This is the New Media Fishbowl

Posted by on Aug 29, 2007 in New media | 14 comments

This is the New Media Fishbowl. A commenter on Mitch Joel’s blog pointed out a Facebook Application that could draw a hyperbolic map of your friends in your network and how they were related. I was stunned to see a true, graphical, and clear representation of the New Media fishbowl, the echo chamber, whatever you want to call it.

This is the fishbowl

The inner ring of hyperconnection is the fishbowl. It’s new media. Everyone in the outer ring? Financial Aid Podcast community members for the most part. These are all the people that the folks in the fishbowl are NOT connecting to – and there’s a lot of them. Most are college students.

Believe it or not, I’m happy with how my map looks, because the outer ring signifies that I’m trying to reach outside the fishbowl.

What does your map look like?

  • http://justinkownacki.blogspot.com Justin Kownacki

    I was quite sad that I didn’t show up in this diagram… until I remembered I’m not on Facebook. *WHEW* I can keep on livin’ in the fishbowl, even if the fishbowl cain’t find me.

  • http://justinkownacki.blogspot.com Justin Kownacki

    I was quite sad that I didn’t show up in this diagram… until I remembered I’m not on Facebook. *WHEW* I can keep on livin’ in the fishbowl, even if the fishbowl cain’t find me.

  • http://exposay.net/ Ricky Mondello

    What I would give to be able to cmd (ctrl) + F the data in that diagram.

  • http://exposay.net/ Ricky Mondello

    What I would give to be able to cmd (ctrl) + F the data in that diagram.

  • http://exposay.net/ Ricky Mondello

    Of course, immediately after posting my last comment, I found my name. Interesting!

    (Sorry for the dupe.)

  • http://exposay.net/ Ricky Mondello

    Of course, immediately after posting my last comment, I found my name. Interesting!

    (Sorry for the dupe.)

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  • http://www.ldpodcast.com whitney

    Hey Chris-
    I think this app is interesting- I did the friendship wheel http://thomas-fletcher.com/facebook/friendwheel/showwheelgif.php?userid=790350175&name=Whitney%20Hoffman and through that graphic, I was interested at the nodes created by the hyperconnected, versus those that were not connected.
    The different graphs give you a different feeling on how you are connected and to whom.

    I would argue with you, however, that Facebook in and of itself is a fishbowl. The reaching out is done with all the folks, say, in the Philly blogging community who aren’t facebook users. Or my next door neighbor. Or the guy at the Apple Store, who never heard of PodCamp. Really cracking the fishbowl requires reaching out beyond the screen and interacting and sharing in person- and that won;t be reflective in the graph.

  • http://www.ldpodcast.com whitney

    Hey Chris-
    I think this app is interesting- I did the friendship wheel http://thomas-fletcher.com/facebook/friendwheel/showwheelgif.php?userid=790350175&name=Whitney%20Hoffman and through that graphic, I was interested at the nodes created by the hyperconnected, versus those that were not connected.
    The different graphs give you a different feeling on how you are connected and to whom.

    I would argue with you, however, that Facebook in and of itself is a fishbowl. The reaching out is done with all the folks, say, in the Philly blogging community who aren’t facebook users. Or my next door neighbor. Or the guy at the Apple Store, who never heard of PodCamp. Really cracking the fishbowl requires reaching out beyond the screen and interacting and sharing in person- and that won;t be reflective in the graph.

  • http://beingamberrhea.com Amber

    That echo chamber is pretty echo-y.

  • http://beingamberrhea.com Amber

    That echo chamber is pretty echo-y.

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  • http://mikeshotdish.com Mike Wills

    Just created mine and it looks similar to yours… but with less friends…

  • http://mikeshotdish.com Mike Wills

    Just created mine and it looks similar to yours… but with less friends…

  • http://www.audioconnell.com/blog Peter O’Connell

    Chris:

    The outer ring, in my opinion, is one of the problems/challenges with Facebook. As an A type personality, I have no problem initiating conversations or introductions with people who I don’t know but of whom I know a possible legitimate connection might exist.

    That’s how I approached Facebook. Sure I can “connect” with people I ALREADY have a connection to but what’s the point? To make the connection “stronger”? I don’t need Facebook for that. I want to meet new people with whom I don’t have a connection…the outer circle if you will.

    I understand that people don’t want to be awash in strangers approaching them, but one of my sense’s of these on line communities is to be open to professional introduction…despite some mediocre attempts by Facebook to try and do that, I don’t think they do it very well.

    But, that could just be me.

    Best always,
    - Peter

  • http://www.audioconnell.com/blog Peter O’Connell

    Chris:

    The outer ring, in my opinion, is one of the problems/challenges with Facebook. As an A type personality, I have no problem initiating conversations or introductions with people who I don’t know but of whom I know a possible legitimate connection might exist.

    That’s how I approached Facebook. Sure I can “connect” with people I ALREADY have a connection to but what’s the point? To make the connection “stronger”? I don’t need Facebook for that. I want to meet new people with whom I don’t have a connection…the outer circle if you will.

    I understand that people don’t want to be awash in strangers approaching them, but one of my sense’s of these on line communities is to be open to professional introduction…despite some mediocre attempts by Facebook to try and do that, I don’t think they do it very well.

    But, that could just be me.

    Best always,
    - Peter

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