Social Media

So, first. Blog. Ever. Whoop! I decided to write a little about social media, because whether or not you want to admit it, Facebook is more addicting than you think.

But why? Why is this new trend seeing more and more popularity? According to Nieslon Online, an analytics firm, social media has surpassed e-mail in popularity. Heck, it's probably more popular than Michael Jackson was (don't quote me on that one). But unlike Mr. Jackson, the internet has stayed pretty sane since it became popular, and is still alive....and didn't have lots of plastic surgery....and didn't dangle babies from rooftops.

Although technically since this photo is now on the internet, one could argue that the internet is dangling the poor child BUT ANYWAYS, that's beside the point. Where were we? Ah, social media according to companies and you!

Even multi-million dollar companies are trying to make a profit off of our socializing over the internet. They like to go to where the fish are. I can safely say that it is the "social" in social media that is driving this trend. Because lets face it: talking to friends is fun. This shift from linear one-on-one forms of electronic communication to more public methods begs the question: Does social media serve any good to us, or is it just a fun waste of a high speed connection on a Friday night?

The answer to that question depends on who you are talking to. Major corporations would say yes. You know those annoying ads that pop up on the right side of the screen when you log into Facebook? The latest movie being advertised over Myspace, with colorful graphics that cover up the entire screen? There's your proof. Because of social media's intense popularity, it provides a new medium for marketers to get their message across to you, the consumer.

Marketing aside, as social media networks get bigger by the day, a vast, modern, multicultural watering hole has risen. Of course, this should be obvious unless you have been living under a rock for the past 10 years (no offense to anyone who actually lived under a rock).

We all know that technology has connected us more than ever, but has it CONNECTED us? That is the million dollar question. Do we socialize and mingle with folks that we have differences in, or do we just sit in our little corner of the interwebz with all our closest friends? You may be part of a larger community, but it is still divided. Seriously, a lot of hate is floating around out there. A huge opportunity for furthering unity within the human race is in our grasp, the only thing that we need to do now is show some love and reach out to our fellow man.

So, in conclusion, I can't answer my own question. Is the internet any good? It all depends of what you make of it, so make the best of it!