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“A book is a mirror; if an ass peers into it, you can’t expect an apostle to look out” – G.C Lichtenberg

Had GC Lichtenberg been alive today, he might well have been talking about the internet. We’re the ones teaching the internet what to be with our every use. Utopia or dystopia, what it is, is up to us. The real question is, what is each of us contributing – and what do we expect in return?

From my experiences working with clients, educators and learners there is an assumption that you’ll have instant success if only you buy the right hardware, learn specialised technical skills or attend expensive conferences.

The truth is, none of this stuff has any value unless the person engaging it is engaging it mindfully. And mindful/intelligent use of technology requires a set of qualities and priorities that have nothing to do with technology.

Before you buy in to the promise of another conference, service or killer app you should stop and think about what, exactly, it is you’re contributing. Please consider the following list and your affinity to each item. Your contribution and approach to technology is the real measure of your return on investment – the metric is you.

5 interpersonal web metrics (money can’t buy)

1. Curiosity
By far, the most definitively important factor in all forms of learning and knowledge acquisition is basic curiosity. Without the fire of curiosity, you’re having a passive experience. The internet is about participation. It rewards curiosity. The deeper you go, the more likely you are to find something meaningful.

2. Patience
Second only to curiosity is patience. And the two are deeply interrelated. Without patience, we lose out on opportunities, experiences and insights. Learning new tools and understanding new ways of using the internet require patience. Value and meaning only arise with use and time.

3. Social intelligence
As with offline life, emotional and social intelligences – decorum, respect for difference, ability to control one’s emotions have lasting consequences in a culture of immediacy. Combined with a lack of self discipline and impatience, a lack of social or emotional intelligence can be detrimental online success in meaningful social contexts.

4. Cooperative literacies
Basic traditional literacies – the ability to communicate effectively – as well as emergent literacies play a major role in the value of the information we find and distribute online. Those of us who do not possess these literacies can gain them through cooperative acts that contribute to another person’s knowledge base or skillset.

5. Sharing and community
Every major innovation found on the internet is a result of cooperation and community. From the internet itself to blogging and social media to virtual worlds, we would not be here were it not for collaboration and cooperation. The downside of community, often referred to as the “tragedy of the commons” occurs when one’s self interest, attention seeking or ‘noise’ take up the patience, time and goodwill of the community.

The bottom line in all of this is a question of commitment – not awareness. We’re all aware of these principles. Whether we put them into practice is the hard part.