Is social a weak force like gravity?

John V Willshire on October 31, 2011

This is very much a passing thought, as I do some work on something, but I wanted to capture it quickly.

Gravity is a terribly weak force, as forces go.  It pulls just a little at things, bringing them back down to earth with a bump.  You can’t ramp up gravity, it just is what it is.

If you want strong forces, you should get yourself some electromagnetism, maybe.

Electromagnetism attracts electrons to an atomic nucleus, forming atoms, therefore molecules, therefore all matter.  Impressive, non?

Gravity just makes you swear when you drop your toast marmalade side down.

However, the thing about gravity is that whilst it is a weak force, its effects are felt over a considerable distance.  A magnet will only affect a pin at a distance of an inch.  The sun affects the earth from over 90 million miles away.

I wonder if the effects of creating projects in the social space are like gravity, in comparison to the electromagnetism of something like advertising?

And rather than working at great distance, perhaps they work over a greater time span… a weak force that stays with you for a long time, perhaps?

The effects are always present, but it’s hard to make them act powerfully, specifically on one aspect of something.  Social’s gravitational ‘pull’ would be weaker than electromagnetic ‘push’ in the short term, but be greater in the long term.

Which is supported by some old thoughts; the oft-celebrated ‘switch from push communications to pull communications’ is not, of course, just a change in direction, a flip of a switch.  It is two unique, different forces.

In turn, it means that you have a much-changed context for using the two forces in.  You can’t achieve electromagnetic results with gravity.  It just doesn’t work like that.

Anyway, back to work.  I shall continue to mull, any thoughts are as always most welcome below…

 

PS I doubt I’m the first to have this idea, and a cursory glance on the internet yields a similar train of thought from Jodi Harrison.  No doubt there are more you fine folks are aware of.