Social Systems

(click for larger image)

When we think about social networks—we tend to focus on the connecting nodes.  The links that bind us and what makes a network, a network.  But the less frequently told story is the one where we spend countless hours building and maintaining our own little "social solar systems".  In these "social systems" we have multiple planetary ecosystems revolving around us. 

We are the center of our own micro-universe.

The related concept of a "social graph" is difficult to explain, but social systems is easy.  Many of us are now managing multiple social ecosystems.  If you think of these as planets—some rotate in closer proximity to us.  We "warm" them with our attention frequently.  Others may orbit at further proximities—but they are still in our social systems.  When we abandon a social ecosystem that we can no longer sustain, it drifts away from our orbit and dies.  Many of us have had these experiences.

But when we find ourselves as the supplier of light in our self-created microverse, the implications become clear.  There are only so many ecosystems that we can meaningfully sustain.  And I suppose if you were to zoom out of this specific "social system"—you might encounter others.  The number could be infinite.  And maybe it would look a little like this.

Comments

[Ryan Anderson]

This is really interesting, especially since I've been reflecting on a personal brand reboot over the holidays, and I drew something very similar to this in my moleskine last night. I like the idea of the micro-universe, but the universes have to interact in order to be meaningful... if our perspective becomes too narrow, we lose our sense of where we fit in to the universe as a whole.

[César Calderón]

Sometimes Tweeter is closer than my own blog.

[DA]

Ryan, our galaxies do in fact collide, and overlap (see link). But I wanted to isolate how we in fact often spend time in our own little self-created microverse as well.

Face it, we do. No one else is going to manage our multiple social identities but ourselves. Well, unless we're really rich and successful and hire that stuff out. ;-)

[Tim Jackson]

Very well put. I was just having this conversation a short while ago today. I think I counted about 10 "planets" in my social system. Some are in danger of becoming Pluto though...

By the way- Happy Holidays. Wishing you and your family a wonderful New Year as well.

[Bud Caddell]

David,

I've always thought of Josh Porter's 'opaque value problem' of social networks as definitely an inverse-squared relationship to ourselves.. which sorta fits your solar system analogy.

I think, as builders, we have to get better at defining the 'ME' in the center, to understand how everything else orbits us. Is it our needs, our aspirations, our peers, or something else that drives us to these connections?

[christopher carfi]

really nicely done, DA.

[Tanja]

I've recently used Deborah Schultz' theory on Socialmedia ecosystems (it's similar)and your ripples in a talk about socialmedia. Good stuff!

It's also leads to another discussion. Whole generations do not want any personal information on the web. So they could not ever understand these powerfull personal solarsystems.
On the other hand, we have our whole life out in the open. That's scary if you think about it, but the future can only tell if I'll be happy with an archive of my life or being exposed by (scary) company's like Google...

» http://www.deborahschultz.com/deblog/2007/11/snackbyte-a-vie.html

[matt.lambert]

Someone mentions Myspace to David Armano and look what happens. We get a groovy diagram :-)

[Brett]

The visual definitely helps simplify what's going on. I know for me, I feel like I simply can't keep up with all the new tactics, at least enough to do them well. Keeping in mind the idea that I'm nurturing certain ecosystems, some more than others, and I can only nurture so many of them, helps clarify the process and reminds me to focus on what works, what fits and/or what I'm most comfortable with, and spend some of that "extra" time out on the outter edges.

[matt.lambert]

Well, yes. I like the diagrams too.

I almost made a point about you missing my elaborately worked joke, but then felt you'd probably done that on purpose. And on reflecton, not without good reason.....

Space....planetary networks....sigh. Ok, I think I have it out of my 'system'.

[DT]

Hi David,

This was something that I have been thinking about as well and have just written a post about it! You graphic is a perfect representation of what I wanted to say and you did a much better job that I.

Thanks
dt.

[Lyss]

I like the analogy.

[Adam Kayce]

Genius (again). One for the "Top 10 Abstract Concepts I've Simplified Brilliantly" post, David.

[Martín Parselis]

Strong and simple. It complicates when I connect myself with the rest of the world... but it's a powerful model. It's a spatial thinking about something which is time-driven.

[Jackie Peters]

Great post, love the visuals. Have you seen Loic Le Meur's posting on the topic? http://www.loiclemeur.com/english/2008/04/if-the-news-is.html

It's true, the digital universe is expanding exponentially, paralleling our physical universe.

[ben wilkoff]

I really enjoy your thoughts on ecosystems that no longer are important to us. I thing that the fluidity of our systems and orbits is one of the ways that we find a balance. Great diagram too. Nice work.

[Paula Thornton]

So, here's what I propose. I'm not at the center of anything. The biggest flaw with object-oriented models or network models, for that matter, is that they focus on the nodes. The relationships are in the connections. In science, the largest element of existence is space -- the in-between.

Anyone or anything that bridges all that open space is the real value add. I'm a bee and you're part of the hive.

I think there's a fundamental issue that we've been missing all along. A hive is not a network. Kevin Kelly needs to be reevaluated all over again: http://www.kk.org/outofcontrol/contents.php

I need to rethink SocialNetworking as a term. Networking is like driving. It's the conntections to get from one place to another. At some point to really get something done, some hive organization/activity needs to occur.

[Gaea]

Check out www.thinkaloo.com !

[Steven Burda, MBA]

Great post!
Thanks!

[webdesign]

Great analogy! Thanks for sharing this!

Regards,
Mark