Is a Social Revolution possible with new social media platform, ‘Unthink’?

Being an art writer and blogger is tough. There’s so much to keep up with in the world since the popularization of social networking sites such as Friendster, MySpace, Tribe, and Facebook. THEN, you have online news sources like Digg and Reddit on top of reading through RSS feeds. OH, and did you know about online curation sites like Pearltrees and Pinterest (suggested by talented new media artist, Matt Ganucheau)?!?!

Yeah, I know. That’s a lot of online stuff going on, eh?

It can all be a bit daunting but this is all indicative of the time we live in.

It’s difficult to keep up with all the rapid changes in technology but I’m convinced it’s all about working with what you’re able to handle. One of my resources for what’s going on in the world is print and online publication WHOA, which is where I learned about new social media platform, Unthink. The hope is to give Unthink users an online space where they completely own their content and usage is free from advertising (hmmmm, quite ambitious) BUT this does give way towards yet another venue for discussions, forums, and endless possilibities for folks who want something different from current platforms. Whether it will incite an online social revolution, we have yet to see. In any case, if you’re interested in learning more, click on the screenshot of Unthink below.

PS: Just in case you’re wondering, I signed up with Unthink to be a Beta Tester but didn’t receive my invite pin. Sigh. I’ll keep you posted.

Art and Technology, Art Writing and Criticism, Creative Coding | Programming, critical theory, Culture Criticism, Observations, Social Networking

culture criticism, douglas bay, facebook, postaday2011, social media, social networking, unthink, WHOA Magazine

3 responses to “Is a Social Revolution possible with new social media platform, ‘Unthink’?”

Liz Mariani

November 3, 2011 at 6:57 pm

I understand. I am a bit overwhelmed by social media myself. There are days I want to dropkick (yes, violently) anything that leaves me feeling more disconnected than connected.

It is a steady stream of mystery and myth. Having my FB page deactivated by the Wizards of Oz behind the FB curtain more than once, I’m a bit unhinged from really believing there would really be a free site. It’s a learning experience, to say the least (at the same time tilting towards totally cliché). What peeks my interest, as I have noticed, is the prevalence of the conversation around where our conversation should be.

I agree, something needs to change and I like the opportunity to dabble and use more platforms. A human only has so much time. Ultimately, I have to be sold that what I’m being sold is actually worth the time. On top of that, arranging to interconnect in human form is still essential.

Perhaps, my Latin roots impose upon my experience connecting via smartphone, laptop, etc. Perhaps, I am more old school. I want direct eye contact. I want to know your story.

Maybe I can get the story, first, this way.

Trusting the many rivers that take us many places, I look at this blog post as another minor revelation. We sure do love to communicate, don’t we? We must really want to be heard, and as my favorite professor at ECC South (Orchard Park, NY), John Harrigan, once said (somehow amongst a plethora of Communications/Media Arts classes) ~ People communicate because they want to be Loved. ~ Ain’t that the truth.

Reply
1. dorothysantos
  
  November 4, 2011 at 1:18 am
  
  I love your observation and question regarding where the conversation should be.
  
  Looking at the past 10 years and seeing the emergence of social networking sites and even how language is used to persuade people of what a site is or is not (i.e., Unthink, Pinterest, Pearltrees, etc.). For instance, Pearltrees and Pinterest are both information curation sites. I NEVER heard ‘bookmarking’ online as ‘curation’ until I joined Pearltrees. Or, Pinterest, and how it takes ‘virtual’ pin boards so people can curate the things they love (very similar to Pearltrees. As my comparative religion college professor said, “Religion is like bottled water. It’s all the same thing just packaged differently”. This is very similar to technology and myriad of ways we connect and engage online. I, too, love face time though. THIS is why I LOVE galleries and museums, obviously.
  
  My fascination with new media, communication, and technology is due to my desire to investigate the translation that occurs between virtual to physical and physical to virtual and I’m really hoping to delve in some of these questions in grad school. Again, technology is supposed to make things convenient and easy but ONLY if it is accessible to you (that’s a whole other story).
  
  Bottom line: I agree with you regarding people wanting to be loved. People want to be connected and they want to be in the know. It’s daunting and this is the very reason why I try to welcome change (even when it is challenging).
  
  Reply
shirley

November 6, 2011 at 4:06 pm

dorothy … i have signed up on unthink. dish about it later. (i’m waiting for my emancipation suitcase to finish contacting facebook as i write this comment.) i’m curious to see how this experience may be, given that fbook has been convenient, i’m not quite settled in with google+, and so i find your fascination with communications (and connections), etc. keep me in mind as you storm grad school!
(p.s. still waiting for the unthink contact with f/b.)

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Dorothy R. Santos

Is a Social Revolution possible with new social media platform, ‘Unthink’?

3 responses to “Is a Social Revolution possible with new social media platform, ‘Unthink’?”

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