OK, so maybe you’#39;ve heard of Facebook. If not, you’#39;re obviously out of touch with the world around you. It’#39;s essentially an on-line directory. But really, it’#39;s far more than that. For those of us who have discovered the Facebook, it has proven to be a way of life. I signed onto the site a week ago, and I’#39;ve been trying to get my friends to sign up ever since. They inevitably ask me what it is. There’#39;s the rub. It’#39;s kind of hard to explain. I think it’#39;s easier to clarify the meaning of life than it is to let someone know exactly what Facebook is.
So what is Facebook?
Well, um, it’#39;s…well with a metaphysical belief in a higher power, the question could be raised in the same venue as what is happiness? I believe that meaning then depends not on one finite concept and infallible answer, but instead on individuals. Different people have different purposes, thus having different ultimate meanings, making meaning relative.
Josh, that was beautiful. But it doesn’#39;t tell me what Facebook is. Oh, about that, what is it? It’#39;s free. Seriously though, Facebook is a directory and everyone at BG whose on it (roughly 1,250 people) has these profiles which tell about them; where they’#39;re from, what music they listen to, how often they read my column, etc. And when you start an account, you can leave different information blank, if you so choose. So if you don’#39;t want some weirdo leering over his computer at your home address, you don’#39;t have to put it down. Let’#39;s face it, if someone really wants to know your address, they’#39;ll find it. Believe me, I know.
Another one of the features of Facebook is that you list your friends on your profile. And people list every person whom they ever meet as their friends. I’#39;ve seen some people from other schools that have like a hundred people listed. Other colleges had it before BGSU.
It was started this past February by a sophomore at Harvard. In the beginning of the site, all of the places that had it were prestigious universities, like Columbia, Stanford, and Yale. I don’#39;t know why it took them so long to bring Facebook to us in the 4-1-9.
Today, more than 200 are schools on the network, and it’#39;s getting bigger everyday. Its sweeping campuses like the bubonic plague swept through Europe or like syphilis swept through MacDonald.
You can also make up groups on Facebook, and/or join other people’#39;s groups. It’#39;s essentially common interest type things that people make up. Now when you start a group, people are just in it by name. It may sound silly to join a group, if you don’#39;t actually do stuff with them, but it’#39;s all a part of the Facebook magic.
To recap: You sign-up for an account. Then read people’#39;s profiles; sign up as many people as you can as friends, both BG students and friends from other schools; and then you make up and join groups which never do anything.
So you’#39;re not really doing anything on Facebook, but it’#39;s completely addictive. The only thing I can say is try it for yourself. One of my friends at Ohio State was telling me about it earlier in the year and I thought, ‘That doesn’#39;t sound so great,’ but it was before I saw the light. Facebook is awesome, and it’#39;s a lot more fun than studying.