From Permalink to Profound: Where is the Art in Social Media?

When an artist considers a blank canvas, she dreams of painting something beautiful.

When a blogger looks at a blank WordPress form, or a YouTube user stares at his own image in a webcam, he dreams of describing his lunch.

What are the most popular works that arise from social media? Sex tapes, silly dances, essays on open source software and renditions of Pachelbel's Canon on electric guitar. They're sleight of hand or stupid pet tricks, not profound art.

Social media seems to discourage the profound. Why is that? Where is the art in blogging or Twitter or Facebook? Can we create works of deep meaning and lasting achievement in social media?

This conversational (opinions will be eagerly solicited from the audience) talk will explore whether there is profundity to be found in social media, what it looks like, and how we can make more of it.

Darren Barefoot

Darren is the co-founder of Capulet Communications, a web marketing agency. He frequently speaks on emerging technology, marketing and social media, and is one of the creators of Northern Voice, Canada's personal blogging and social media conference. He's co-author of a book on social media marketing for No Starch Press, to be published in June, 2009.