My Likes and Dislikes

 I never tried making a list, but let me try. 

Likes

Food, friends (students included), Thumsup (sorry, not the last.. just came from their ad)

Travel (now, flights are not exactly a favourite.. they take too much time pre- and post)

Moderate temperatures, except the chai- I like that hot!

Puns

Single Malts, especially peaty, smoky ones

Music- Kishore Kumar, in particular. Radio, as a medium to listen to them..without ads, preferably.

Facebook

Dislikes

Politics..most kinds

Noise.. high decibel, even more.

Winter.. unless I can hibernate under a heavy quilt.

Government offices, Visa processes etc..

Phoney research

Instagram

Studio UnGap

 This is a digital/social media marketing company that specialises in Instagram and LinkedIn as platforms or media. Stories/reels are their forte. Met with Natasha Kothari, the founder, recently at their office. We are writing up their story as a Case Study. Her lieutenants Riddhi and Vanita were also there for a long chat about how they grew as a company, and as a team which is physically dispersed across the country, but 30-strong. We spoke about their successes at getting and keeping clients, through sheer dint of hard work. More in the case study, which will be available for anyone to use in a classroom.

A pic to commemorate the meeting- 

Natasha also visited Prestige University Indore later for a guest lecture on Entrepreneurship. A couple of pics from her visit

Instagram

 I finally joined Instagram, at the urging of a couple of friends. I did not feel the need, so far, but a lot of friends have migrated from facebook. But FB will continue as the mainstay, because I have 3000 plus friends there, at least a third of whom are active.. we old-world buddies. And a few great communities I am a part of on fb too. The latest on fb is a page dedicated to fans of MAD magazine- the funniest satirical mag!

I am a late convert to tech platforms anyway. I find a real bookstore far more invigorating, and still buy books from the brick and mortar ones. So also most shopping, except where absolutely necessary. Convenience is good, up to a point. But we also need physical exercise, and social interaction with the sabziwala, or other humans, to keep us sane. 

The impact of social media has been tremendous. I look at it as a tool to meet people also, not just remain in conversations online. To a large extent, I have succeeded too. LinkedIn has also helped build new connections. So I am not complaining. Just pondering..

Google Plus

 We often concentrate on the positives, and successful products. But there are a few products that have failed, after having had a great pedigree, and a huge initial success, or interest from many users.

I am not talking of airlines, though there have been a few of those too. Maybe Yahoo, and others like Yahoo. In particular, this is about Google Plus. Seemingly, this product had everything going for it. A good pedigree, being from the Google stable, and a good interface for connection, easy access through a Google account, as another app.

Why did it fail? Was it just a poor conceptual imitation of facebook? Since facebook was already a platform of choice for most, was there a cool reaction to another similar product? But then, Instagram did succeed in taking people away from FB, so why not Google Plus?

I don't have a ready answer, but I personally was never enthusiastic about it. May have tried it, but unlike Google Photos, or Blogger which I continue to use, I found no motivation for using this one.

Life in the Next Century

Obviously, not mine..this is 2091 and beyond, not 2019..

You come into this world. Your Mom takes a selfie with you (and Dad if he is around), and sends it up simultaneously on all media- before anyone can ask her What's Up, it's on WhatsApp.

You sign up a few friends on Instagram before you leave the hospital- could be other kids born nearby. You go home, and meet relatives- via Skype, of course, and they send you flying kisses. Less scope for infections, you see..all for the good.

You get an online application for Kindergarten, High School, IIT and IIM, all at the same time, and fill them up with the help of your 10 year-old sibling. Also, a passport application, just in case..

You play with friends, all possible games online, and go to school-also online. You download directly into your brain all the content shared by teachers, and then write exams by Thought Reader- the teacher can directly read your thoughts by scanning your brain.

You date people by going to restaurants in the Second Life, and imagining you ate/drank. You give a rating to your date, and she/he does the same to you.

You choose one of these eventually, and live happily ever after- she/he in their home, and you in yours.

How does this sound for Utopia?

Some Social Media Pointers

These are picked up from various sources, but the remix is mine- feel free to blame me. One source is Guy Kawasaki and his book.

1. Do more rather than less. Many reasons- it's an ocean, you are likely to get lost in it. Of course, this assumes you are sharing sense and not nonsense (from your followers' point of view, before you ask).

2. Be bold, and take positions. This establishes your credibility (assuming you want it).

3. Choose a good picture of yours for the Media, and stick to it for a while. If you don't have a good picture, God help you.

4. Don't use bad words. Bad words are bad on any medium. Learn to do without them, unless you are a teen trying to be cool. (Everything is pardoned THEN)

5. It's impossible to generate loads of new content regularly. Use curated stuff mixed with original content. Cite the source, where applicable.