Social networking. Oxymoron?
I have been a Facebook user for a few years now. And I have been using Twitter for almost a year. My frequency of usage has ebbed and flowed over time, and has increased greatly in the last month. The main reason for my social network vigilance is my new iPhone. And as of last night I have access to Facebook and Twitter through my Xbox LIVE account. So now I can socialize with my friends from virtualy anywhere. It’s fun.
What I find funny though is how it’s called social networking, when there is very little social interaction at all. Sure, I’ve been to and even hosted events that owe the head count to Facebook messages and invitations. My wedding included. And I guess that does justify it as being a social tool. But I find that a very large percentage of the usage of facebook is barely considered social. And as fun and informative as Twitter can be, it’s hardly more than a digital stream of conciousness. I guess it is all forms of social interaction. But should scrolling through dozens of tweets, and occasional comments on status updates while sitting on the couch in my underwear be considered social?
“And as fun and informative as Twitter can be, it’s hardly more than a digital stream of consciousness” I like this! So true… never heard it put better…