Social Networking Saves Another Soul

That was the message I received from a stranger last week in response to my Facebook post announcing that I had found a home for a lost kitten. I laughed when I read that line – “social networking saves another soul” – and I smiled knowingly as I was reminded once again of the power of social networking.

You see, last week I pulled a scared and lost kitten from the street gutter outside our office in Charlotte, NC. He was skittish and really skinny, but otherwise healthy and curious. Of course, once I was able to catch him I had no real idea what I’d do with him. Adopting him into my own family, which includes a new puppy and an older cat, was not a good option. And after asking around the office with no success, I turned to my online social networks, to broaden my scope. On Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, I posted some photos of the kitten along with the message: “Lost kitten needs a home.”

Within hours, I had several folks interested. And barely 24 hours later, we had a taker; one who had heard about the kitten through Facebook. I announced the great news in my status line on Facebook and the congratulations came pouring in, including the one from the stranger who announced, “social networking saves another soul.”

While Facebook and other social networking sites can often seem like frivolous gossip destinations – I just posted a high score on Wii Golf! – it’s an example like this where we can see how social networking sites can take on great significance and importance.

Here’s another. Not long ago, my buddy’s young daughter was sent to the hospital when a dangerous virus developed in her hip bone. After learning the news, he posted it to Facebook and instantly friends and family flocked to the family’s aid.

Of course, this same thing could have been accomplished had my friend emailed or called his friends and family. But he was in a rush. By using Facebook, he leveraged two important advantages it offered. One, the distribution list is built in, developed over time with little effort. He didn’t have to think about who to contact, and he didn’t have to spend the time typing up an email and adding a bunch of names off the top of his head to the recipient list. Secondly, all the communication between my friend and his network was accomplished in one place. His Facebook page provided a convenient interface where folks could efficiently organize around the family’s needs.

Now back to our kitten and the stranger who cared enough to write “social networking saves another soul.” I wrote her back thanking her and asking how she had learned about the plight of this kitten. It turns out some of my friends reposted my message for their networks to see and some of the folks from their networks posted my message for their networks to see and eventually my message landed on the news feed of this stranger. In short, she was at least five degrees of separation away from me, meaning neither of us knew anyone in common. That’s how broadly the news had travelled.

Clearly, Facebook and other social networking sites catch a lot of flak for their frivolity. But in the right situations the efficiency, breadth, and utility of a social network can be of vital importance, connecting us with people -- friends, acquaintances, strangers – who may be interested in what we are posting about at any given time. Whether the topic du jour is a lost cat, a sick child, or a high score on the Wii, anyone within a large overlapping social network who cares can learn about and act on that information as they see fit. And those actions often result in positive outcomes for all involved.

What kinds of information have you shared or received via social networking? Let us know in the comments section below.