Using Facebook to Make Connections

Facebook is a hot topic these days.  It consumes not only our lives, but our media as well.  Many have wondered what, besides boredom, makes us so addicted to Facebook.  Well, I have a theory. 

Older generations scoff at the youth of this nation (world?) for spending so much time on Facebook.  Yes, I am aware that Facebook accounts for a great percentage procrastination, and yes, one of our favorite pastimes is Facebook stalking, but more importantly, we use Facebook to make connections with people.  In a world where eye contact and smiling at strangers is a dying art, we seek new methods of interaction.  I admit at times we get carried away, drunk on status updates and “liking”, but the drive behind these activities stems from the human instinct to bond with others. 

Would people get so fed up if snail mail replaced Facebooking and we spent our precious time licking stamps and posting letters?  I doubt it.  So those that dislike the popularity of Facebook should ask themselves: am I really mad at Facebook or am I just afraid that Facebook represents a change from the good ol’ days to an era of technological advancement that alters our meaning of connection, from personal interactions to a cold and distant note via Facebook? 

We seek person-to-person interactions, but since we have become accustomed to the modern mode of communication—texting, phoning, Facebook, Skype, IM, email—where some newfangled machine acts as the middleman, we find comfort among the robotics.  Furthering our tendency to seek meaningful connections in this manner, are our hectic lives.  Why take time to meet for coffee when you can send a heartfelt Facebook message instead? 

I don’t want to get on the subject of blame and fault.  Just understand that more than mere boredom propels us into the virtual world of Facebook.  The profiles you peruse belong to real people attempting to ward off the feeling of isolation that is becoming so prevalent.  The irony is that we are under the delusion that one more friend, or an invite to an event, will lead to lasting fulfillment and contentment, when, at the end of the day it only matters who is in your life, and not in your friends list.

See also… what if your parents are on Facebook.