On On-Line Social Networking

[mlerules]

I've been ruminating on the purposes and goals of on-line social networking recently as I've been wandering around in FaceBook these past few days. I have some thoughts that'll likely spill/spew forth here before long. This pretty well sums up what I do NOT care for about it.

Why do YOU use FaceBook and/or LJ and/or MySpace and/or whatEVER? What goals do you have in using it/whatEVER (if any)? What needs do you hope to fulfill/have fulfilled? What do you want to, hope to, and actually GET out of it? What's it FOR, in your opinion? (And what's IT?) I'm curious and'd really like to know, as it might help shed some light on these issues for myself. (And because generating and engaging in at least some slightly more in-depth discussion/conversation is something I value and prefer LJ for over FB, at least so far.)

Comments

[ladyaraia.livejournal.com]

Hey beautiful. I have been contemplating this question lately too as I have recently joined both Twitter and Facebook after long saying I would not. I am happy here on LJ so what do I need those *other* social networking sites for?

But the more I thought about it the more I found each one had its own use for me.

And because generating and engaging in at least some slightly more in-depth discussion/conversation is something I value and prefer LJ for over FB, at least so far.
This is a good example of what I mean. I will be using LJ for my big thinky thoughts and longer posts. I also don't filter my LJ much except to my "Friends" in general so it is a pretty personal space for me. I won't let just anyone in. And mostly keeping up with the daily life of the people close to me.

As far as Twitter, I feel like it gives me the chance to post a very little bit of info as often as i like. That is something I don't like to do on LJ. I don't like to spam peoples Friend Lists with short thoughts through the day. But sometimes that keeps me from posting. I don't have time to write out a whole big thing. So, yay, Twitter. Also, I am able to get a peek into the lives of some "famous" people I really admire and *that* too is not weird and stalker-ish. :) (Like Neil Gaiman, LeVar Burton, and Adam Savage, cool stuff!)

And what I have found on Facebook is a really easy way to reach out to those people from my past that I have no other way of finding. The interesting thing I am finding with Facebook is, as long as you have known the person at some time in your life, it is not weird to friend them. There is no expectation of close personal connection like I want before I friend someone on LJ and let them into all of my personal life. Now, because of this, I will not be posting anything earth-shatteringly personal on Facebook. But I have found old high school friends and long lost family that I would have no other way of talking to.

So, probably way more info than you were looking for, but there you go! :)

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

So, probably way more info than you were looking for, but there you go!

No, this is PRECISELY what I was hoping for - thank you SO much for sharing your thoughts/feelings w/me. Much of it resonates and rings true for me. You've managed to articulate well some thoughts that'd been swirling through my mind recently and I really appreciate it!