Facebook: Changing Our Lives

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Author

Miss Mary

Release Date

Saturday, September 25, 2010

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What do you make of this thing called Facebook?

Zuckerberg, along with a few fellow Harvard geeks, developed what can possibly be the most important lifestyle-changing, social networking platform.

Facebook.

What can I say? Facebook and I have a love hate relationship.... I spend far too much of my live staring at a computer monitor, laptop or iPhone screen getting my regular fix of its cyber tonic. But why? What is so fascinating about this social networking phenomenon? Why is it that something that was nonexistent five years ago is so important to us all?

Facebook has fast replaced my daily read of Sky Showbiz and other daily gossip columns. News spreads much faster and timelier on facebook than anything I have ever witnessed! What ever happened to Just Wondering by the way? Anyway I digress. With facebook, no longer do you have to wonder what's going on with some people. You get a blow by blow itinerary about everything, including their bathroom habits, who knuckling whom, and which woman wants their man.

On the other hand, you also get to instantaneously share pictures of your family with loved ones. I have enjoyed virtual tours around the world with lovely pictures of Cambodia, Brazil, Thailand, Montserrat, Australia and many more.

I absolutely love the daily inspirational quotes and messages (the ones that make sense anyway). However, there are some comments that really descend into the gutter and have no place in a public social forum. As a general rule, before posting something on my status or comment, I ask myself three questions: How does saying this add any value to me or others? How would this affect me getting that dream job? And does it pass the Granny test? If you no ha nut'n good fu say, no say um.

I've seen some real interesting cussing matches between enemies on a daily basis in statuses on facebook, which really is putting the saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer' into practice.

Facebook is a great marketing tool. They promise that you can reach millions with fan pages and ads. I am not sure I would have heard about Soca Frenzy or Empreciz Accessories if it weren't for facebook. By the way I got a lovely necklace and ring to rock on the Rock this Christmas from Empreciz.

Currently I have accumulated 35 pokes. With my vast experience on facebook, I found that the secret to pokes is that you need to give to receive. But whilst I am on the subject of poking, I wonder what it means to poke? For me, it is just a friendly nudge. But others might misconstrue my poke to mean something completely different.

One guy messaged me right away after I had poked him, to ask where I wanted my poke that he was sending back to me. I have to say, I have not poked him since.

What I find worrying is the trend I see developing of people posting too much personal information publicly. I have nearly 700 friends. Do I know them all? Do you know everyone on your friend list? Most likely not. But be aware that there are people out there (some of them your friends) who would use your personal information to commit fraud or worst yet harm you or your family. I don't have my date of birth on facebook page. However I saw recently a calendar I was tagged in asking me to form a sentence with my date of birth, and providing a key for me to make the sentence. Warning! That was just another way of getting your information. Be smart my people!

And another thing... Some of these pics I see are borderline scandalous, if not page 3 material. Ladies please, please don't take this the wrong way, but keep it in the bedroom and not on your wall for every Tutmon, Sam and Bagai. Show some decorum. I hate seeing women that are size 14 squeezed into a size 10 bikini, with breast and everything else hanging out posing off in their profile pic! Since when has wearing your size gone out of fashion? I am a healthy size 16, but I wear size 18 so I'm comfortable.

On personal relationships; if you are the jealous type facebook is definitely not the place for you. The green eyed monster comes out to play daily on facebook. For example, I was tagged in a picture with a gentleman, and his "girlfriend" proceeded to comment asking me to get my hands off her man. Now give me a break! My first reaction was she cannot possibly be serious. It was an innocent picture. Just imagine what would happen if your man did not want to update his status to say in a relationship, or if he keeps his status as single? A trouble wuk!

While facebook can be helpful in a healthy relationship it has also added an extra layer of complexity to already complex relationships especially for people who like to live their lives online. If you are the jealous type it's best not to have your special guy as your facebook friend.

I read someone's status that absolutely sums up facebook quite nicely. It read: 'Welcome everyone, to the world's greatest amusement park... Facebook, where liars tell more lies, losers are CEOs, enemies are facebook friends, every sinner is a saint, weak people are cyber thugs, haters complain about haters, every relationship seems loving and secure (even when it's not), So step right up people... You can be whatever you want to be here." - Author unknown.

Having said all that, I'm hooked!

Miss Mary xxx

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