tangible life altogether. There is still a real world out there and learning when to switch off your computer, put your phone on silent and enjoy some fresh air. Human interaction (as in face-to-face interaction) is integral to retaining your sanity in the online world. Let go, take a shower; the Web will still be there when you return, albeit a slightly different Web to the one you left behind.

On that note, I bid you adieu. Not a voluntary switch-off, but a switch-off nonetheless. This is South Africa. We’re having a power failure and not only can I no longer see my keyboard, but my laptop battery is about to die. Sigh.

2008/04/16 | permalink | comments (1) | trackbacks (0)

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