1. 35 Social Media Theses
The Disputation of Chancellor Lee Aase on
the Power and Efficacy of Social Media,
posted Oct. 31, 2009 to the wall of
Social Media University, Global (SMUG)
1. Social media are as old as human 12. Communications and marketing valuable than advertising time or space.
speech, with air being the medium professionals who fail to understand 25. If your product, service or experience is
through which sound waves propagated. social media flirt with media remarkable enough, your customers will
2. Electronic tools merely facilitate malpractice. create content for you.
broader and more efficient transmission 13. Social media tools offer unprecedented 26. Your mileage may vary, but you’ll go a
by overcoming inertia and friction. opportunity for transformational lot further if you get a car.
3. The mass media era was a temporary change and productivity. 27. Greatness, as Stephen Covey says,
anomaly. 14. Strategic thinking about social media is consists in “Finding your voice and
4. Social Media are the third millennium’s no substitute for action. inspiring others to find theirs.”
defining communications trend. 15. You can hear a lot just by listening. 28. Paying for advertising while not taking
5. Social media affect every industry; 16. Social media tools make the once- advantage of free online opportunities
technology grows those effects scarce power of mass media available isn’t particularly astute.
exponentially. to anyone. 29. Your kids aren’t smarter than you are.
6. Social media were originally about 17. Social media are free in any ordinary They’re just not afraid to look dumb.
relationships, not technology. They still sense of the word. 30. You can save enough using free social
are. 18. As I approaches zero, ROI approaches tools in your current work to pay for
7. Hand-wringing about merits and infinity. your expanded efforts in social media.
dangers of social media is as productive 19. MacGyver is the model for social media 31. Unforeseen implications of social media
as debating gravity. success. are more likely positive than negative.
8. Just as failing to account for gravity’s 20. Social media tools enable authentic 32. Healthcare organizations should
effects is disastrous in aeronautics, communication if you don’t purposefully thoughtfully engage with social media.
neglecting social media’s power can complicate things. 33. Social media will decrease diffusion
cripple an organization. 21. Technology makes things possible. time for medical research and
9. Mass media will remain powerful levers People make things happen. healthcare innovations
that move – and are moved by – social 22. Social media are an essential part of a 34. Challenges of introducing social media
media buzz. balanced communications diet. in healthcare are not unique.
10. Social media strategies can’t 23. Almost all Web surfers use social media 35. Social technologies will transform
healthcare.
compensate for an inferior offering. today. They just may not know it.
11. Social media strategies can help make a 24. Compelling, remarkable content that
product, service or experience better. people actually want is far more
To discuss these propositions, and to learn about applying social media in your organization, visit SMUG, an online university that provides FREE, practical
hands-on training in social media. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
