I’ve already barked about how cheap it is to like stuff on Facebook (my campaign to have everyone like everything failed). If you can just click something in 0.2 seconds does it really carry any value?
But now, of the ease of which I can endorse someone’s skills in LinkedIn, means alot if one gets a lot of endorsements, which all it really means is that a lot of people are mindlessly clicking because someone else mindlessly endorsed them.
What really is banal is when LinkedIn pops up people I know and asks something like “Does Alec Couros know about E-Learning?” Its such a frigging stupid question, I am insulted to be even asked. It is close to this:
I would be embarrassed to let it be known I have clicked such obvious questions. And of course, LinkedIn is merrily tracking all that clicking activity, you can even see who is looking at your profile. It’s as warm a feeling as peeking in someone’s window to see they are peeking at you.
You know what is even more ridiculous? I have two endorsements for skills in Moodle.
I have maybe used Moodle 5 times, the last in 2008.
Tonight, two people have endorsed my skills in Project Management. WTF? I could barely manage myself out of a paper bag.
To again lift my leg on the system, I went in one day and posted a series of skills like “chasing cats” “mocking moocs” — of course, LinkedIn emailed everybody under the sun and told them I added new skills.
The funny thing was I went back a few days later… and my silly skills were gone! Who did that? Who is censoring what I put on my silly profile?
So I went back and added a few key skills:
These seem to be sticking, so please endorse me in my skill of MOOC Mocking. I’d really like to see that one move up the board.
It got really fun when Tara Calishaln, who has been running Research Buzz since like the day after Tim Berners-Lee created the web, had a good skill suggestion:
https://twitter.com/ResearchBuzz/status/360428198770655234
I am all about okra folding, and now I am endorsed.
Solid.
Now I will be heavily recruited, right?
Someone will tell me a story of how useful endorsements have been for their success. I do not preclude that as a possibility.
But if you really put stock in the meaning of what people can click on 0.2 seconds, well… I have new skills in Arizona Beachfront Real Estate Sales.
cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Kevin Dooley
I also hate f-ing LinkdIn! I have a job and intend to retire from it, so you inspire me to pull the Linkdin plug!
I don’t agree with your interpretation of the social function of Likes on FB, though. As I said in an earlier response, it is more like the reassuring clucking of chickens in a familial flock, or the mutual grooming of chimps; and for plenty of people, that daily tribal connection is what keeps them sane, grounded and connected.
I have written about the deeper social function of Facebook in reuniting shattered communities like the Rwanda genocide survivors here:
http://communities.ic.org/articles/1444/Prescription_Facebook