One of the things I love about Australia is our unique wildlife. One of the things I hate about Australia are mega venomous spiders – and Bull Ants!!
I mean – check out the sucker on the left – the ant, not the guy holding the slide – I grew up with these sods. I learnt very early on that you don’t stick fire crackers down Bull Ant nests for a laugh. It’s painful and terrifying as these guys are rated as one of the biggest, most primitive, dumbest, most aggressive species on the planet! In fact – if you see one – go immediately the other way. Of course, if it sees you, expect to be chased by it. It lives to bite. After a Wildfire, and all the other forest creatures are deceased, bank on the Bull Ants to survive. In the extreme survivalist stakes Bull Ants have one over cockroaches – an intact standing army!
The “Fight or Flight” mechanism exists in most Earth creatures.
Except Bull Ants. When they took the course on behavioural science they only got as far as “Fight!” – and then flunked out of school.
In a moment I’ll get to the Social Media Bull Ant syndrome, but here’s a breif explanation on what a Bull Ant actually is.
As far as I know there is only one species locally in Melbourne, where I am, to be truly terrified of. The big bugger illustrated to the left. Probably has a scientific name of BiteYourAss MegaPainfulless. I can personally attest to the pain issue. On our 3/4 of an acre block there are numerous nests.
Enough With The Wildlife Doco – What’s A Social Media Bull Ant?
These days we live in a world of Social Media. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. It goes on. Social media has it’s own native fauna that run around, with out the “flight” mechanism, with large pincers to grip their prey, carrying venom sacks with which to inject us with. Like the Australian Bull Ant this is a primitive species that first appeared millions of bytes ago – on UseNet. While primitive it’s an adaptable survivor. It’s survived the age of the NTTP server, the Dot Bomb Ice Age and is thriving deep in this modern inter-web era of RSS.
It’s a ferocious consumer that will “follow” you and attack if you get to near or if it sees you first. Dropping a firecracker in a nest of them is devastating – to you! Attempting to squash them underfoot will result in a painful bite that may need more than an ice pack. There is no commercially available spray for treatment.
Negative comments, ad hominem attacks just for the sake of it. Welcome to Bull Ant 2.0!
All is not lost however. Just like in the Australian bush (or my backyard) a lot can be done to avoid these encounters for both ourselves, our families and our software businesses.
1. Try To Avoid Negative People And Don’t Encourage Them.
To often we find ourselves obsessed with what is said about us or to us online. Too many people don’t “unsubscribe” either the negative person or the service in extreme cases simply because they “gotta see”. This is akin to walking up to a Bull Ant nest and poking a stick in. Out they swarm – right on queue – ready to bite your butt.
2. Don’t Talk Religion
With the possible exception of Priests, Nuns, Rabbis, Imams and other career professionals who are generally more robust and better able to take idiotic insults from the Web 2.0 Bull Ant. Take it from an ex UseNet moderator of three Big 8 newsgroups with over a decades experience .
- People will not change their beliefs no matter how well or logically you argued your point.
- Don’t assume others around you hold the same beliefs as you do.
- Religion includes debates on Creation vs. Evolution with both sides being capable of being zealots.
- Keep in mind that people KILL over religious issues.
3. Don’t Talk Politics
With the caveat of “unless you are directly involved in politics.”
I do this – but I am directly involved and like it or not Social Media = Political Campaigning now.
But for the average Jack and Jill – and most software companies – it’s an absolute EPIC FAIL almost on the level of point 2 above.
Most people don’t truly understand politics. Those that think they do are often the worst Web 2.0 Bull Ants. Take for example Australia’s Preferential Voting system. Try and get the average person on the street to understand how a rank outsider can get elected on preferences alone – and not primary votes. Don’t get me started on the Australian media’s trend of covering elections like Presidential elections USA style – people think they are voting for the Prime Minister, but they’re not – it’s the party at the end of the day, parties elect Prime Ministers – and replace them, regularly. We have the West Minister system here and the only similarity to the USA is in the name alone of “Senate” rather than “House Of Lords” as in the United Kingdom (that and we’ve always elected Senators, it’s not a birthright like the House of Lords used to be).
With the basics obfuscated it’s small wonder people get narky debating politics. Stay clear. From a distance carefully watch the political types (and politicians) screw up on Social networking sites. Believe me – you aint seen anything yet!
4. Don’t Collect “Followers” Like “Beanie Babies”.
So many people collect “followers” as some kind of competition. Totally in opposition to the core concept of social networking. Be selective, follow or be followed by people who are on the same wave length as you, interested in the same topic as you. Try to apply the same rules to Social Media and networking as you’d apply in real life. A sane person who believes in religion doesn’t walk into a university paleoanthropology class and argue the origins of man. Likewise a person subscribing to evolution doesn’t walk into a church service and do the same. If you hate Lego and think Meccano sets ROCK then concentrate on people who like Meccano – and so on.
5. This blogs comments section is a classic example of what not to do!
Yep. I have a small cabal of angry Usenet users, all developers, who for a variety of reasons took umbrage to being moderated. Some are from the Business Of Software forums. Some are simply people who crawl out from under rocks around the Internet. While there are some great people who comment here I see a lot of negative numbskulls who post meaningless, unsupported negativity frequently. That kind of person is a Social Media Bull Ant 2.0. Most bloggers delete these kind of comments, but I’m fascinated by human psychology and let many of them through.
A final point. Companies – and probably customers – are using social networking to “check you out”. What will they find? A decent citizen or a Social Networking Bull Ant?
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Thanks to the Australian Museum for the Bull Ant quotes.
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Scott Kane
You miss the point. Social media is about meating everybody not just people you’d normally meat.To bad if somebody fights you.Kick there ass dude!
Haha so true.
Just imagine I read it twice. Bull ants. LOL! To funny.
Haha so true.
Just imagine I read it twice. Bull ants. LOL! To funny.
Very interesting information, keep up the fantastic work and Info – can you do one of kids being bullied via social networking and stuff? It’s a REALLY big problem right now.
Third party stupidity invariably has it
Third party stupidity invariably has it
I was reading a similar topic on another blog linking to your article . Interesting. Your position on it is totally opposite to what I read there. Social media is being promoted as the “big new thing” but you are really telling us it’s the “same old thing” in new wrapping, so to speak.
I agree with Gunsar. You miss the point. You need to reach many peiople as possible. That the point. Reach out. Not reach out and be left behind. You tell people to be scared. Bad advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
haha one or two of the remarks people submit are so silly, normally i question if they even read the articles or blog posts and items before placing a comment or whether or not they take a moment to skim the title of the blog post and craft the initial thought that drifts into their minds. anyhow, it’s pleasing to read keen commentary once in a while instead of the exact same, classic oppinion vomit that i frequently notice on the internet
Hi Scott,
Great (and I mean great) article. Considering my own behaviour online (not that it’s bad, mind you!) I feel I’ve been generally social but with a hint of bull ant on the occasion
I feel it keeps things interesting but I know many people might get turned off by a little political or religious debate; still, generally in terms of business it may not be the best thing to do although it’s yet to bite me in the ass.
I’ve found social media to be one of the highlights of 2009, of an otherwise quite mixed year. It’s allowed me to keep in contact with other colleagues and given me that ‘connection’ with ex-colleagues, friends, co-workers and it’s introduced me to a whole host of other amazing people online who I wouldn’t have otherwise met if it wasn’t for social media.
Best,
Mike
Hi Mike!
Glad you enjoyed it. Admittedly I can be a bull ant too. I think most of us are capable of it in a variety of ways. The question for now and increasingly for the future is can we afford to be? People using Google and social media for personality research, mainstream media using it if you’re in public life. Things have changed from when UseNet was king and was populated by tech’s and pretty much little else.
That’s not touching on the whole time sink factor. It’s hard enough keeping up with the good stuff, let alone wasting time arguing with those who seem to exist for no other reason than to be bull ants.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BULLANTS!!!!??? I WAS SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION ON BULLANTS AND THIS IS ABOUT OTHER STUFF. IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE EVEN.
Hi Martin,
Two little things…
1. Please don’t shout. Using the caps lock key is considered shouting in online coversations.
2. There’s a link – serveral in fact – in the post above to the Australian Museum where you’ll find a lot of stuff on bullants, if that’s what is is getting you all nippy.
Social media is minsunderstood. Proof? The idiots posting comments here. The writer seems to get it but the commenters with a few exceptions either cant read or cant understand.
Social Media is over rated. Bullants not withstanding.
Social Media is over rated. Bullants not withstanding.
An apt analogy. Hate to meet the ant in the photo too…
An apt analogy. Hate to meet the ant in the photo too…
this is a great post
Makes me wonder. How many commenters posting above here have any clue at all about life. Especially considering their comments do nothing more than justify the contention of the article they are responding to. These fools should be asking questions about improving how they do things and taking the time to soak up the the OP’s statements. Yet they don’t and post inane sillyness. Typical shallow responses from, dare I say it, Social Media Bullants. Go figure!!
this is a great post
I think you are right. Love your name for them. Very apt “Social Media Bullants”. There are certainly many agressive people who seem to take pleasure in being ugly.
Certainly a lot of Bullants on Facebook these days!!! They have no morals or ethics or manners. Rude people.
Certainly a lot of Bullants on Facebook these days!!! They have no morals or ethics or manners. Rude people.
Well, that’s not bad. Bravo! Well said! Bullants. LOL!
Well, that's not bad. Bravo! Well said! Bullants. LOL!
The problem with Social Networking is its an infant technology unleashed on a technically inept user group. Look at the difference in how pro computer people use these services compared to the average person. Some of them shouldn’t be allowed near a computer without a license. They act the same way on Facebook and MySpace as they acted in the school playground and even the same way as they drive. Like pigs!
Seriously, this idea is nonsense. Without social media you are lost this century. Social media is not Usenet and any attempt to say so is stupid.
Woah! Thanks for a great read!! I enjoyed the pun and being a New South Welshwoman I share your loathing of bullants, both varieties, the social and creepy crawly.
@Morgan Felps
yeah the op has sawdust between his ears as social media is about learning and growing and making contacts and killing hte competition. competition cant compete with social media ‘cos they are like the op as they have sawdust between their ears and are living inthe past. usenet? nobody ever heard of it dude and nobody cares that you have!! rofl
Ive posted lots of comments on this blog, at least 50!! and they are never here when I check. My website [URL Automatically Removed From Comment] blocks sites and helps families. My comment shows this yet you delete it. You have no right to delete my comments with a link back to my site. Are you a censor? Did they give you a badge in your corn flakes that you can run around deleting comments? My website [URL Automatically Removed From Comment] blocks [zippity doo dah! restricted word removed] from kids seeing it on their machine. This is a legitmate business what I am selling to help people. All I am trying to do is get some traffic. I dont think youre a very nice person to be doing this and millions of kids will be exposed to [zippity doo dah! restricted word removed] because you delete my comments so people can visit my site and their parents will be sad when they are exposed to [zippity doo dah! restricted word removed] because they could not visit my website at [URL Automatically Removed From Comment]
DO THE RIGHT THING AND LET ME POST A COMMENT FOR MY WEBSITE [URL Automatically Removed From Comment]
@Martin Brindle
I have a zero SPLOG policy. I took a look at your site that allegedly blocks sites displaying graphic imagery etc to kids. The sales page is twenty thousand kiliometres long and is clearly written for the purpose of pyramid selling, which is a pretty good fit for a SPLOGGER such as yourself I suppose.
Oh – BTW – I suspect my comment filter on this blog is more effective than your entire product. It certainly seems to have you beat!
lol lol lol lol lol. Social Media obviosly OP is old old old!
lol lol lol lol lol. Social Media obviosly OP is old old old!