Myspace/Our Planet: Social networking gets soy-inked

Odd thing about Myspace's new eco-book, "MySpace/OurPlanet: Change Is Possible": It kicks off with Myspace president Tom Anderson basically declaring the supremacy of the printed word over the web: "I wouldn't be doing this unless I thought it was for something so unbelievably important that it had to be in print," Anderson writes in his foreword.

Is the soy-ink printed, recycled-paper book mightier than the blog? Perhaps, though in Myspace's case, the book's designed to mimic the social networking site, covering a whole lot of topics in a semi-disorganized, but also semi-associative, eclectic, freewheeling fashion.

Published by HarperTeen, "Myspace/Our Planet" clearly aims at a young audience, with advice on greening prom, taking eco-alternative spring breaks, and changing mom and dad. And impressively, the book provides a rather surprisingly informative and engaging perspective on a wide range of environmental topics, despite the web-friendly snippets-and-bullet-points format of the book.

That, of course, makes me think that the book wasn't exactly written "by the Myspace community with Jeca Taudte," as the cover states. More accurately, the book seems to have been written by Taudto, with random pullout quotes from Myspace members sprinkled in. Here's one such brilliant quote included in the book, written by one Lorylicious![[♥rawr]]:

I REALLY HOPE PPL START TO TAKE ACTION ON ALL THE DISASTERS WE ARE CAUSING. GLOBAL WARMING IS GETTING BAD AND NO ONE REALIZES WE NEED MOTIVATIONAL TEAMS TO GET EVERYONE INVOLVE I THINK THERE SHOULD BE MORE RECYCLING, STOP THE WAR BECAUSE WERE ONLY DESTROYING MORE OF OUR WORLD AND LOOSING SOLDIERS THAT HAVE FAMILIES (sic on all spelling, grammar, punctuation errors, and choice to use all caps)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's the effort to tie the book in with the social networking site that seems most strained. In the first few pages, readers are advised to employ Myspace as a tool to further their enviro-activism -- by adding eco-organization as one of the "Top 8" friends or using eco-related pics and wallpaper to "make it clear that the earth matters to you" -- actions that seemed so ineffectually small that it actually made me LOL.

But the web activism advice improved as I read on. A chapter tied in personal enviro-activism with larger political activism, for example, also conveniently tying Myspace's Our Planet page with Myspace's Impact Channel. And then the book recommended green blogging "to educate communities and to inspire change." Wait -- that's me!

Maybe I shouldn't have LOL'd so quickly. Serendipitously, I got an "invite" to add Heal the Bay as a "cause" I support -- so I hit "accept." On Facebook.

Comments

[Joe Stamos]

Aren't you so smug? Glad you see fit to criticize other's efforts to make a positive change in the world for a chance to write a not-so-funny blog and demonstrate your wit and intelligence. Boo.

[Siel]

The post wasn't all a negative critique, but in any case, thanks for the props on my wit and intelligence!

[jrb]

This is a great idea from Lorylicious...

"MOTIVATIONAL TEAMS TO GET EVERYONE INVOLVE I THINK THERE SHOULD BE MORE RECYCLING..."

After watching Ken Burns' "The War" series on PBS, I was impressed by how much recycling was done during WW2. We re-used EVERYTHING! Nothing went to waste. Unfortunately after the war was over we went right back to our slovenly wasteful ways.

If we all re-committed outselves to recyling the same extent that we did during WW2 most of our problems would be solved.

This time the stakes are so much higher. We're not just trying to save ourselves from tyrany and facisim. This time we're trying to save our planet and all future generations. Why is that any less important?

Oh, and I agree with Lorylicious about war too.

Love ya kidling!