What's the point of MySpace, Facebook and Twitter?

[♥☺ bratiskim∞! ☺♥]

I don't really understand what the point is of being so connected all the time. Why do these sites exist? What's so fascinating about them? It kinda seems like a waste of time to me.

[jon144au]

agreed!

[Saxophone101]

I understand using one because it help you keep in contact with friends easier than email, but not all three.

[chris s]

Well we live in a very social global environment. It is becoming more and more important to be able to communicate with others and share information easily. Sites like Facebook and twitter (myspace is a little old school) make that possible. Businesses are even using both of these to better contact their user base. It carries with it a share of dangers but most progress does.

[nizer]

myspace is overrated. i use facebook but to talk to my friends and classmates, but thats it. twitter i think is so stupid because all you do is say what you are doing and i think thats pretty creepy for people to know every little thing that you are doing..

[ptah_hartman]

Hey Bratiskim,

I was of the same opinion not too long ago. I was hesitant to jump on the social network bandwagon for the longest time. It seemed a little obsessive to me. Frankly, I still kind of think it is. I thought about it, however, and I came to some sort of conclusion about the whole thing.

Have you ever been to another, poorer country? Maybe on vacation to the Dominican Republic or a Caribbean island. Maybe you come from one. What I remember the most of those places was the atmosphere. People seemed so much friendlier, approachable.

In North America, I've found that people seem a lot more closed off. There are these invisible barriers that exist between us. If you started talking to a random stranger on the bus, they would probably think you were weird. Sweet, but weird.

Social networks like the ones you mentioned allow a certain liberty of expression. They, in a sense, dissolve the barriers that are prevalent in our daily lives. They allow us to communicate details about our lives in such an unobtrusive way. In satisfies an urge we have for proximity.

When you add the fact that you can communicate with people all over the country and all over the world, share photos and videos with random people (something you couldn't easily do on the street) and establish a continuous relationship with anyone which can then blossom into something more concrete, it becomes easier to see why so many people gravitate towards social networks. Heck, could you imagine people shouting out questions from their windows to random strangers?!

All in all, I'm glad we have these avenues. As long as they stay optional, I'll be happy. I'll tell you what will really be weird; neuro-brain interfaced that will allow us to update are statuses with a thought. Now that'll be something to blog about!

Thanks for your question and I hope I helped,

Ptah

[Sunrise]

http://www.facebook.com/
Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you.
Facebook is made up of many networks, each based around a workplace, region, high school or college.
You can use Facebook to:
* Share information with people you know.
* See what’s going on with your friends.
* Look up people around you.

http://www.myspace.com/
Create a private community on MySpace and you can share photos, journals and interests with your growing network of mutual friends!
See who knows who, or how you are connected.

http://twitter.com/
A global community of friends and strangers answering one simple question: What are you doing? Answer on your phone, IM, or right here on the web!

You can be connected 1 hour per day only to see what is going on and reach your friends if they live far away from you,as long as you are online for a short time then this isn't considered as a waste of time,you are the only one who controls the time you are online.

[Nekhtet]

Social networking isn't for everyone and it depends on how one uses it.

(1) Personal reasons. Some people have Myspace, Facebook, and/or twitter and solely keep up with long distance friends and family. I know ALOT of military wives who use social networking so that their families can see pics and keep in touch with them.

(2) Social networking can advance careers. I personally use it to network with my blogger friends that I have made over the years. As it turns out I have been asked to work with an online magazine. Without twitter I would probably have never been asked. Since going to the online mag earlier this year I am now being asked to assist with putting on social media conferences. I actually make a little bit of money by doing so. Without social media I wouldn't be able to do that.

Bottom line, you get out of it what you put into it. If you think it's a waste of time then it would be for you.