Folk–adjective (dictionary.com)
6. of or originating among the common people: folk beliefs; a folk hero.
7. having unknown origins and reflecting the traditional forms of a society: folk culture; folk art.
These days anything online can have the word social affixed to it. The marketing trend to dub everything “social” demeans the word, turning it into a ploy rather than a bonding between people.
Professionalism and the marketing machine behind and invested in “social” media, the only growing segment of the marketing business, has robbed us of what the true communications breakthrough is… That common people can now create and participate in media without professional barriers or training. That’s what is truly meant by social, conversational, or perhaps, yes, even that antiquated word from the 60s, folk media.
Instead, we now have spin and pitches. Is the dream over? Will there be a backlash from all of the contrived socialization? Or is this just the course of the social web?
While we are already seeing regular comments to “put the social back in social media,” it’s likely that the onslaught will never be turned back. Social will never mean social again, just like the word “friend” has forever been altered by our new media. There are way too many dollars behind this engine…
Instead, most companies will broadcast, err, market in their very anti-social “social” way. And the results will be less than stellar for most.
At the same time, folk media lives on. You should see some of the phenomenal groups that provide support for budding amateur photographers on Flickr. All across the web, on large and small social networks, in blogs and wikis, on video and photo sites, the folk media revolution continues.
Organizations will keep trying to be a part of the movement, but the deaf ears they are growing accustomed to will only get more obstinate. See, it’s not about dollars, it’s about people. This will never change: People expressing themselves, and building relationships with other like minded people. When organizations figure that out is when their fortunes will truly change online.
And we can pretty much kiss the word social goodbye. It’s only a question of time before social goes the way of “e” and 2.0.
I am sure there is going to be “Hippies” of a tech culture move in. It is just who is going to blaze these trails and when is the world going to adapt at the same time. Some people are burned out, some are trying to pitch some get rich quick scheme, and others just want to utilize these methods to better communicate with people.
Mr. Bush used the word “folks” with such regularity and to refer to both friends and foes, it is wonder that the word survived.
The press uses catch phrases with such rapidity that it is a wonder that they have anything fresh left to say.
Fortunately, we still have folk music.
This “folk media” phrase is one of the more intriguing ideas that I’ve read of late. It really puts a different spin (not “spin”) on the concept of social media.
I see the point you are trying to make, however, I can see some good that can come out of this. The internet and social networks have obviously created a smaller world, but I think this will make big business become more transparent and willing to please the customer more because if the customer is unhappy, they can use this form of folk media to voice their displeasure.