The days of the water cool may be over yet it remains a powerful metaphor for the shared social experience that was critical to our sense of belonging, place and even identity.
The water cooler was about what was on TV, what was happening of import to those around us and even defined what was socially acceptable to the larger group.
It was a balancing act as the water cooler conversations both defined and restricted who could belong. As a result, access to the information that defined the shared social experience in the workplace was critical to our status. To the point that it likely influenced the shows we watched, the media we consumed, and more.
Today, tools like Twitter are playing a similar role. They are defining a shared social experience.
Kelly Mooney in The Open Brand states "Digital rituals both mundane and exotic help form individuals' and groups' social identities, and along with them people's tastes, preferences, values - what's important to know, what to buy in order to belong (or be unique), what to share with or recommend to friends and family."
Twitter is about defining and restricting a virtual but shared social experience. By being aware and "in the loop" on what is being discussed, it allows us to feel more confident and comfortable when meeting members of our virtual network at events. It gives us a stake in a something tangible, human and yet undefinable in an otherwise virtual and distant world.
Photo Source: ShellyS
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