..Social technologies like Blogging?, Facebook.com, Myspace.com etc?

Like or dislike? And do you think it effects our culture in a positive or negative way?

I think the technologies themselves are fine. The very basic ideas behind them are cool when used as intended. But unfortunately many people are incredible douchebags when it comes to the internet (See "John Gabriel's Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory") and they seem to just FLOCK to social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook (as well as taking the time to write hate mail and make comments on blogs they find fault with, even though technically it's entirely up to them whether they even visit those sites in the first place). I think too many people forget about social niceties when they're given the opportunity to snoop on other peoples' lives.

I belong to several social networking sites as well as run my own blog. These have helped me to stay in touch with family members and friends that I don't get to see very often due to geography and diverging schedules. Unfortunately a plethora of social idiots tends to ruin the experience for me more often than not. At the end of the day, I still prefer e-mails, chat programs, phone calls, and just good ol' face-to-face talking.

I think social networking has, for the most part, made us very lazy at maintaining relationships with others. It's become socially acceptable now to abandon actual communication with people and instead just drop crappy animated gifs on their comments section or challenge them to an IQ Quiz whenever we get a whim to do so. And people are OK with this! To me that's not friendship. That's an acquaintance at best. Social networking has also made it very easy for us to make ourselves more presentable to others than we really are. This is great for someone with low self-esteem...nothing like pretending you're super-awesome to give you a false sense of security. But is it really how we want to go about our daily lives?

I could probably blather on further, discussing Social Information Processing Theory, the Hyperpersonal model, and SIDE, but I would get really boring really quickly. Suffice it to say, at the end of the day, nothing beats real live in-person interaction.

~ Amanda

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..."

Good topic dogman!

I'm not into it at all really. Some idiots are willling to put their 'crazy' lives up for all to see on these pages, its a cringeworthy public popularity contest on a grand scale. OMG!1!! I WUZ SO WASTED LAST NITE!! AREN'T I MAD etc etc. 

I used to have a bebo page which was really handy for keeping in touch with friends that are spread around the globe but I deleted it and just use old fashioned email now.

Maybe I'm antisocial but I hate when people from school try and add me as a 'friend' and send me banal messages like 'long time no see, what are you doing now?' etc etc. Thing is, there's a reason why I dont keep in touch with certain people, and having to respond with equally banal bullshit whilst pretending to care about what they are 'doing now' is something that requires effort and often skillful avoidance of the inevitable requests to meet up for drinks and stuff. If you don't reply its plainly obvious as the message trail is there for all to see.

Add to these inconveniences the episode a few xmases ago when my girlfriend got herself all worked up after an ex left messages and winks all over my page saying really flirty stuff about being a good boy for santa! I had to delete it for the sake of a nice uncomplicated life.

Social networking has the potential to ruin lives I tell you.

"Harry, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it, don't wait for it, just let it happen. Could be a new shirt at the men's store, a catnap in your office chair, or two cups of good, hot, black coffee. Like this."  -Dale Cooper

"Harry, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it, don't wait for it, just let it happen. Could be a new shirt at the men's store, a catnap in your office chair, or two cups of good, hot, black coffee. Like this."  -Dale Cooper

Intermittently I have a Myspace. But I'd never be on multiple social networking sites.

Having a profile allows me to be in contact with casual acquaintances without inconveniencing them, or me, with phone calls.  (Yes, the phone is intrusive and can be awkward. There is a reason this mode of communication has become popular.) I restarted after I noticed the new privacy features. (your profile, pics can be private, strangers can't add you, you can hide your friends list.)  Stalking the ex is also rampant on sites like that, and I don't want to be on either end of that pastime. But I can meet strangers if I want to... I've met some way cool people through that site.

It's efficient- I can talk to a bunch of people at once through a bulletin. I can share my creative writing with anyone on my friends list who cares to read it, and I do the same with theirs. It can be more personal that face to face conversation, but you can also look the other way if sharing all emo-like makes you squeamish.  

What Amanda said.

I like the tried and true method of sitting down where you can see someone to chat with them. Having said that, you can find me on facebook and myspace if you know where to look.

I think they're a terrific way to waste your time on the Internet. I've been on MySpace for over a year, and I just signed up for Facebook earlier this month. Most of my MS contacts are family members (coupla Gazette members, too), my Fb folks are almost all classmates from my Uni.

I think of the profiles on these sites as dumping grounds for the Ego. I like having a run down of me. I share too much, maybe, but that's as true off the Interweb as on. Luckily, I'm living straight-edged enough that I will probably not lose a job for something posted on a website. I'd also never be stupid enough to put contact info in public view.

I use other sites as creative outlets. I was on LiveJournal for a period of time, and I run a Blogger blog through my website. I do not write about politics or my personal life. I have a YouTube account where I post my video projects, and I'm almost certain to get immediate feedback (though not always helpful comments).

Logic Hat Online- logichat.org

Luckily I've been spared that kind of bandwidth- wasting chain letter BS on my vids. I'm anal enough that I'd see it and delete it immediately, anyway. The worse I've gotten is

"annoying." Posted by this fellow: JackNightingale

'Least it was a semi-relevant critique. Though at first I assumed/hoped that he was a Korean man saying hello.

Logic Hat Online- logichat.org

I got on facebook earlier this year, mainly because I supervise a lot of people in their early 20's who use it to share photos, etc.  I can't stand all the stupid "apps", but it has actually been good for reconnecting with old friends from high school or college.  Its been a bit embarassing in terms of high school people though- my yearbook is in storage, and I've gotten a few "friend suggestions" for people in my high school that I have no recollection of. 

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QUOTE: QUOTE: ..Social technologies like Blogging?, Facebook.com, Myspace.com etc? Like or dislike? And do you think it effects our culture in a positive or negative way? Damn, this is crazy! I'm writing about this in my bachelor assignment right at this moment. I'm writing about web 2.0 and it's effect on the culture... I'll be following this thread closely the next days... damn

Wow, that sounds interesting, Kiddo! Like something I'd be interested in writing too. :) What precisely are you studying? 

"Lost on the freeway again, lookin' for means to an end."

Interesting video, LetsRoque!

QUOTE: QUOTE: QUOTE: ..Social technologies like Blogging?, Facebook.com, Myspace.com etc? Like or dislike? And do you think it effects our culture in a positive or negative way? Damn, this is crazy! I'm writing about this in my bachelor assignment right at this moment. I'm writing about web 2.0 and it's effect on the culture... I'll be following this thread closely the next days... damn Wow, that sounds interesting, Kiddo! Like something I'd be interested in writing too. :) What precisely are you studying?

What are you studying, Apogee?

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History... so I'm not sure whether I could pick the kind of topic that you are working with.

Håber ellers du har det godt. :)

"Lost on the freeway again, lookin' for means to an end."

Ah well, I see... but maybe you could somehow twist the topic and write about it in a historic context? :) Something like comparing the web 2.0 democratization to a digital marxisme :)

(Hah, jeg har det super. Hvad med dig? Vi skulle næsten catche up engang på MSN eller noget. Er du stadig på der? :D)

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I think they are great.  I have two blogs.  My prophetic blog is more active.  I had to make two myspace accounts  because I like horror movies, Stephen King books etc...  And my other myspace account is how can I say more "Christian"  The two groups would scare each other, so I am living kind of a double life.  Many on the Christian group would be scared of my friends who are into horror movies and stuff.  And prophecy would freak out the people who don't understand how prophecy works and it's purpose. 

I really don't use the myspace page with all the horror stuff much.  There are only a few people I have contacted and that is only through myspace.  The other blog is much more active.  And I know some of the people and talked with them on the phone or met them.  It is also a great way to keep in touch since most of my friends are all over the world.  

I just started using the class finder, although I don't know many of the people.  I was the shy kid in school and didn't know many people.  

"Lost on the freeway again, lookin' for means to an end."

Kevin, you don't see how the two overlap?

Look at the beginnings of horror: mad monks, crumbling cathedrals, medieval torture, witch hunts.

And look at the kids in black these days. They love crosses and angels and martyrdom. (You've seen Christopher Walken in The Prophecy, speaking of...)

You could totally pull off both in one.  Just hide your friends and comments.   

I see it, and I use to combine it, but I had to separate it because of the emails I would get.  All Christians are not like that.  I think it has to do with what church they go to or whatever.  Like people would see some of my friends and stuff and they would think I was AntiChrist in charge of the New World Order, LOL. 

And on my other blog I am sending out prophetic words, spritual teachings etc...  I can understand that freaking people out.  Some people would mock and others would be troubled by it.  For some reason the prophetic will do that to people more than any other spirtual gift.  And I don't mean bad things.  You can say something like "God Loves You"  and if it has a prophetic edge on it, some people will be uncomfortable about it.  Even though people in the New Age and Wicca seemed to really like the prophetic stuff.  

Not that having the two pages bother me.  I have some people on both pages.  It helps keep me focused.  The Christian blog has more to do with keeping in touch with people I know and also inspiring people etc...

The other one has more to do with talking about horror movies and also keeping in touch with creative people who I may want to work with in the future as a screenwriter.  I have Christians on that page as well, but they are Christians who are more open.