This is the question I often ask out of self-interest in the finding the answer; I think I’m often that guy.
I listen to the Internet Business Mastery podcast; I’ve bought The 4-Hour Workweek and read all about virtual assistants, search engine optimization and building quick-money websites; I bought and read 33 Million People in the Room and learned about the concept of micro-celebrity; and I’ll probably soon buy Gary Vaynerchuk’s new book. But with all I’ve learned about the how-to of building an internet “personality,” But in each case, I think these gurus are missing a key point: What if you’re just not likable or just can’t be bothered with trying to interact with people?
I actually like the kind of interaction that happens on Twitter; I’m far less interested in Facebook. There are some people I’m glad to connect with via FB (what’s up, David?), but there’s so much virtual flotsam that runs into you like a dumb dog with heatstroke that I just want to avoid it. For some reason, it doesn’t help Facebook’s cause, in my mind, when everything I’ve read about its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, says he’s exactly the kind of a-hole I’m talking about. Of course, he created the platform; he doesn’t use it as a major communication tool the way the above-mentioned ‘prens do.
With social media, we’re supposed to be as active as possible, networking constantly to get more and more followers and friends, then turn them into fans who’ll be willing to buy some kind of product from us. I get it. It makes sense — for a lot of people. But where’s the internet equivalent of that grumpy old shopkeeper who, even though he mistreats his customers, still sees plenty of business because of what he offers? I kind of wanna be that grumpy old man.
Maybe it’s just not possible to be involved in social media and be a butthead. If you’re into it, you’re going to be having fun with it and will give up your churlishness. And if you insist on being irascible, then you probably aren’t even going to mess with social media. Perhaps they’re mutually exclusive. Webheads have to be outgoing, and hermits can just keep to themselves — unless they want to be forum trolls, in which case we wish they would just get off the net.
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