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

[satyrblade.livejournal.com]

I use four different blogs/ profiles because I've got friends and connections all over the western hemisphere and can't keep up with (or keep track of) them all without an extensive online network.

Besides, online profiles allow to stay in touch better, organize things faster, and learn about stuff more rapidly than any other medium in existence. The bigger your net(work), the more you know about, the vaster your resources, and the quicker you find out what's going on... or spread the word about important situations on your own end. (Witness Sooj's predicament and our community response.)

[satyrblade.livejournal.com]

Oh - and for the record, I vastly prefer LJ.... which, given their recent labor problems, I have very mixed feelings about!

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Thx for your thoughts - appreciated. Yes, I've been thinking about the Save Our Sooj thingie, too, which made it so much easier (logistically) to deal with on-line and get out the word.

Re: staying in touch BETTER - there's breadth and then there's depth. I very much enjoyed the first conversation(s) we had and connections I felt we made, early morning at FWorlds, w/out lots of others about and w/out distractions beyond the beauty of the day dawning...THOSE are the moments I treasure and enjoy so much...the deeper ones. A poke on FB or even a comment on LJ ain't quite the same...but they are better than a poke in the eye or nothing at all. :-) And we've got busy full lives, so the little touches do matter (and the taking the time to respond here matters - thx again).