I was reading an article about "social proof," the term that denotes a measure of peer approval for an idea. The article contended that we're all influenced by the knowledge that a lot of our "friends" like something. In fact, if many friends like it and we haven't tried it, we're likely to think we're being left behind!
While as a generic thing, it's undoubtedly true that we are influenced by friends' opinions, the article was specifically talking about the little "like" icon that shows up next to all kinds of things these days.
You know, I admit to being influenced when a foodie friend lets me know she had a really good meal at a new restaurant. I admit to being influenced when certain friends tell me they loved a new best selling novel. But... there's nothing about an anonymous tip that gets me going.
Part of the friend-influence factor is who the friend is, and my level of respect for their expertise in the thing "liked." Back to my foodie friends: I am more likely to be interested in their take on restaurants. But say a date wants to take me to their mother's favorite restaurant - and it happened that way not long ago - I am suspect. I know my eating habits are not even remotely like most of my own generation, let alone my parents' generation. Or, if someone is a conservative, I'm highly unlikely to agree with her opinion of a policy article. Or, since I'm a health food nut, I'm unlikely to be swayed by the number of "likes" next to a Frito Lays advertisement.
In other words, I think the bean counters are missing the boat. I don't really care how many people click the little "like" button. What I do care about is whether people I deem to be in the know think something is hot, hot, hot!
It's not how many friends have an opinion. It's the right friends that makes you smart.
It is a curious mode of communication - friends that like a comment, people that like your comment on Huffpost, people's ratings of a hotel on Trip Advisor. It's the ultimate in democratic thought and you choose to give it merit or not. We used to look to professional "critics" to "review" theater, restaurants, movies, books. And of course in our academic life, careers are made on whether 3 blind peer reviewers "like" your work and it gets published. Thought provoking, Sandy. I "like". :)
ReplyDeleteand apparently you have to "like" my comment before it appears, lol.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Robyne. What I like on Trip Advisor and consumer restaurant review sites like Urban Spoon is that everyone makes comments. From the comments I can often tell whether the writers' tastes are like or different from mine. It's the subtance, not the number, of the comments that is informative for me.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for being my first follower!
ReplyDelete