The 'Fate' of Facebook

[Plenum]

you know, there was a time even up till 3 or 4 years ago when Facebook still had the 'halo effect'. This 'halo effect' has been endowed upon companies like Microsoft and Google in the distant past, where almost everything they touch turns to gold. And yet, after a time, whether it is due to changed management practices ('managing for the shareholder rather than higher ideals'), or just sinking under the weight of its own size, all companies start playing it safe, rather than continue innovating.

Facebook seems to have hit a place where the cultural backlash is gaining quite some momentum. There have always been some holdouts, as there always is with popular trends, but now its almost become au fait to say you've abandoned the Facebook ship, and even gone so far as to have deleted your account. I know that it's a step that I've taken.

this is a great Ars Technica article on why facebook is losing some of its popularity (and its not due solely to company decisions). It's a great read.

http://arstechnica.com/business/2014/02/...cifically/

The art of the Facebook-stalk

While plenty of studies have been conducted on the productive uses of Facebook—forming or maintaining weak ties, supplementing close relationships, or fostering new, casual ones—there are plenty that also touch on the site as a means for passive monitoring. Whether it was someone we'd never met, a new acquaintance, or an unrequited infatuation, Facebook eventually had enough breadth that you could call up virtually anyone's profile, if only to see how fat they've gotten.

You are who you choose to be

But beyond the bounds of being tied to a real name, users still projected an idealized self to others; a type of "possible self," or many possible selves, depending on their sharing settings. Rather than try to describe themselves to others, users projected a sort of aspirational identity.

People were more likely to associate themselves with cultural touchstones, like movies, books, or music, than really identify themselves. You might not say you like rock music, but you might write Led Zeppelin as one of your favorite bands, and everyone else can infer your taste in music as well as general taste and coolness from there.

These identity proxies also became vectors for seeking approval. "The appeal is as much to the likeability of my crowd, the desirability of my boyfriend, or the magic of my music as it is to the personal qualities of the Facebook users themselves," said the study. The authors also noted that, for instance, users tended to post photos of themselves mostly in groups in social situations. Even the profile photos, which would ostensibly have a single subject, were socially styled.

Fear of missing out

In strict terms of self-motivation, posting something and getting a good reception feels good. But most of Facebook use is watching other people post about their own accomplishments and good times. For a social network of 300 friends with an even distribution of auspicious life events, you are seeing 300 times as many good things happen to others as happen to you (of course, everyone has the same amount of good luck, but in bulk for the consumer, it doesn't feel that way). If you were happy before looking at Facebook, or even after posting your own good news, you're not now.

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in the end, I think almost all people value authentic interactions, and in my experience, Facebook ends up being a massive broadcast of 'likeable' material, in the attempt to get some sort of 'feedback' or acceptance.

everyone uses FB differently, but when it ends up being a massive broadcast and rebroadcast of memes, where is the learning, and the deeper inquiry, and the valueing of the unique other-self?

[Namaste]

If it were not for my business I would ditch FB entirely :¬)

It can be very useful - organising get togethers and sharing photos of an event with all participants to see - but when people 'idle' on FB simply because they have nothing better to do, it becomes a black hole of procrastination and wasted opportunity.

I was one of those people (although the time was spent chatting in private groups), and instead decided to pick up and practice the guitar anytime I felt the need to visit FB. I hardly visit it now.

[isis]

i want there to be a site called something like 'what i look like now' where u update your pic(s) regularly. i wouldn't want friending to be an option, at least not public friending, but the option to message privately would be necessary. there would be no pic comments. there would be no wall comments. there would be no posts. there would be no personal interests/info stuff shared. i think it would be awesome.

[reeay]

Wow image combining the social networking bit of FB or Skype and forum type discussions. We have groups in FB but it's a challenge to relay stuff in those places. Ultimate distraction mmm mmm mmm.

[Conifer16]

Wow image combining the social networking bit of FB or Skype and forum type discussions. We have groups in FB but it's a challenge to relay stuff in those places. Ultimate distraction mmm mmm mmm.

Ultimate distraction eh. Try Tumblr. :-P