We all like to be connected. We all like to share stories. We all like to be included.

Spreading messages through internet networks is NOT the true power of social media. Any idiot can RT a message, blog about it (yes, I know) and pass it along virtually. It takes far more deliberate action to achieve something.

Today’s Horizon Realty fiasco spread like wildfire. It was tweeted about, RTed about, blogged about, emailed and probably involved a few phone calls. Don’t tell me for a second that this was the true power of anything.

This was a mob mentality. One person heard something that made them mad, they passed it on and repeated that over and over until everyone had heard.

There were plenty of comments on blogs about how to fix it and what Horizon should do next. THESE, not the incessant mentions of the incident itself, are where the power of social media lies. Many minds, armed with the same information, putting their heads together to debate a solution best for the problem at hand.

Sure, the popularity and reach made this possible, but not until people gave worthwhile, thought out solutions was anything actually accomplished.

I bet these same “true power of social media” people are the ones that still equate friend/fan/follower counts as actual measure of success.

To those that gave good ideas, fostered fantastic conversation and did more than just pass info along, I applaud you. You get it. Everyone else needs to get it together.

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