Speak Easy: Introducing language to change habits and culture

[aschrijver]

"Speak Easy" Campaign Theme

Info

• Name: Speak Easy
• General discussion: This forum topic

Summary

Raising awareness by introducing and popularizing new urban language. Brainstorming for terminology to be inject into our day-to-day conversations through smart campaigns and social media memes.

Topics

• Cultural change
• Social consciousness
• Public opinion & pressure
• Behavior & habits
• (Internet) memes

Objectives

• Promote widespread adoption of new language terms designed to improve bad tech habits.

• Create an ongoing process of finding and launching new terminology and memes.

Description

Words have immense power. Language is our common medium and determines how we understand each other. Memes are like words, but then in the form of imagery that sticks to our mind. Together they can change our perception.

In this theme we'll execute campaigns to wield this power, to change minds and perceptions. To influence subconsciously. By strategically introducing and promoting both language and memes we will change how people look at their tech gadgets and the way they are using it.

The first campaign - and the proof-of-concept - promotes a term that already exists, in a way: The rise of the Phone Zombie.. the person that is standing next to you, yet is not really there. We will reinforce this term and the image that comes with it, so people will be ashamed when they are called that name, take care to avoid the risk of being perceived as one: a Phone Zombie.

Urban Dictionary candidates

This terminology and memes may become part of an Urban Dictionary the community will maintain.

Terminology:

Term	Description	Submitter
Phone Zombie	Walking slowly without attention to surroundings, absorbed in smartphone	@aschrijver
Phubbing	The habit of snubbing someone in favour of a mobile phone	@healthyswimmer
Nomophobia	The phobia of being out of cellular phone contact	@healthyswimmer
Digital Pouting	Put headphone on, plug in the internet, when don't get your way. (Note: There are more terms on the linked page, like "Selfitis")	@healthyswimmer
Do it for the Gram	Do things in your life so you can take pictures and show off on instagram.	@Georges

Memes:

Term	Description	Submitter
Computer Says No	Little Britain's expression, but with a Humane Tech twist.	@aschrijver
Tech Vader	Using Star Wars for Humane Tech on the workfloor of IT companies	@aschrijver

Strategy

• This theme has a social media strategy that obviates much of individual campaign strategies (TODO)

Campaigns

• Phone Zombies - Tracking the rise (and facilitating the fall) of the Phone Zombie
• Computer Says No - Little Britain's meme, but with a Humane Tech twist
• Urban Dictionary - TODO Website where all language terms and memes are presented

Resources

• The Urban Dictionary can be a great source of terminology.

[ghost]

Love it - for all who are interested, @aschrijver and I had a long exchange on the particular expression "Phone Zombies", but the discussion applies to any other new word or expression we would try to add to culture. See: discussion on forum

To summarize, I was proposing the following approach: discuss every new proposed word or expression, see if it can be made more catchy/vivid, invite all to design funny/potentially viral memes, and ask all on the forum to share with their contacts, see if it spreads.

My idea was to get viral with funny memes, or memes that inspire every one to catch their friends engaging in such and such activity and tease them using the expression, e.g. "Aren't you a [bloody] phone zombie". Just an example, does not have to be that blunt, but I believe that would work.

Another idea: once we have a long enough list of such new expressions, compile them into a "dictionary" with all expressions and their funny definitions, e.g. "Google slut", "Someone who whores his most private thoughts to Google in exchange for free information on embarrassing topics" [Side note: my wife hates it..]

[ghost]

"Google slut", "Someone who whores his most private thoughts to Google in exchange for free information on embarrassing topics"

Treat this one as an example. I like it, and believe it has viral potential, BUT, and very importantly, Google is not an "enemy" we should attack (plus, I like the idea of sleeping peacefully at night.. ). So, if you also like the concept, let us think of some way we can remove Google from the equation.

[healthyswimmer]

This one holds true at “school pickup” a time normally used to commiserate and socialize with families while waiting for your kid to get out of school, but now parents stare at their phone. A community buster!!

It’s anytime someone social attention is in the screen- like in a date or getting coffee together...

It’s called..

Phubbing

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phubbing

[healthyswimmer]

@georges there is nothing wrong with the truth though.... Google needs to take social responsibility. It’s like covering for a friend that just stole something- wrong. If we expect more we will get more. It’s called tough love it will make them better.

[ghost]

There is nothing wrong with the truth though

True, good point. While I like the expression (pretty clear and self-explanatory), it is always important, in my view, to be careful when we are at risk of insinuating such and such tech company is bad to the core. If you feel the proposed expression doesn't mean that, that would make me more comfortable.

[ghost]

I created a campaign to build and spread a dictionary, where we would add all proposed terms suggested here. No need to go there for now, unless you want to discuss about the format of that dictionay, where it would be hosted, how we would advertise it, etc.

[ghost]

there is nothing wrong with the truth though

I drafted a position statement on the issue of references and approach to actual tech companies.

[healthyswimmer]

Nomophobia- fear of being away from cell phone.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomophobia

[healthyswimmer]

Digital pouting - Digital Pouting happens when a person doesn't get their way in a situation, they simply stick their headphones on, plug into the Internet, and avoid the conflict. This happens mostly with the children these days when their parents talk about their marks and to avoid this, they plug their earphones.

[healthyswimmer]

@georges “it is always important, in my view, to be careful when we are at risk of insinuating such and such tech company is bad to the core”

I totally agree here- I think google is a term we use even if we use other search engines.... like using the term bandaid- we’ll... I’ve been corrected in my documentation in medicine that this is actually an adhesive bandage because bandaid is a brand name. Google defined part of what is today- and that’s why it might be ok.

I tried to follow your link to the position statement on referring to actual tech companies and couldn’t find it.

Interesting discussion about these terms...

[aschrijver]

Let us add all new, proposed terms and definitions to the "Urban Dictionary" campaign, which I just created for this specific purpose.

I have just proposed an alternative structure to your Urban Dictionary proposal, that I think is very important to take into account. Check my comment: #22 (comment)

"Google slut", "Someone who whores his most private thoughts to Google in exchange for free information on embarrassing topics"

I think 'Slut' is too strong a word, and is too much associated with females. While I understand your positioning of it (applies equally to both males and females) this is asking for trouble in the #metoo era. And in my post on Meritocracy, you can see how this can explode in our faces.

An alternative that avoids both a specific search engine (after all this applies equally to Bing and others) and the controversial word could be:

• Search Gossip(er): (Anyone) trusting his/her deepest secrets to a search engine, which is known to be a Gossiper, i.e. selling your secrets on to numerous unknown 3rd parties for commercial purposes.

[ghost]

I tried to follow your link to the position statement on referring to actual tech companies and couldn’t find it.

Fixed the link. Sorry about that.

[ghost]

I think 'Slut' is too strong a word, and is too much associated with females.

I agree. Thanks for your suggestions of alternatives along that theme.

[ghost]

I have just proposed an alternative structure to your Urban Dictionary proposal

I went ahead and launched a "campaign" offering to include all terms (after agreeing on each) in a dictionary. It would not be a distracting project (from having full blown campaigns on the most promising expressions such as Phone Zombies), but rather a way to recycle the many other suggestions that are not picked for full blown campaigns, into a dictionary that would be equally useful.

@aschrijver, would you suggest how I can repackage this proposition?

[aschrijver]

@georgeshk did you see my comment to #22 ? Ah, I see what you mean by 'Dictionary'. Couldn't the Theme level not constitute the dictionary, where cross-term coordination takes place? We can make a child campaign for this of course, but I am not sure if it simplifies, rather than complicates the project structure.

[ghost]

Couldn't the Theme level not constitute the dictionary, where cross-term coordination takes place?

Ok, let us do that, easier in that case (I originally thought you would not have wanted to brainstorm all terms under the Theme issue). Sorry for the confusion.

[healthyswimmer]

@georges I agree slut may not be a good term to use- this would distract the point with all the sensitive sexual harassment claims going around. Great work!!

[ghost]

Yeah... Let us drop that one. Too bad, it had strong potential I believe. Tried to but cannot find a catchy way to succinctly convey all the meaning that was in there. Maybe I'll take that one to a third party urban dictionary.

[ghost]

"To do it for the Gram" should be in there. It refers to how vanity and the desire to get attention inspire people to do things or live experiences only so they can share them on social media.

[ghost]

In the same vein, we could also come up with an expression to refer to people who cannot have a meal without taking and sharing pictures of every dish they are served. Maybe "food spamming"?

[healthyswimmer]

@georges Did you see my posts of nomophobia and digital pouting?

[ghost]

@healthyswimmer

Yes, saw them. Good stuff, which could be in any way added to the proposed dictionary. Sorry if I cannot always find time to comment on every post - though I try.

One note for all here suggesting expressions: if you believe one of them would justify a dedicated campaign (memes, etc), please explain why/suggest few ideas in a few lines.

[aschrijver]

The Theme document has been updated. Closing this issue (You can still discuss changes here, in subsequent comments).