I just left a comment on David Murray’s blog, “Writing Boots,” where I stated that the company where I work hasn’t so much embraced social media, as it has awkwardly patted its head.

I suspect that my employer has a lot of company. Social media tools like Twitter, podcasting, videos and Facebook are like the youngsters who run around the family party, under the nervous gaze of Uncle Traditional Comms and Aunt Haitu Comms. Traditional and Haitu try to engage in “normal” conversation while these young whipper-snappers dart past them, climb under the tables and chairs, and start dancing right in the middle of a serious discussion.

“Why, oh why can’t somebody tame them?” ask Haitu asks Traditional. “Yes, this certainly isn’t the way WE were at their age,” Traditional mutters.

Just then, one of their cousins comes over, and reintroduces a young niece, Everly Startup, a vivacious and successful consultant and entrepreneur. Everly begins to speak, but is interrupted by a loud shriek of excitement coming from one of the youngsters, who had just tasted the frosting on the guest of honor’s cake.

“You just never know what they’re going to do,” Everly states, then motions for the youngster, who is still licking the frosting from his index finger, to come stand next to her. As Traditional and Haitu move their gaze from Everly, to their cousin, to the youngster next to them who begins to vibrate without moving his feet, the next step doesn’t seem clear.

So Traditional does what old-timers have always done. With a half-smile, half-grimace, he ruffles the hair of the vibrating child below him, while trying desperately to keep up the pretense that he actually paid attention when the child’s name was first announced.

“So this is little…Podcast…no, little Twit…(Haitu’s shoots him a hard look)…no, little YouTube,” Traditional blurts out. When Everly smiles and nods, Traditional doesn’t know what to do next. With an awkward pat on YouTube’s noggin, Traditional grabs Haitu by the elbow and begins to shuffle away while saying, “You’ll just have to tell us again sometime what YouTube is doing these days. He just seems to be getting bigger and bigger, every time we see him.”