In class we discussed the positive and negative ways in which the development of technology within the Information Age has affected our lives. I loved our discussion about social media in particular, and it made me wonder to what extent Facebook has changed the way we communicate with each other. We mentioned the concept of a "status;" Professor Johnson pointed out that never in history has man "declared" his status to the public in such an way. It is an odd concept, really. It forces us to be introspective (to a degree), and we are subject to the judgement of all of our "friends," who may choose to either like or dislike our current status. Do you think it's odd, too? Or are you more inclined to see a status change as simply a way of keeping up with friends, family members, and acquaintances without having to exert any effort? I know my family members enjoy Facebook for this reason, but does the younger generation have the same opinion?
We also discussed the difference between the definition of a "friend" and a "Facebook friend." Let's be serious. We all know the difference. What other idiomatic nuances have arisen? Does the word "like" mean something different on Facebook than it does in normal conversation?
Finally, we talked about the image we all present on Facebook and the way it compares to the image we present outside of the internet. Do you think these two images are the same? Do you ever stereotype a person from the information on their Facebook page? In an article entitled "Facebook Has Dramatically Changed the Way I Hire People," contributor Rona Borre states that employers today use Facebook as a way to examine the ideals and moral values of potential employees; this assumes that our Facebook can provide such information. Do you think your Facebook reveals such aspects of your character?
And, since it's barely related...
http://www.cnbc.com/id/47449014/Borre_Facebook_Has_Dramatically_Changed_The_Way_I_Hire_People
The internet is a facilitator of information that has altered the pace of everyday life. This being said, there are still certain aspects of every individual’s personality that cannot be accurately represented online. As our primary example, we have Facebook. Facebook has changed the manner in which people view us to a certain extent; however, the picture is still flawed and flat. This is because it reveals what we want people to see and how they see it, but not the people themselves, although it may bear a heavy influence on the manner in which certain individuals represent themselves.
ReplyDeleteIn relation to our previous class, the dialogue is more dynamic but, nonetheless, remains dead.
You bring up an interesting point about "status" and the redefinition our communication with each other. When I update my Facebook status, I realize that what I say reflects back on my public persona. Before responding to this post, I just read over some of my recent Facebook statuses. Here's what I learned about myself: I am VERY careful about what I project to the world, not too personal, and typically avoid a tone that could be construed as negative. This makes sense in explaining my public persona beyond Facebook. I don't like to air my dirty laundry, so to speak. I like to project myself as being a happy person in real life as well as Facebook life. Maybe I am a unique case. I realize that a lot of people DO air their dirty laundry to the public, thus portraying themselves to the good people of Facebook-ville as being more generally angry and confrontational than they may necessarily be in real life. I do recognize openly in this forum however that I might have a "liking" addiction. I tend to "like" a lot of things. Before I "like" something I think about the extent to which I like it (do I like it or "like" like it?)and whose person's picture or whatever I am "liking" and how much I actually like him/her. Then I decide. So, yes, Facebook has made me more reflective of what I like and project about myself, but I do not think that this is largely bad. I think Facebook has made me more responsible and aware of myself and my own public persona.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to not stereotype someone based off of their Facebook page because in today's society, a Facebook page is a snapshot of a person. You can see what they like, who they are friends with and what they are thinking at all times of the day. In a way, Facebook has made making connections with people easier but in another way, it is hard to tell whether or not those connections are legitimate ones or if they are just a mask that someone puts on whenever they go on the internet. I believe that my Facebook reveals a good amount of my character, however, in order to really know me well, you should come and talk to me and actually get to know me instead of just interpreting what's on my Facebook page and assuming things from that.
ReplyDeleteI really like the link you left. It just goes to show that now it's professional to "check someone's status" before you hire them, so to speak. I guarantee once we get out of college, we'll all be doing a lot of revision on our facebook pages(Yes, the toga party pictures might have to go (sad face)). As for facebook as a communication device, it's HUGE...UNSTOPPABLE. I guess that young kids use it more for chatting while older generations probably are more professional with it. Of course, we're one of the first generations to have Facebook during our college years so...we're pushing the boundaries constantly.
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