Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Let's Face It...




Facebook is a social network, where friends and family can connect with each other no matter what the distance is between them. One can chat live or write contents off line. Leave comments that are clear and explicable to the profile owner or leave them stunned or baffled with sardonic remarks. Though I was aware of this social network, I didn’t advocate on becoming a member until a few months ago when I was invited to see some family photographs that left me with no option but to join the network. I joined this network with the sole purpose of meeting with family and friends, to get to know their well being and maybe see some of them digitally.

Now we have the opportunity to meet with friends and family whom we have not met for decades and or living poles apart. Social networking has become a fashion icon amongst the younger generation and an analgesic to us the Forty something….Once you get on Facebook, there is no way you are going out of it, even if you wanted to and that is why, I termed it as an ‘analgesic’ because you get hooked to it one way or the other. For many it’s not only as regards to the social contact and communications that draws them toward Facebook but also because of the countless games that entice them . Nonetheless it has become a popular leisure pursuit on cyberspace.

Getting to know new people is a wonderful idea, but we got to be careful with whom we befriend on Facebook. Some add unknown people just to increase their number on their friends list, some for fun and yet some to stalk people and scare the hell out of them. There are many positive and negative aspects of being connected on a social network like Facebook. Advantages are the user gets to be In touch with friends and family on a daily basis - gets to know what friends are up to and where they are. In addition, to this, the comments written on a friends wall post could make or break their day, either with a smile , a blush or leave them wondering “what the hell !".

As much as the many positive attributes of social networking , there’s the malevolence side too. Users soak up so much into it, that they tend to write their personal issues and squabbles, thus create a mockery within the group of people .Then there are some who are likely to get irritated or agitated with the comments that is writen on their wall posts or cast lewd remarks on the photographs that are displayed which subsequently cause a rift between the people concerned .Sometimes the comments are irrelevant. The mode of commenting shows the attitude in us, so let’s employ kindness in our writing and cheer up the person on the other end of the line.

Every now and then we are put into uncomfortable circumstances when someone we didn’t know sends us a friend request, If we actually didn’t know the person , we must not feel bad about ignoring that request, after all we have to be careful and on the look out with whom we communicate on the network. I say this ,because there are malicious people using fake profiles who would lure us under the pretext of friendship., So let us always be on the alert.

Face book is also used in a nonsensical manner, a medium to vent out the frustration on friends, family and others, an easy way of expressing ones anger and hatred towards one other. It may be used as a platform to criticize, ridicule and abuse others.
Let’s not put anyone in an embarrassing or awkward situation, if we wish to criticize another user, utilize the message box instead. Many youngsters I have observed ,when they wanted to be expressive cynically or otherwise , become a fan of one of the many love – hate groups available , pick up a related -subject matter and thus make their opinion known publicly on the Home News Feed .Another discovery I made on Face book is the badge/ button/ or emblem ( call it whatever you may) which says ‘See who is viewing your profile’? I wonder who else view our pages besides the friends we have on our friend list? Cats..dogs ..kangaroos??

As for me while lazing on a quiet, hot mid-morning here in the Middle Eastern desert land, I get contentment in cyber space not only from communicating with family/ friends ,but also at the prospect of embracing the different seasons on the other side of the globe .Not surprising though, I get the opportunity ( all in one go- without even boarding a flight) to vividly, view the picturesque lush greenery and the sweet Spring blossoms in Europe, the snowy white caps in the mountainous Pacific or to feel the warmth of Asia that rekindle sweet memories of yesteryear. Even if those visuals are only virtual - who cares? That's facebooking !

5 comments:

  1. Facebook has its place, but it indeed puts responsibility onto the subscriber to only 'friend' those they truly know.

    Adding 'friends' whom are unknown to the subscriber simply to stuff the number of friends column is just stupid.

    I tend to stick to email, where one can control things to a certain degree, and posting photos for the whole world to see doesn't make sense. Just use 'Photo Bucket,' if you can't help yourself, it's safer.

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  2. Interesting post Aynzan!
    I have a Facebook account and at first posted on it everyday....like playing with a new toy.
    Nowadays I mainly use it to keep in touch with my family.

    Hey thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. I mostly approach life with a positive attitude but needed to go through much sadness to see the light.

    Take care
    Peggy xxx

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  3. What a pleasant surprise to meet you here ...I found you whilst reading Peggy's blog, it could only be one Aynzan, right? :)

    The Facebook thing is not all that addictive to me, be that because I m not into the games at all, or because I am more fond (read totally addicted! LOL) of scrapbooking...which takes most of my time in the computer.

    But I do keep some regularity there, is a great way to be able to let people know what you are doing, share stuff you like...without having to think out a blog post which, to me these days, takes a great mental effort...
    I have had the greatest laughs withn the girls from Scarpblog in Facebook, and many have helped at certian point when Sarita was being bullied...I like the site, but you are right on the trying to be carefull...
    I'm constantly reminding Sarita how she needs to be aware of the crazy people who will appear harmless in the beginning....
    There is a story about a girl who got her carrier destroyed by a an acid attack to her face, by a boyfriend whom she met in Facebook...:(

    the story is here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Piper
    and here is her face after many, many surgeries, plus some of the story:
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1221077/Katie-Piper-Acid-attack-victim-bravely-shows-face-disfigured-boyfriend-Daniel-Lynch.html

    all this happened very near where we live...one has to be extra careful when online, but still is great to be able to talk with family and friends through Facebook...

    Glad I found you here, I ll follow you, so I can know when you post more stuff
    Huggzzz

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  4. i completely agree. facebook was meant for collage kids with Collage email address' and now it has become this thing for everyone... i like this because now i can keep in touch with you, your daughters and other family members. i also hate this bc everyone and their friends feel the need to add you. for example, people who dnt know me but know of me through friends and family.

    overall, i think if your smart with it, facebook will not be a problem

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  5. I think it's weird when I see that my friends's parents are on facebook...or my older relatives. I thought the big joke was that the older generation can't even turn a computer on?

    Facebook actually makes people closer, but only in a superficial sense. It's not like you really learn anything essential about a person from their facebook profile, but the point is that you can be in conversation with someone anytime and anywhere.

    It can be dangerous. I agree with Fredd that responsibility falls on the subscriber. You should only add people you know. I do think it's good that Facebook offers privacy settings and allows subscribers to delete anything posted on their site that they don't want.

    Do I like the time I spend on Facebook? Not really. It is addictive. It appeals to our egos, I think, the number of comments we get or when someone likes your status. People post pretty pictures of themselves just so someone will comment and say "you look hot!" Things like facebook are wrecking our attention spans.

    It's a double-edged sword, really. We want to be connected, but we're doing it through a very superficial, egotistical medium. We all need our egos stroked, it seems.

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