You are manipulated!
How many of you know that Facebook and Google already know what you want to buy or they can even force you do that by posting Ads in your wall or in your browser search. You might think that it's a "Wow!" thing, but it is not. They trace your behavior once you log on to a Social Media site and gather as much information as they can and the next time you enter the site, you are shown with Ads about brands that either your friends liked or based on the likes you have clicked.
Say for example, I have a friend who really likes dressing well even for normal occasions. Her wall flows with Ads from Myantra, Voonik and many other online shops. At one point of time, she becomes so familiar with certain brands of clothes or a boutique or a fashion shop. When she is about to buy something, she go to their website directly. Hey! dude, you know what? Google and Facebook win a millions of times a day, like this. For her, its a dress or shoes. But for them, its business, money.
Not being a fashion freak, I am interested in short stories and cliches, which I can relate to. You can see my wall overflowing with that. Facebook does a good job for me in that aspect (But, I should admit, I am gettin bored of it now!). And again, when I was exploring one of my friend's page, her's was full of colorful photos. That was different for me. OMG! Why am I not getting those things in my wall? I questioned myself. Haha! Then I realized that I don't show so much interest in those kind of photo things in my Facebook or any other SM sites, except when they are from really close friends.
This field of predicting people behavior or manipulating them is what done now. All around the world, by all the big giant companies. They call this field data analytics. There are jobs being created every now and then in every company, be it IT or Finance or whatever: naming it Data Scientists, to find what you do online and how it can be turned towards their benefits. They fetch you a decent pay too.
Branding?- Nope, its Psychology!
Why do you think Apple became a symbol of pride? The answer is that, they spent a lot of money branding it. The company literally made you believe that "They-are-the-best-phone-makers-in-the-world". May be they are. But, still I believe that no other company has ever went so much to the subconscious level of every human being in the world and made them believe that way. Though there are Memes mocking Iphone's costs,
[I have 1 for u here]
Any techie thing other than Apple's makes you feel less. Doesn't it? Even if some people say "no", I continue to stick on to it.
Because, it is the truth. Steve Jobs have done a good job. The difference between the online branding and him is that he used his own Public speaking and soft skills for that. Now, every branding is done with/through your personal data. I think Steve Jobs is better in this aspect. I forgive him.
Its not just about your "Wow, Google says it all/ Facebook shows me what I want to see." It's Psychology. The digital media penetrate your subconscious level and make you buy things you will never think of buying. They, in general use it well to gather a lot of money for their pocket by doing that. At some point of time, it might turn dangerous, coz, they will say/show what they want you to see, which has another English word called :
Dictate. Its not happening now. But, it's possible.
You believe what you hear again and again!
Sathiya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft has given every Indian a hope, that they can be not just a part, but the CEO of big companies at US one day. Even I have this weird notion that every student, who goes to study at US at some point of time, becomes an employee of Microsoft. To break my belief was Sundar Pichai, who became the CEO of Google. This assumption came into existence inside me coz, I heard a lot of people saying stories about their son or daughter (Proudly!) and about some of their relative's son or daughter (Not a tinge, but with a ton of jealousy!), who settled after an MS in US, with a job in Microsoft.
You believe what you hear again and again. Don't you?
You are just a residue (That's my next article's title. Haha! If you read this article properly, you know what I am doing!)
in this big world. Not because there are lots of other people. But because, your every single decision and choice are influenced heavily by what you are said by others, again and again. And the worst thing is that, you never know that you are being manipulated when you enter SM sites. (Hey! That sentence is scary I guess). Technology is powerful, useful and all that. But, remember to be careful. Don't become a slave of it. That's the thing I wanted to say, exactly : Be careful! (With me too ;-) )
Ufff.. You are bored. I know! Fine, I end it here! The next will be more interesting I promise.
Next:
You are just a residue
Not about digital media for sure! The main objectives would be
1. To show how people you meet and unmeet influence your choices and decisions
2. How the real human touch persists in certain things, even today?!
3. You are not alone!
A completely different one from what you read now.
Thank you note:
Thanks to one of my best buddies
+Vivek Anand, who created an interest in this field of Data Analytics. I came to know about them better, because of him and it helped me a lot with this piece of writing.
Information sources: https://www.psychologytoday.com/
www.cousera.org
