One Big Thing: Document and Remember

Back in July, I was reading the print edition of Men's Journal and came across a short little item (it's not online) on a new study that reportedly showed that snapping photos with the intent of posting them on social negatively affected recollection of what the person taking the picture had seen. 

I stopped and thought about it for a minute, and (quite quickly) concluded that I strongly disagreed. Immediately, a flood of moments rushed to me, and my mind re-created so many of the photos I'd taken and shared - and I've shared A LOT - over the years. In fact, my reaction is almost the complete opposite. I vividly recall so many of those moments, and not just the instances of photos. I remember the sounds, smells, all of it. 

If anything, I'd say that social media has improved my memory, and in many cases improved my experiences. It's not fishing for likes or acknowledgment, for me it's the documentation. I'm still a journalist at heart, I love having a record of where I've been, what I've seen, and the people with whom I've shared those experiences. Doing so has only enhanced my experiences; it certainly hasn't diminished them. 

I put the question to members of my Advanced Social Media Group on Facebook (join us!), and it sparked a great discussion. The sentiment was largely universal - overkill is overkill of course, but so many people responded with experiences similar to mine. Both the act of documenting, and what comes from it, have been net positives, even more so for people with families in different geographies and, perhaps unsurprisingly, for professional and semi-professional photographers.  

My advice is pretty simple, be you. It's certainly possible to miss out on great experiences by being buried on your phone, but don't let that stop you from capturing the moments you'll cherish - and share - forever.  Happy #WorldPhotographyDay! °°° AGREE? DISAGREE? Let me know via email or tweet me: @sree #sreenewsletter

My next big public workshop is Wed, Sept. 12 - online and in NYC. "Smarter Use of Your Smartphone" is a brand-new three-hour class, co-taught with Andrew Lih (@fuzheado), that will save you time, money, aggravation, and show you how to be more productive and creative with your phone. Use code NEWSLETTERSROCK to get 20% off. Produced by Linda Bernstein (@wordwhacker). Events like this are possible because of the generous sponsors of my global social media tour, including Global Teacher Prize, Bombay Shirt Company, and Hashtracking. 

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Threads ✅

Put simply, Americans have woeful Internet connectivity. There is little-to-no competition in far too many markets, certain buildings are built for one or two providers, and so on. Rural America is in even worse shape, and other developed countries are leaving the US in the dust. Mike Murphy (@mcwm) has a short and sweet thread on the topic with some good reading in the replies. Read it here.

Listen to Something 🎧

Donald Trump's corruption in real, and has been decades in the making. New Yorker writer Adam Davidson (@adamdavidson) has been closely covering the Trump organization's shady dealings; his discussion with Ezra Klein on why we should take this corruption seriously is a must-listen. Don't get caught up in the "nothing matters anymore" attitude - this all matters. Listen to the episode here.

Watch Something 📺

Nobel Laureate and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (note: his name is pronounced in a way that rhymes with Sophie Cannon) died last week. I encourage everyone to read up on his countless achievements and his remarkable record of giving back and standing up for those who need a voice. Here's one of my favorite speeches of his - the closing remarks at the 2013 Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship. He was also featured on the cover of my dad's book, "Encounters" by T.P. Sreenivasan (@sreeniv). See the cover in my Twitter thread about Annan. 

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