Lets Face it...

Ok, so social networking sites are nothing new and I'm probably slow to jump onto the bandwagon but having already gotten myself a myspace, now left generally untouched, I was unsure about joining the latest fashion trend and adding myself to Facebook... That is until I found out that just everyone is doing it!



I was lured by work colleagues and soon found myself thinking Facebook about everything! What's it got that other sites haven't? Well, there's more interactivity than myspace, the only other site I'm really familiar with. Start with a Poke and you're soon Slapping, Hugging, Sending gifts, Biting a la Vampire or werewolf, Infecting other zombies, comparing yourself to others, sharing musical tastes... It seems to snowball from the moment you sign up, engulfing more and more of your online time till you're barely keeping up with your blog or communicating on established message boards!! (What? me? Never!)

But why is this kind of site so popular? Why can't we pick up the phone, or send a letter? Why can't we share photo's by email or heaven forbid, actually develop them and send copies to friends? What stops us inviting folk round for dinner rather than waiting till they're online for a private message conversation? It all seems to bring the world closer yet also pushes it further away. yes, we can communicate more easily with those outside of our direct locality but it's all too easy to fall into the same social contact structure with family, close friends and even your partner?

Well, we're not there yet... We still talk to each other at home and even text whilst at work but I'm sure there're techno-couples out there who only ever physically contact in bed at night!

I'm not complaining too hard though. I'm enjoying my early days of Facebook experience, albeit still new and novel. It may even produce friendships that last the typically transient periods of staffing at the hospital where I work, keeping a contact with those who move on where previously this was lost, though only time will tell! Jxx