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I went thought several publications recently criticizing Facebook and Twitter so badly. Sociological impact of Internet is area of my personal interest. Focus of this subject, talking negatives, goes mainly towards social networking. That is why Facebook is bombarded by criticism.
Comparing those facts I don’t think it is best way for Facebook to go. It raises questions, it raises criticism. Instead of responding to sociologists screaming to be heard by them, they going deeper and deeper into “profitable” way of thinking. How to “suck” assets from users and how to “use” their information.
As people are social animals and we do have something called desire for social esteem, this idea of advertising is absolutely spot-on. I am not questioning that. Same as TV advertising, it is well known fact, best way is to show product in everyday life. That is why you can find known-labels in movies and TV shows. It is working on your subconscious without noticing.
This is because we got use to idea, that TV presents life of Celebrities, and idealistic world. World where you want to be. So when you see that recognizable person-actor is using particular brand, if marketers connects that with few carefully chosen simple words, you are convinced without questioning it is right product for you. Because you want to be that person, you want to be in that image, so you have to buy this brand. Because you have that image burned in your subconsciousness pages. You will say now “yea I know that”. But really …do you?
Doing research regarding Internet additions etc, I came to conclusion, which was supported by several other sources that Facebook is good when used as enhancement for interacting. But not so good when it is a replacement for face-to-face contact. Also it is very dangerous for people with low self and social esteem. Narcissism is the word you looking for if you want to know where exceeded usage of Facebook will take you. Next are addiction, isolation and finally depression. So is it really such improvement for our social life?
It is if you old-school type of person, keeping face-to-face contacts, just using Facebook to easy share photos, or send quick messages. It is very handy. But it starts taking direction of “over-”, as over-doing, over-crowded, over-loaded, over-time-consuming, and so on.
That brings me to another subject of people having thousand of “friends”. Where in real life they quite often don’t have any. I am not talking about this because it is sad, it is not, it is alarming.
It is difficult takes for teenagers and kids to find their place in social group. Even more difficult to find real friends. But where online social networking comes dangerous is giving them easy way to substitute difficult real relationships, which actually requires you to do something, to easy online fake relationships, with no responsibility what whatever. So you can imagine what it does to “weaker” psychologically young people.
Machine creating people having thousand friends, sitting at the computer whole evening, posting jokes, videos, having fun. But it is all-good when it’s good. But when its bad it is really bad. Simply because we all trying one way or other to escape from responsibility. Now such “fake” friends as well. So when you are in trouble, I can be pretty sure, it will be too much effort for a guy from Brazil to fly over to Britain to give you help you when you need it. Even guy next door, which is your Facebook friend, not real one, will simply log out and ignore you. That is why people are “using” each other’s on Facebook. Creating fake relationships, surrounding themselves with social circles, which require their constant attention – to look good. Everyone want to be approved by others, it is out natural instinct.
Question you should ask, who should be the one approving you.
Do you really should care that one of you online friends like Strabucks?
Starbucks is perfect example here, because of their brand image and what picture you have when you hear that words. But that is different subject.
Talking about online advertising you have only two main subjects to talk about. Search Engines and Social Networking. First one means Google, as they are monopolists in this area, and second Facebook and Twitter.
I am not a big enthusiast of Facebook advertising, simply because of voices of criticism coming from everywhere. And as I’ve learned in my live, crucial part of opinionism is to listen. But another online advertising monster seems to be handing that problem much better then Facebook.
Yes, Google, and yes I am a supporter of their strategy. This is one of small group of companies which managed to bring something useful to people and make profits at the same time. Probably by accident, two young students trying to make some cash by doing what they know the best.
They invented simple technology that solved problem of crowded Internet.
Why it is so popular? Because it provides what we need – information. In any subject, anywhere in the worlds, with priority of trends, latest updates, 24×7.
Let me put it in simple words. B.G (Before Google) it took me approximately 2-4h to get information I needed. A.G. (After Google) it took me about 10 minutes. If you multiply this by number of people using Google, something 1000 times a day, you can imagine what sort of information ocean it is.
At the same time, where it’s free for end user, its open for advertisers. Splitting search result page into “organic” and “paid-sponsored” sections.
And still in both cases system prioritising quality and content of websites it is presenting to you to match to your “searched” phrase most accurate.
So it does something good to us, it is not addictive and makes fortune.
Well we can argue about how deeply Google is rooted in our information-gaining processes, looking from that point of view, it is addictive, but no more then reading headers in newspaper and choosing only article you are interested in.
We should be aware of Google dependency, meaning how we depend on them. That is something we should be aware, and we should teach our kids how to read books, go to library, how to discover world in different way then just “googling it”. But difference between Google and Facebook are those major strategies, resulting with those little things that matter to each individual.
What addiction to Google will do to you, it will make you more aware, more informed, it will be “shallow” knowledge rooted in Internet – where point of argument will be – “I’ve seen in Google..”. Right or wrong, but still it will get you talking to other person. So it is not that bad as depression don’t you think?
But in both cases, it is the same key point over and over. Same as alcohol, it’s fun if you know when to stop, if you don’t it is just mess, headaches and ruined morale.
Know your limits, look at yourself with distance, be objectively positive, listen to others and question thinks, try to find answers on your own, work on your conclusions. Be inspired to discover “everything” on your own.
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