Task 4: Facebook

Okay, so I took a little tour of some Facebook pages. How exciting! There's only so much you can do with your Facebook to make it intriguing. I actually looked at all of them suggested by webolution (why not?) and found that the National Portrait Gallery one was pretty cool (because it had portraits).
I don't have a Facebook, and I was relieved that I wasn't going to be forced to make one for this task. I can see the appeal of reconnecting with old friends and networking with current friends, but I think it's kind of strange to "make new friends" on facebook or any other social networking site for that matter. It's hard enough staying in touch with actual friends without trying to befriend people that are out in the ether. Maybe I'm being overly critical, though.

Again, my aversion to Facebook goes back to my aversion to blogging and having everyone see what I post. I don't have that need to acquaint everyone I know with everything I am thinking and/or doing (but I guess that's what I'm doing right this second). I generally just write long emails to my sister or cousin about what's going on in my life, but I kind of figure that no one else really cares (to the degree that my sister and cousin do).

I'll go back to talking about the Facebook pages I visited and finish off by saying why I think everyone, including the President, have them. I liked that Josh Penry had a picture of his son's first day back to school. There were a lot of pictures of Obama on his page--a lot (at least when I looked at it). Coca~cola's page was unimpressive. I guess I just thought that the fans' comments were lame--"tastes great!"--what kind of comment is that? Oh well.

I think that the reason that everyone is getting on board with Facebook is the same reason that everyone was starting to get a website a decade or so ago. Facebook is just the next thing--it's a lot like advertising for companies like coca~cola, except it's more personal. Does coca~cola have a Facebook because they want to make friends? No, of course not. They want people to continue to buy and drink (rather than pouring it out in the gutter--but then again, they probably don't care what you do with it after you've bought it) their product. It's advertising.

Okay, I think this post has gone on for long enough.