I remember when spreading the word meant an expensive advertising campaign or public relations strategy. Now blogs, Internet, Twitter, Facebook, texting, and other social media phenomena allow us to reach dozens, hundreds, thousands, and even millions in seconds. Going viral is interesting terminology in today's world for a power of which we have little or no control. Wielding that kind of influence should require a higher level of consideration and discretion.
We have all sent a text message or email we regretted. Hopefully, that wasn't done in a moment of rage or unbridled emotion. Self-restraint and discipline are becoming more rare.
Yet everybody wants to be heard.
How we communicate our message may be of greater consequence than the message itself. I had a school teacher once who would begin whispering when the class became noisy or unruly. This tactic was amazingly effective. The students would suddenly quiet down and strain to hear the message he was communicating without anyone prompting them for anything. It taught me the difference between the power of capturing one's attention and screaming ignorance.
Our society and televisions are often filled with people and programs vying for our attention by cranking up the volume or portraying deplorable subject matter.
Though the level to which this has fallen may be new, the strategy is as old as time. Shock effect loses it's influence if everything is appalling.
Thirty years ago, the young people in Europe were dressing and adorning themselves to be unique and different. Gothic was used even then to elicit a reaction, and that was just the beginning.
Ralph Waldo Emerson is attributed with saying "What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."
Perhaps our most effective influence has always been and still is right under our noses: our example and self-respect.
Who would have thought?
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