You know it had to be done. Today's popular culture cannot be discussed without Facebook. Though it was only launched in 2004, Mark Zuckerbergs creation has exploded. With 110 million users worldwide, it's obvious that we're all addicted. Whether we're "creeping" someones profile, looking at pictures or joining groups, it seems we can't get enough. It has expanded, with applications that some people love but most find annoying, (Seriously, I do NOT want to play zombie tag with you, so stop asking.) There's the Facebook Marketplace, where you can sell or buy online. And I personally know someone who found their current roommate through the roommate search application. That still doesn't answer the question of why we're so addicted, checking Facebook at least once a day...
My answer is that we're all nosy. We all like to know what going on with our Facebook "friends" - most of whom are actually slight acquaintances.
It also goes in the routine of procrastinating. Check email, check facebook, check whatever blogs I'm into at the moment, start homework after 50 minutes.
Whatever it is that attracts us to faceb - oh, gotta go, somebody just wrote on my wall...
2 comments:
I agree that we're all nosey, but more to the point, I think many people have exhibitionist tendencies. The human race seems to think that we are all special snowflakes and that every thought and trivial banality should be documented for historical purposes.
When you update your status with something like “Dee is brushing her teeth and contemplating her navel” what you’re really saying is that you are remarkable, despite the fact that you are doing simple everyday things. I suspect because everyone thinks they are just *so* creative, interesting and clever that people really care when they brush their teeth.
This self-absorption didn’t start with our generation. Think of our parents and grandparents: they too would show off their lifestyles, thoughts and specialness: letters to the editor, radio call-in talk shows, clever phrases by yearbook signatures, and telling younger generations just how more difficult (and better?) life and people used to be.
With narcissism like that built into the human psyche, why wouldn’t Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, blogging and other social media explode with popularity? It taps into our fervent desire and underlying knowledge that we are really special…or is that just me?
X-0
…I totally just tipped my hand. I *obviously* think my ideas are just that special I had to share them! *rolls eyes*
Interesting comment...In that vein, isn't a blog really the same thing? The whole idea that people really want to read what I have to say. Asking people to look at how special me and my interests are? It seems to be fine on a small lever, but look at what happens when a blogger has such a huge audience that they have gained social power.
Perez Hilton is the best example and it seems to me that a discussion of his influence over pop culture should be my next post...
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