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You Are What You Share
July 21 2008

Is the Me Generation Over?

It has been suggested that social networking on the internet may result in us finding it difficult to make connections face to face, but current research shows that, rather than fragmenting society, or making us care less for one another, it has actually brought us closer together.

Social networkers have a shared desire for communication and connection, and rather than just having a small network of friends and colleagues that we know geographically, the internet has now allowed individuals from all over the world to come together for a shared interest or cause.

We can now link with so many more people, having conversational exchange and advice, sharing opinions about a photograph on Flickr or joining a campaign to save local shops.

Our human desire to share information, to help and enable, is a basic instinct that was suppressed during the ‘me’ years, where sharing beyond the family unit was only done if relating to reward or pay. Communities became fragmented as we felt less need to go out and socialise, turning towards television, immediate family and a small circle of friends for company.

The internet has changed this. We can all nurture and help globally and for free! We can tap in to bigger issues, escape the box and reach out for other social experiences. Remember Danny Wallace? He is a TV presenter that asked people to join him in an activity. One was to be nice to people at least once a week, and another was to say yes and try something new, rather than finding an excuse not to do it and sticking to the tried and tested. Danny was amazed at the response and now has thousands of people from all over the world pledging their support!

We want to be friends with people who want a similar society to us, and these huge changes in networking and socialising result in huge changes in the way groups get things done, resulting in massive changes in society that can only be for the better.

As opposed to merely consuming, we want, and are demanding, local produce and Fairtrade. We want to know that our children are being given healthy meals at school, and that our councils are supporting local businesses and ensuring a safe environment for future generations. We have voiced our opinions and they have been heard. We have realised that a large group voice really can make a difference.

During these difficult times, when the credit crunch can make us feel like everything in life is difficult and a struggle, remember that you are not alone. Log on to forums, blogs and social networking and see if other people in a similar situation can offer practical advice or help. Some people are brilliant at thinking laterally, ‘outside of the box’, and can think of solutions that we have not even imagined.

At SUSU Organic, ‘you are what you share’ is our motto, and with a little help from our friends, worldwide, we can get through it. Even more positively, with a little help from our friends, we can also make changes happen. Say yes. Do something different today. Make changes happen. You may not want to start a campaign, but you can join someone else and support them with theirs. Maybe looking at gas prices to see if they need to rise as sharply as predicted. If you have found a way to save money (legally!) share it with us. If you have a great recipe that can feed a family cheaply and healthily with, share it with us. Finally, remember that one small change and one bit of help from an individual in a large group adds up to one big change and a lot of help.