There’s a rather strange meme spreading at the moment that argues that the term “user” is dead.
The short argument is that because we are all users, the term is redundant. Josh Bernoff claims that because we don’t refer to people as users of dishwashers, we shouldn’t refer to people using computers as users either, but simply people. Max Kalehoff believes the user is dead, but can’t define what a user is. Thomas Vander Wal believes that the term user is a put down that stops companies from seeing people as individuals.
I’m a user and I’m proud of it. I’m not “people”, nor do I want to be. If you’re reading this post there is a 100% chance that you’re a user as well. People is a plural expression that treats us all as sheep. User is a term that in referring to the individual can be owned by one and owned by many at the same time. In being users we are all individuals as it refers to us.
Web 2.0 is the pinnacle of being a user. Not only do we use the internet, we use it for self gratification as well. Use cuts both ways. Users are not users of technology alone but users of other people. We share our personal thoughts and creative endeavors with as many people that would care to view, listen or watch it. The people providing the drugs to a generation of user junkies are now nearly unilaterally expecting attention in return as well.
What I don’t understand is why? is there a better term than user? referring to “you can” instead of “users can” might work well on personal blogs, but it dosn’t work well anywhere else, Web 2.0 junkies is somewhat rude, even if it’s partially accurate for some, and Youse or Y’all only works well in Queensland and certain Southern States in America. Perhaps others may have more creative suggestions.