Social Networking

How did social networking sites come to be? I suppose it would be the next logical step after the boom of reality TV started by the Real World. I remember even when I was very young, being interested in the daily lives of normal people. At a time when unbelievable feats could be constructed with special effects, young people would rather watch someone in an almost god-like way than be dazzled. Reality tv was soon adopted by all walks of life, especially with the popularity in shows like Big Brother right down to Top Chef and the Amazing Race.

Then one day a man by the name of Mark Zuckerberg came around with a novel idea- to make reality internet. I tried to think of why I really liked facebook, what made it something that I wasn't joining but truly enjoying. The conclusion that I have come to is that it is simply a good way to keep in touch. Email was a good way to keep in touch, but facebook allows people to stay in touch to a large number of people, effortlessly. My 565 friends on facebook can see me though all my journeys in Australia and all I have to do is post a few photos now and then. The best part is staying in contact with people who would otherwise fall between the cracks. "In Hollywood it's not what you know, it's who you know" and you never know when Timmy from middle school is going to be your tie to your next dream job. Personally I think facebook and the social networking sites are good, but could be better. The reason why I wanted to join facebook over myspace was because at the time it was only for college students. Somehow that made it safer in my eyes. Now anyone can join and everyone does. I wish that there was a social networking site for adults (or anyone above.. say 18 years old) that was as secure as facebook was when they still checked email addresses to the universities.

I also fear for the people who get too wrapped up in these fake lives and forget that there's a real one going on. I was reading recently about the anti-social networking movement to try to get people to realize that there's more out there. Second life is a program that I don't even understand yet. I read an article about it maybe 6 months ago and I downloaded the program and tried to understand it. Second life is another world where people buy and sell fake property and objects with real money. Some can make a living off the site alone. I understand that the properties can be amazing and everything but how are real people getting so into this? Is it just so close to reality that people would rather live in second life that in the real world? In this life there's too much going on around us to get wrapped up in a video game- that's all it is. I would much rather be out enjoying my life than entrenched in a fake one. If this is what social networking is leading us to then I'm not so sure I want to be apart of it. Like the photo says, get a first life.