Mark Zurkerburg believes facebook is a new frontier of sharing ourselves with others in a more honest and open way. He views it as a gift that helps us not only reconnect with ourselves in way, but with others. Facebook, unlike myspace and other social networking sites, is homey and open. It’s openness not only makes a person able to fully show themselves, i.e. favorite musicians, movies, books, etc. but also connects those interests to other people, groups, and finding those tiny similarities between our friends.
A more specific thing that facebook offers is helping people find their way. This could be metaphorical and literal. Kari Tridle is an adopted teen that has been searching for her mother ever since she could remember. With no results yielding with her own personal facebook results, she created a facebook group to have her friends and their friends and then their friends to help her in her search. With the help of Shelly Rodenbaugh of Alaska, Kari was able to get into contact with her biological mother and finally meet her.
Another wonderful thing that facebook has created to bring people together was the ability for groups of people to come together for a cause that related them all together. Towards the end of the Bush Administration, 17 groups of youth run facebook groups who were antiterrorism, freedom fighters were brought together at Colombia University to exchange ideas and be fueled with the strength of knowing that their cause was heard and there are many other groups out there just like them fighting for human rights. James Glassman stated, “This is a digital democracy…” Glassman was moved by the students for being political activists by not only being open with their opinions and beliefs, but being open with those ideals attached to their real names.
The Obama Presidential Campaign was another political group who utilized facebook as a means to reach the masses, including the young democratic and the uninterested in voting demographic. CNBC’s program, The Facebook Obsession, shows how Barrack Obama was first hesitant about using the free social media site for his campaigning. It wasn’t till there was a facebook event created for his campaign with a list of 200 RSVP guests he soon realized enter the events venue greeted by more than 500 students chanting for his win.
There is a descent from all the greatness facebook offers though, there always is. June Talvitie-Siple is one of the many who have been fired over a post made on facebook. When facebook switched its privacy settings in 2010, people on facebook found themselves accessible to be viewed by strangers and unwelcomed viewers. June basically stated that her status that went along the lines of stating, “I'm so not looking forward to another year at Cohasset Schools…” She understood why she was and said she would’ve done the same thing if put into that situation as school superintendent.
Facebook is a wonderful tool that helps spread the word about people’s different ideals and connect long lost relatives. But once again, there is a loophole, and like karma, you know the saying.
Sources: CNBC show The Facebook Obsession and The Facebook Effect Kirkpatrick, D. 2010
Which way would you say you lean on whether or not Facebook is a "good" tool? I would lean ore towards it being a great tool where it's benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. I believe that it is better for people to be more transparent, and things like Facebook help promote it (if not enforce). Also connecting people in the way it does outweighs the fact that some people abuse Facebook and it hurts their relationships in real life.
ReplyDeleteAs with everything there are pros and cons. Yea its a great tool to connect people but there are great repercussions that occur because of this social media tool.
ReplyDeleteHere is a great article about Facebook being one of the causes of failed marriages: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/6857918/Facebook-fuelling-divorce-research-claims.html
I guess you could say I am more of pessimist when it comes to social media tools taking over someones daily life.
Facebook has not only made people more antisocial, like the husband divorcing his wife via facebook, but in a way more cruel. At least to me thats how I look at it.
I believe that one of the large factors for the Obama victory in 2008 is due to the fact his campaign used social media perfectly. They were hip and cool and up to date with technology... or so it seemed. I did not vote for him but there is no doubt he ran one of the most brilliant campaigns, if not the most brilliant, of all time.
ReplyDeleteBeing about to connect so effortlessly to millions of people is such an amazing tool. The farther we advance in society the cheaper, faster, and easier it is to communicate. Facebook is an amazing catalyst for advancing communication across the masses.
Social media is a force to be reckoned with. It grow bigger everyday and doesnt seem to be giving up anytime soon. Alex makes a great point that Obama used social networks in his campaign, and many believe that because of that he won the election. Sure it has contributed to the downfall of human attention spans, but it has connected millions with information they would not be able to get because of the vast population "wired" in.
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