A Waste Of (My) Space?

Before we get into too much detail, it might be worth explaining to any aliens or those untainted by the SNS phenomenon roughly what SNS do.  Basically, they’re sites where you can link up with other people – in your street or on the other side of the world.  You can make ‘friends’, exchange messages, manage your diary, show off your pictures and let people know what you’re like and what you like. 

There’s supposedly a bit of a class divide between the two big SNS with young professionals who use Facebook allegedly looking down on the common people who use MySpace.  There’s also a bit of SNS fatigue with people known to flit from one site to the next (newer) site if it appears to be the new cool thing. 

I initially succumbed to MySpace because many of the bands which I wanted to contact about gigs and reviews on TTRP no longer used traditional official band websites but put all their stuff on a MySpace page.  Unfortunately, I could only email them through these pages if I was registered on MySpace.  So I started up a Steve page and later followed it up with a TTRP page.  Later I succumbed again, this time to Facebook where a lot of my posher friends were hanging out!

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE ABOUT MYSPACE

It’s linked to the megalomaniac media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Regular technical hitches can make the system run really slowly or bar you altogether, separating you from your ‘community’ and making you a virtual cyber hermit.

People sending seemingly pointless bulletins like, “I’m bored”.

Endless inane questionnaires circulated in bulletins.

MySpace chain mail – “if you don’t repost this bulletin within 5 minutes, your leg will fall off and you granny will explode” – you know the sort of thing.

Friend collectors.  People who judge their value by how many ‘friends’ they have.  It’s the old quality v quantity issue.  I’ve seen people arguing about their cyber popularity in a comment posting war.  Very sad.

Women who ask to be added as friends and have sites linking to “more pictures of me, nudge nudge wink wink”.  Haven’t succumbed to the temptation but I’m guessing that it involves sleaze, porn and, of course, hard cash.

Crap bands who want to use your site to promote their inadequate wares.  Especially crap R’n’B bands.  From North America.

The sheer waste of time and energy – we all need to get out more.

The danger of substituting real friends with cyber friends.  Remember the old joke – “I used to have an imaginary friend.  He was a real person – I just imagined he was my friend.”  Exactly!

WHAT WE DO LIKE ABOUT MYSPACE

The ability to network with like minded people and organisations.  I’ve ‘met’ some really cool people.

The opportunity for a global community.  Really cool people from all around the world.

The chance to plug TTRP!

The chance for people to release their creativity and self-expression (but sometimes to the point where their page takes so long to load, you’ve forgotten who you were trying to connect with – see “technical hitches” above).

Easy to access calendars and photos.

Getting introduced to loads of great new music, films and books through contacts with bands or recommendations from new ‘friends’.

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE ABOUT FACEBOOK

Facebook snobs.  If you’re going to be snobby, be snobby about something worthwhile like great music or fine wine.

Being invited to join completely pointless groups with humorous sounding names – and then succumbing.

Endless giving of cyber gifts and pretending to be supernatural creatures like werewolves….

The lack of adventure – most of your friends on Facebook are…people you already know!

WHAT WE DO LIKE ABOUT FACEBOOK

The fact that the friends are….people you already know.

Re-connecting with former school mates, work colleagues and members of random religious cults.

More privacy than on MySpace.

A one stop shop (no, not a cyber supermarket, Steve??) for communication and sharing ideas and photos.

SNS ARE OK BUT……….

We use a couple of SNS and are obviously not rabidly opposed to their existence but there is the real danger that getting caught up in one SNS after another – or even hyper hooked on just one – will eventually tie us to our computers and leave a lot less space for making and keeping real friends in the flesh.  TTRP is passionate about community.  As no less than God is reported to have said, “it is not good for man to be alone”.  Too right – we were born for intimacy and community.  I would swap a zillion cyber friends for just one or two faithful to the end real friends who I can actually touch (note to people reading this at home – touching should always be done in an appropriate way!  If in any doubt, ask a policeman or a Tory MP.  Wait!  On second thoughts, ask a responsible adult friend!), and speak to and listen to where I can see their facial expressions, hear the tone of their voice and observe their body language.

Last night I checked my pages on two SNS sites but then I went to the pub with my wife.  As we’ve only recently moved, we were strangers in the pub but while at the bar I got talking to a friendly guy who’d only moved recently himself.  By the end of the evening, we knew two of his friends and had thoroughly disgraced ourselves in the pub quiz.  I was, however, able to offer our new friends a real drink – not a cyber pint costing US$1 on Facebook!

We’re liking the innovation and creativity but want to stay rooted in the real world. 
I was going to invite you to add a comment at the foot of this article but I’m not going to.  Instead, why not call one of your friends or family and arrange a human meeting!

This article was prepared to the sound of Manu Chao (CD, not MySpace page ;-)….).