1. What kind of philosophy is social media philosophy?

Well, since it’s something we are in the process of creating, it doesn’t really have a kind yet. But if you are talking about whether I am doing analytic or continental philosophy, the answer is a little bit of both. I started out in school as a math major, and my focus in philosophy for a long time was analytic philosophy and logic. Later on, I studied Heidegger, Foucault, and other more continental philosophers, and my view was profoundly affected.

In the end, I would say that I think the work of Foucault has most deeply affected my thought on social media. The notion of subjectification is central to my ideas about distributed identity and social presence.

2. Is this just another social media news blog?

Well, it will contain news on the industry and technologies, but the idea is to examine how the all the different participants in social media come together in a new way, which in turn gives rise to a new way of existing. There will be news, posts, videos, links, reviews; all the normal stuff a social media blog is about. The difference is what we are trying to accomplish with it: a new type of philosophy for a new way of being.

3. Can I join?

Yes! Just login using any service supported by Google Friend Connect and add your posts and comments! The more the merrier!

4. What kind of things can I post?

  1. Stay on topic (loosely)…social media, internet culture, technology, etc.
  2. Stay on focus (loosely)…posts should be about philosophical issues and comments should come from a philosophical perspective. This is not a place to post your latest lolcat, but there is no reason you couldn’t post a thought or question about humor or virality and then post the image anyway. Have fun, but remember what we are here to do. Don’t be afraid to have fun and be silly, but I don’t want this to turn into 4chan or SomethingAwful (nothing against Anonymous or the Goons, just not my trip).
  3. Don’t post anything illegal or which encourages people to harm themselves or others.
  4. No hate speech. I am not going to bother defining it. In fact, no insults at all. Be respectful. However, do not expect me to be the PC police; I know the difference between real hate and people manipulating me into getting rid of things they don’t like, and I don’t take kindly to it (in other words, pictures of Mohammed are just fine, but statements implying that all Muslims are terrorists are not).
  5. No promotion. I know, marketing is normal in social media, but not here. Don’t sell, period.


5. Who’s going to enforce all these rules?

I am. I am god, the devil, your mother, and the Master Control Program, all rolled into one. Play well with others and all is well. Mess with this community and you will be gone forever. There are no second chances.

6. Who are you, anyway?

I am Neal Jansons, known online as thePuck. I am a writer, geek, and new media consultant. I write thePuckWrites, guest-blog at various sites, and provide content for other forms of online media.

7. OK, but what makes you a philosopher?

Well, once upon a time I was going to be a philosophy professor. I was one of those horrible nerds who takes every seminar, writes extra papers while still an undergraduate, and TAs for classes he is still attending. Then, right when I was about to go on to a career in academia, I decided that I wanted to do what I do now instead. But none of that makes me a philosopher, much less a social media philosopher. You are going to have to judge the project on what it produces, just like anything else on the net.

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