Caleb Linn
Recitation: Frankie 4:30 Wednesday
12-12-08
Koobecaf

Facebook has evolved into the focal point for all social activity for the you of our nation. The reason for this is Facebook and its constant flow of new news creates a social environment without people having to physically be somewhere. Anyone who decides to check it out just once is just as likely to get completely hooked as someone that loves puzzles and sees a crossword for the first time. The first time it seems all right and you don't test it out for very long before you log off. Then curiosity gets the best of you and you can't resist another taste of the news feed.

Depending on the person you can become obsessed and have to log on several times a day or try to discipline yourself and only give in a couple times per day. Facebook has completely changed the way that we communicate in our society. It seems like the traditionsal conversation is almost a foreign concept to us now. Cell phones were even beginning to take a back burner until Internet access on our phones allowed us to log on to Facebook. The reason that the traditional conversation is fading is because we see Facebook as a much better convenience to us. It allows us to talk to several people at the same time and keep up with how our friends are doing without having to physically ask them or call them. The Facebook chat feature was an ingenious addition to the site. Though it has quirks, people are willing to deal with it because it is so much easier to talk on Facebook than another instant messenger in another window. The funniest thing that I see and do myself is how we make new acquaintances. Any time we meet someone new, instead of trying to get together with them again and get to know each other by physically being in the same place enjoying time together, we take our first opportunity to get on Facebook and check out who theyare and what they're all about. If they're profile is blocked then we add them as a friend just to see they're profile. Whether you ever see that person again at least you can say you know that person and know what they're doing.

For the people we actually do talk to, the conversations have changed. Instead of getting together with our friends, we message them or try to catch them on Facebook chat. It is a benefit to people who may be really shy to talk to someone they really like but are too scared to talk in person. In reality though, those people will probably never come out of their shell if they can't muster up the confidence to talk to the person face to face. Even when we plan events, they are no longer by phone or email. Facebook has made it more convenient again. We just make a group or event on Facebook and usually get more guests than we plan for.

I think it's hilarious how obsessed some people can become to it. I know people that are on Facebook more often than not during the day. Whether it is to talk to friends, catch up on the gossip, or to play with the many games and applications, they can't resist from getting on. I would love to experiment how pwople would reace if Facebook were take away for a week. I bet it would be like taking a cell phone away from a teenage girl or take away a baby's favorite toy. People would go crazy! No one would know what to do with their spare time or what is going on in the world. They would actually have to resorty to calling their friends to see what is happening on the weekend or talk to people about how they're feeling instead of posting it on their status or writing a note about it. Facebook has become the new and revamped MySpace. Until the next one comes along it will continue to be popular in the teenage to young adult age group. It has begun to branch out to younger and older age groups as well. Since it is free, I don't see anything stopping it on its path to total communication domination.