The social network mindset

[Maricel Evasco]

I have noticed in the past year or so FB has become more pervasive in the way my relatives, circle of friends, and even colleagues and students keep in touch with me and each other. FB is convenient and familiar and for me more trustworthy since people reveal their names and family photos. I love that I can hear from relatives previously unheard of and from former students who are now entrenched in their adult lives. It is heartwarming to discover that some of my students remember me from a decade ago and have friended me on FB. Three couples of former students have either married or are currently living together and have children together.I also like that people keep updates during emergency situations like how they are faring during a disaster. It's nice to know people are still breathing and that others are concerned. I remember when 9-11 happened, I got several emails asking me if I was all right.

 

Initially, I disliked Facebook, but it is starting to grow on me. I wonder what percent of the planet uses FB. In the Philippines, Friendster used to be the most popular social network, but I think it has become overshadowed by FB.

 

I don't particularly care for the the online dating venue even though statistically speaking one's chances of meeting someone interesting and compatible increases.

 

What role does social networks play in your lives?

[Snagg]

The other day I saw a pie chart where an internet analyst estimated that FB uses up nearly 40% of all available bandwidth throughout the world, making it easily the biggest internet traffic site on the planet. Remember that the next time you think yer privacy or data are well-protected or even vaguely safe.

 

Social networks allow me to get into fistfights vicariously, as people who consider arguing with me face to face are even less willing to go for it when my 6-foot 5-inch, 270-lb frame starts to look like it might be getting angry. The distancing effect of the internet does provide for a levelling effect when tempers get frayed.

 

 

Other than that, social sites allow me to pimp my little radio funhouse, trade comments and recommendations about music and movies, get or give a trusted down low on the quality of upcoming releases and generally make horrible, unwise jokes that would otherwise get me thrown out of almost any bar that I tried to tell them in.

[Apposite]

Snagg you and Ambrose Bierce could have been good friends! What drives you? I get the idea you see a lot of this as sport. Oh by the way I am curious why the clown nose on Abraham Lincoln of all people - there are many more worthy candidates out there.

[Snagg]

Abe Lincoln is a much-admired figure with me, precisely because of his wit, lack of arrogance and willingness to poke fun at himself as much as anybody else.

Sometimes I think about switching avatars, and I will someday....But, I must wait until the moment is RIGHT. Maximum shock effect and all of that.

 

Besides...If you could see the way Lincoln's mug gets exploited around these parts, you'd realize that my little clown-nose gag is the very LEAST that I could be doing.

[Apposite]

Oh okay:) Just curious as all your above mentioned attributes are true in spades. I have studied the man and read many of his speeches. I never cease to be awed by his logic, politics, and humble yet politically astute timing and presentation. David Donald said Lincoln was a man who so smooth he could cut you off at the knees and you wouldn't know it until you took that first step after encountering him. If you don't already own it I might recommend:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Speeches-Writings-Roy-Basler/dp/03068...

[Apposite]

Social Networks allow birds of all feather to flock together. Some go wing in wing, some sqawk from a distance, some drop poop from above, others dive bomb each other. In any event the eagles tend to sore but then again, those birds don't flock; they are solitary and fly above.

[Wendel]

Interesting.  You forgot the vultures.

[Apposite]

Yes vultures draw attention to something that needs attention.

[Wendel]

I'm afraid I tend to dive bomb but hopefully I'm not dropping too much poop at the same time.

[Wendel]

When I started using Facebook it was to keep in touch with family, friends and people I used to go to school with. Then I started adding friends from work, which was kind of interesting and awkward at times.  Then the TBD population started migrating over there and added to my pool of "friends."   I find Facebook now to be a rather overwhelming place especially when I can look at my list of 197 friends and realize that I communicate with many of them on a somewhat regular basis.  

 

I am really surprised at how many people are online all the time.  When I was working I only logged in in the morning and evening, and didn't even think to log in while at work.  But now that I am going to school I log on throughout the day and find that many people are on all day long, and many of them I know are employed.  I don't know how they do it, I would find it so distracting.  I do find it distracting.  It is too easy to move from one tab to the next when I don't want to read a dry article or work on a difficult assignment, to instead see if so-and-so has posted a song that I would like to listen to.

 

I wonder if I am going to be the same when I go back to work.  I can only hope that the place I work for has a strict no Internet policy.

[Apposite]

Facebook's homepage allows for a plethora of opportunities to comment. That is the virtue of having many "friends" a word that Facebook has cheapened in meaning Of course Facebook is not alone in that absurdity and they didn't being that but merely heightened the shallow meaning of it.

[Wendel]

So how would you compare here to there?

 

 

[Apposite]

Facebook generally is set up for sharing stuff among friends who you know in some capacity and therefore you realize something about them that would predict how they feel. Therefore you tend to be less ambitious in your posts. Also, it is not set up for posing questions and the ensuing discussions that follow. The friendships are a little more complex as one usually has a longer history with those you befriend on Facebook. The friends here are usually made from commonalities of thought and compatibility of expression. TBD/MA is not set up for friendship as primary motive, it is set up for discussion and discussion can and does get messy. Also friends tend to think similarly on Facebook although many who have befriended me there would not recognize me here. TBD is a much healthier venue for outlet of expression because we can afford to be less inhibited. I would have no qualms being who I am here on TBD with friends from Facebook. I express myself such that if you befriend me here you have specific reasons as you already see that person in their frankest of feelings. I hope this makes sense in some way or another:)

 

The purpose of TBD/MA is discussion and argument - the purpose of Facebook is friendship and reacquainting.