speakeasy: more than you ever wanted to know about facebook

Jan 24, 2008 at 1:03 AM
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I despise Facebook. This enormously successful American business describes itself as "a social utility that connects you with the people around you". But hang on. Why on God's earth would I need a computer to connect with the people around me? Why should my relationships be mediated through the imagination of a bunch of supergeeks in California? What was wrong with the pub?

-With friends like these... by Tom Hodgkinson, The Guardian, 01.14.08

I was back on facebook briefly yesterday, with good reason, and then jumped right back off. In the 2 weeks I'd been gone, my deactivated account had received Oregon Trail invitations (what?) and more stupid "Fun Wall" posts than I care to think about.

Let's just go get a drink.

Current music: Blanche – A Year From Now

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For awhile I ended up being always plugged into Facebook like everybody else, but after being away from it for a week I wonder what the appeal was when I log back on and just see a mess of stuff invites to crud I don't want. I think the only real use I found for it is as an easy way to get people's contact info.

You're right about the contact information sharing there being useful. I don't really despise the place. I think the problem inherent with a lot of social networks is that they want to be "hangout places" instead of just a targeted service. That, obviously, works really well with a younger crowd.

I'm, however, at least a decade past wanting to spend all my time at the mall. Virtual or otherwise.

Hi Jason

Totally agree with you there!!!! Glad i am not the only one who dislikes (actually i hate them!) social networking sites. I cat wait for the day when the facebook/myspace etc bubble bursts. I think its just a ego trip sometimes. How can anyone have 300 friends. Just stupid. And who wants to share so much personal information about themselves. We need more individuals in society and less sheep!

VOX gets my vote!

I think Facebook is successful at connecting with more long-distance relationships. Friends of old, etc. I do find the interface a little cumbersome though. I don't look at it as a main tool one would use everyday, though some people do. For this reason, I think there is value there, but not much beyond that.

speakeasy: more than you ever wanted to know about facebook

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