Social Media As An Amplifier

I'm not an early adopter. I certainly wouldn't call myself a tech geek. In fact, I'm usually the last one on the block to buy the new gadget. Email, mobile phones, and Facebook were basically forced on me. I'm chronically behind the times.

So when I read the words of many of those I admire at the forefront of the social media movement, I often struggle to keep pace. The terms and technologies far surpass my level of expertise. Yet here I am reading their blogs and tweets.

You may wonder how I got here.

The Internet is a platform. But like any stage, it is often difficult to differentiate the millions of users who inhabit the same space. Good social media, on the other hand, is like an amplifier. It takes lonely end users like me, and magnifies, nay multiplies the signal. Like any good amplifier, it reproduces the initial sound with greater strength but similar fidelity. In other words, if you put garbage in, you get garbage out. And not only will people not listen to you, they'll get annoyed.

On the other hand, if what you produce speaks to a specific audience, the volume rises. When momentum builds an idea reaches critical mass, and boom-your in the stratosphere.

I started to blog years ago when the profundity of everyday life became overwhelming. My experiences as a physician, as a person, burned deep holes in my soul and cried for expression.

In my writing, I found a place to express the truest version of myself. Unprotected by the false prophesy of appearances, I allowed my words to speak for themselves.

But years into the journey, I found my signal degraded quickly over the vast ether. My words bounced off the wall and echoed back into my own ears. The move to Facebook and Twitter has carried me farther. I've found groups of people to admire and share with. We form a symbiotic existence, the fabric of the social media universe.

So if you happen upon these words as you spin the internet dial: sit back, tune in, take a load off for awhile. I hope you find something here of value.

If not, keep looking.

And thanks for stopping by.