Before I blog about social network sites, I need to make an important disclosure: I don’t belong to any. I was on AOL for a time (and still have an email account there) but AOL is so “has-been” as a social network that it doesn’t really count.
My friends have asked my why I’m not on Facebook while they extoll the fun and convenience of networking. But I tell them I’m not interested. It's not that I'm anti-social or anti-technology. After all, I read the alumni news when my schools mail them to me; I send birthday emails and Christmas cards to friends and relatives; and I enjoy the occasional contact from a long-lost friend. For me, that’s all nice and it's enough. I don’t need more social chatter in my life.
My friends have asked my why I’m not on Facebook while they extoll the fun and convenience of networking. But I tell them I’m not interested. It's not that I'm anti-social or anti-technology. After all, I read the alumni news when my schools mail them to me; I send birthday emails and Christmas cards to friends and relatives; and I enjoy the occasional contact from a long-lost friend. For me, that’s all nice and it's enough. I don’t need more social chatter in my life.
You might tell me I can’t judge social networking sites if I haven’t tried them, but I disagree. In April, New York Magazine published a cover story about Facebook that I read with great interest. (Do You Own Facebook? Or Does Facebook Own You?). It's a good explanation as to why I'm not interested in Facebook or sites like it. The article starts out talking about privacy and the uproar that ensued when Facebook tried to change its TOS to say that Facebook owns whatever you upload to their site, even after you close your account.
But, the article is about much more than privacy and ownership issues. It is about social networking as a social phenomenon. Take this quote for example:
“An uncanny simulacrum of your life has been created on the web. It may not be too hyperbolic to talk about a digital self, as a fourth addition you mind, body and spirit. It’s not the kind of thing you want to give away.”
Yes, I may be missing out on something by not belonging to Facebook or MySpace or otherwise engaging in "social networking". But, for now I’ll take the risk. I guess I'm just not too worried about missing out on a social opportunity anymore. I'm busy working on mind, body and spirit. My digital self will just have to wait.
“An uncanny simulacrum of your life has been created on the web. It may not be too hyperbolic to talk about a digital self, as a fourth addition you mind, body and spirit. It’s not the kind of thing you want to give away.”
Yes, I may be missing out on something by not belonging to Facebook or MySpace or otherwise engaging in "social networking". But, for now I’ll take the risk. I guess I'm just not too worried about missing out on a social opportunity anymore. I'm busy working on mind, body and spirit. My digital self will just have to wait.
As much as I can agree with your posting social networking such as My Space and Facebook could be very helpful for those who have moved far away from their love ones and friends. I joined Facebook in Dec 2007 while I was back home on vacation for thew holidays after many , many years of being away from my old friends, old classmates it was just great to be able to see them and spend time with them and trying to catch up in a very short period of time. My "old friends" shared with me "Facebook" to which I responded YOU ARE KIDDIND ME! thats a site where my students hang out. Well I don't need to hang out with my students , but thru this social network I get to chat with my friends back home,also be able to share pictures with my family the very same day events are happening without any wait or a huge phone bill.So it does not have to be a social network to meet strangers but it could be a way of staying connected with those we love in a distance
ReplyDeleteI can agree with your post! I too do not belong to any other type of social site, except for blogger, which is only for school. And for me too it's not that I am unscoial, in fact I'm very social, I just find some of those social networks silly and do not think they are for me.
ReplyDeleteSometimes having or belonging to such sites cause more problems and I think we all have enough stress to begin with, hehehe....anyway I thought your observation was very interesting and couldn't help but comment since I agree and understand what you mean. Great post!
I have to admit I have joined into this new type of social networking but I can not believe how some people get so sucked into it. I know so many people that actually gave it up for lent this year and its amazing that it was something that they would even think that they would have to give up. It has actually become an addiction to some people without them even realizing it. I think at times social networking can be a good thing but I still think meeting a friend for coffee to talk is still such a better idea.
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