I didn't get it. In fact, I still don't get it. First, why would anyone care where the hell I was? Second, who gives a crap about "badges?" And finally, what's the point of being a mayor? Foursquare is "all the rage" and is quickly becoming the Twitter of 2010. But, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what the point of it was.Then someone dethroned me as the Mayor of the Shake Shack on the Upper West Side.
There was a time, much to the chagrin of my heart, that I'd eat at Shake Shack three or four times a week. Once I started testing out Foursquare, I figured I might as well check-in to the restaurant and see if I couldn't become the mayor. (The mayor is the person who checks in the most amount of times in a month) I was named the mayor rather quickly and held the title for almost four months. I expected the staff to recognize me, genuflect before me, and treat me like Norm was treated at Cheers. (None of this happened) But when some jackhole named "Jim M." took my mayorship away from me ... I was determined to get my title back, no matter what sort of detriment it caused to my cholesterol level.
And this is why Foursquare works. They give you virtual titles and badges, meaningless things that have no bearing on the real world. But once those things are taken away from you, the human condition known as "give me that back" clicks in. We want what once was ours, no matter how insignificant it is. So while it's not why I started using Foursquare (that being pure curiosity), it is why I continue to use the service.
So if you see Jim M. out on the streets, give him a swift kick in the kidneys for me.
And finally, if you'd like to see where I've been, where I'm going, or if I ever get my mayorship back, you can check out my Foursquare account here. (It's not that impressive)
UPDATE: Zagat Buzz is now interviewing "Mayors" from FourSquare, adding to the misery I endure everyday by losing my title.
So if you see Jim M. out on the streets, give him a swift kick in the kidneys for me.
And finally, if you'd like to see where I've been, where I'm going, or if I ever get my mayorship back, you can check out my Foursquare account here. (It's not that impressive)
UPDATE: Zagat Buzz is now interviewing "Mayors" from FourSquare, adding to the misery I endure everyday by losing my title.
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So I've had to get up to speed with a number of social media apps for some of our clients and darned if I didn't become a mayor today... after only two days with Foursquare. (Okay, I live in a relatively small town, not NYC, so it's still new here)
I used to think social networking was absolutely the stupidest thing... but now I'm a mayor.