Marc Friedman
Media Literacy
Professor Jacobsen
Whither the Individual
Many people in today’s society worry about joining a social network. Facebook and Twitter have become such a huge part of the world and they are so hyped up that it may appear intimidating to join. But another concern that is typically overlooked is that of losing individuality and personal space. Many people criticize social networks saying that they force people into unwanted conformity. In my opinion, this should not be a concern in the least. These social networks are a place where one can express themselves, connect with friends, stay in touch with the world and learn new things.
When joining a social network such as Facebook or Twitter, it is not guaranteed that you will conform to the cookie-cutter profile in which so many people put themselves. Although there may be a strict guidelines and formats to follow in the design of the website itself, there is otherwise almost unlimited freedom. Since Facebook and Twitter are the two most popular and commonly used social networks today, I will use specific examples from these sites. On Facebook, there is an “About Me” area which is meant for providing basic information about yourself. This section not only includes space for your school or company, but also provides room to right a short personal biography. This is a great place to express yourself and be original. Twitter has a similar section, although it is not as in-depth. Unlike Facebook, you cannot display your relationship status, birthday, interests, or several other details.
Apart from the preliminary descriptions, the most popular part of Facebook and Twitter is the posting section. On Twitter it is called “tweeting,” on Facebook it is simply called “posting” a status. The purpose of this area is basically to write anything that happens to be on your mind. In fact, within the blank text box on Facebook reads “What’s on your mind?” This is specifically encouraging individuality and creativity. Twitter’s encouragement reads “What’s happening?” The great part about these social networks is that you are directly connected to the rest of the world. On Twitter, you can post something, anything you want, and it will immediately be available to the rest of the worldwide Twitter network. In an article titled “Social Media for Introverts,” analyst Chris Guillebeau states “The beauty of the internet is that you can be yourself and somewhere you’ll find other people who are interested.”
This brings me to my next point; social networks are an excellent place to not only keep in touch with friends, but to gain new ones. As a part of the constantly tweeting community, you will always be connected to the rest of the world. Naturally, this means the opportunity for more friends in more places. On Twitter, people tend to tweet their opinions on various subjects. It is likely you will come across an interesting view on a particular topic that you agree with. By “following” this person, you will be alerted of all their recent tweets. Engagement with this person or input on their comment could lead to further discussion and eventually a new friendship. It is easy to find people with similar views as yourself on the vast network of Twitter. Chris Guillebeau writes “I’ve always had a small circle of close, local friends but now I enjoy knowing a much larger group of people all over the world. I think the difference is that the people I’m getting to know are self-selected.”
But perhaps you are not looking for new friendship. Maybe you just want to learn something new and stay in touch with the modern world and community. In my opinion, Facebook is the better place for keeping in touch with current friends. On Facebook, you are free to post on the “walls” of friends and other people in your network, depending on privacy settings. Facebook is good about keeping content private and secluded to only the people you want seeing it. The privacy settings are extensive and re-assuring on Facebook. Anyone worried about personal space should take advantage of these options. Being yourself may be easier when you are only around people you know. Twitter is more open, but many people see this as an advantage. It opens the doors to a more educational experience. Writer Jim Mitchem explains in one of his blogs, “There’s actually value in following people you don’t engage with.” Following other people gives you the opportunity to see topics from many different viewpoints. Many people really do have interesting things to say. After sifting through all of the personal commentary that is commonly found on Twitter, you can certainly find valuable information. “Following” the right person could lead to a helpful learning experience.
Lastly, there is one more type of social network that I would like to cover. In the PBS documentary “Digital Nation” by Douglas Rushkoff and Rachel Dretzin, the creator of Second Life, Philip Rosedale, was interviewed. He explained how the program works, and how people can meet online and hang out wherever they want in their own created world. This program provides an interactive opportunity to be yourself, but in whatever environment you can dream of. Though programs such as these may pose potential issues such as addiction and loss of reality and real-life communication skills, they do not however, restrict individuality and personal space. I believe it does the opposite, giving people an opportunity to express themselves and show their creativity.
Overall, a social network is not a place that should be feared. It is a great place to keep in touch with friends, meet new people with similar interests, and even learn new things. Most importantly, networks like Twitter and Facebook are not guaranteed to force you into the cookie-cutter profile of modern society. It is easy to be yourself and express your own ideas and individuality. Conformity has always been and will always be a large concern in the world, but the standard interfaces of sites such as Twitter and Facebook do not constrict our personality and creativity enough to make us operate strictly as one collective organism of hyper-people. I am not sure how this will change in the future, but I do know one thing, I am certainly looking forward to seeing the new movie The Social Network.
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