Cultural evolution thru Web 2.0

I got into LinkedIn, facebook and twitter more due to professional reasons rather than any personal motivation. But once I got into them, I started understnding their paradigms and in someway greatly benefitted. Through LinkedIn I connected back with my very old friends. Used Facebook to keep my friends on my location and what I am enjoying during my vacation. What baffled me is the concept of twitter. Such an amazing micro blogging tool that lets you know what's happening in the world on a minute by minute basis. I saw the most twitter is being used to take the articles of what people have seen over the net. Through the concept of follow, you can see whom you follow see. A great way to follow some famous personalities and their browsing behavior.

Through these links posted through twitter I read several discussions about social media and social networking and that time struck me it is much more.

First le me give my view of the culture. I see culture as set of beliefs, practices, perceptions (beliefs of which they don't understand the rationale) that shapes the way people behave in private and public. In the past different cultures evolved due to their disonnected nature of the societies. We have seen in the history how some travellers from the distance lands have come and influenced the cultures. And if one visitor from a different culture can do, imagine what can happen in a very networked and ever interacing world.

In this context I believe Web 2.0 sites, what ever paradigm they follow are going to influence the cultures to evolve and change, hopefully for the good.

It need not be only due to Web 2.0 but all sorts of media and means that is accessible to people. I conclude this with one very evident example to make my point clear.

In the recent (2009) Indian Parliament elections one has seen unprecendented results that baffled many. We have seen people and parties badly loosing who didn't factor the cultural changes that are happening. Candidates who took extreme positions, trying to façade a good image or not clean in their dealings were al defeated. Even those who were successful in their profession couldn't make it. I believe this voter behavior is nothing but that the cultural evolution that is happening. I only hope this is for the good.