We're constantly being asked to 'join the conversation'. I kind of think it's one of the bigges, fattest digital lies we've all collectively bought in to. Because if we're honest with ourselves it's not a conversation really is it? In few instances it is, at the most though it's just series of statements of opinions. One after another after another. And that's not a conversation, it's a series of statements of opinions. Having looked after innocen't blog, twitter and facebook presence for over four years I saw very little genuine 'conversation'. There was some, stuff like this was ace when it happened. But it was rare. That's not to say that what we got up to wasn't valuable.
That's not to say that conversations don't happen digitally
The last few nights I've taken the bus from Bethan Green tube station to Broadway Market. And the last few nights I've noticed that a good proportion of the passengers are using iPhones, but more interestingly they're all using them for messaging. They're having conversations with their friends, but one at a time in a back and forth tennis match style. Not on mass. See I'm not sure that 'on mass' works for conversations, it works for a series on statements of opinions, just not so well for those conversations we're all ment to be joining.
So I can't help but wondering why the stuff we make and use doesn't reflect this really basic behaviour. Here's an example of how it could. I'm reading an article on Atlantics's App, I think it's really interesting and want to have a conversation about it, but don't just want to post a statement of my opinion. I actually want to talk about it, do some of that polo stuff. I want to talk to Asi about it as he's hot on start up mentality. So why can't I? Why can't I send him a message there and then from in the app that shares the link with him and starts up that conversation. To me that would be really useful. No one else would be able to see it, but that doesn't matter really, people would be talking about stuff, properly talking and not just stating opinions.
So a new button please, for conversations.
(This should be a mocked up conversation between me and Asi, it isn't though).
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