The other day Joe Shoemaker wondered publicly on twitter why it was important to get #Indiana2Trend.

From Joe: “I really don’t understand the need to have #Indiana as a trending topic. Seems synthetic to just add it haphazardly in tweets.”

I answered on twitter and a rousing conversation ensued about why TWITTER is important and how its strategic focused use can help Indiana remain relevant in the 21^st century.

The parts of the conversation I transcribed below show just a few tweets from me and Joe, but there were several other tweeters – especially @NatFinn from nwindiana – who joined the conversation.  I promised to post a blog about my reasoning because sometimes 140 characters are not enough.

Monday evening — January 11, 2010

From Joe Shoemaker: Assembling twitter junkies? Reeks of “follow me” requests. Compel me. Otherwise, just #bandwagoning.

From me  (Amy Stark):  it’s important because of the infrastructure history of communications. [right now] There are potentially 4 Billion twitter ready devices.

As a species we are connected GLOBALLY at the grassroots level for the first time in recorded history.

Even if 90% of all tweeters [participate] in the #bandwagoning crap – that leaves 10% of tweeters who realize it is an evolutionary game changer.

~~~

Joe asked: @natfinn @amystark @daltonsbriefs What game is being changed by having #Indiana trend? What’s the purpose? What’s the intention?

I tweeted : Having #Indiana trend isn’t the game changer. [But] Global grassroots communication at the speed of light is a BIG ass game changer. [My intent was] to bring #Indiana together with one voice to participate in the global dialog taking place round the clock on twitter.

~~~

Joe then asked: one voice ABOUT WHAT?!?

I responded : a [voice] to keep #Indiana relevant in an INFORMATION based global economy vs. an industrial based economy.

The conversation went on without me as I was called away from the computer to tend to mundane items.

When I sat down to write the words to compel Joe  it overwhelmed me. In order to understand the whys of my actions and passionate advocacy of twitter someone would have to understand:

• Internet infrastructure
• The history of communications
• The concept of bridging social capital

I decided to cogitate for awhile and gather the most compelling words out there.  The next time I sat down to carefully craft a post, I started thinking of even more things that would need to be clearly understood:

• The exponential growth of connected digital devices

• How diversity and connectivity will SUPERCHARGE innovation
• How post-Internet time is measured differently <= perhaps the most important concept to fully appreciate and yet the most difficult to understand

Then my daughter Sarah walked by and seeing her reminded me:

• For every one Sarah there are 1,300 kids just like her in China- the largest English speaking country in the world
• India is selling 15 Million cell phones PER MONTH
• Sarah will not only have to compete with kids in the U.S. but kids GLOBALLY who are ALL growing up digitally connected

Indiana has always been a slow and steady wins the race kinda state, it’s part of our charm. I love Indiana and want it to continue to win — but slow and steady may not serve us well in the post-Internet  INformation-based Global economy.

We don’t have to be part of the bleeding edge of social media communications – that was so last year, anyhow — but we MUST keep ahead of the crowd if we want to thrive in this new world.

The most convenient platform to learn social media skills – at this moment in post-Internet time — is twitter. Very basic interface – ubiquitous access – most potential devices out there.

I will write more about those building blocks of understanding.