The Facebook Phenomenon

Why is it that Facebook plays such a huge role in our lives?

That question has been rolling around in my head for weeks now. I've talked to people about it, in different settings, and still have no concrete answer.

I ask the question, because even though I don't want it to be a big thing to me, it is. I really would rather not care what's going on in cyberspace, but it effects me deeply. And that disturbs me. If I could come up with a reason explaining to myself why it matters so much, maybe I wouldn't be so bothered.

So let's talk about it.

Facebook is a social networking site. We all know this. It's a place where we can share information, photos, ideas, and feelings with people we might never get to see or talk to otherwise. I posted photos of my wedding so that my family and friends who were unable to make it could look at them. I recently shared a music video that my brother's band made. Without Facebook, it would have been much much harder to get the word out. I found out that my cousin is having twins, a boy and a girl, almost as soon as she found out. I've gotten to see my cousins' children grow up! These things are wonderful features that Facebook allows.

However, I've noticed in the last few years that Facebook has also become a place for people to establish themselves. What I mean by that is, people go on Facebook to show people who they are. We create profiles stating our likes and dislikes. We take photos to establish our style for the world. We state our relationship with people so that it's clear to everyone just what we mean to so-and-so. And the real kicker is, none of this information has to be true, yet, we treat it as if it were vital.

"It's not official until it's Facebook official."

I can't tell you how many times I've heard that. Before I got married, my husband and I dated for several months. It wasn't on Facebook, and people would ask over and over why it wasn't. After a while, that starts to wear on you. And for what? Why should it matter if it's represented online. Everyone knew we were together. We knew we were together. Why does Facebook get to dictate reality?

Have you ever been on Facebook, seen a nasty status, known it was directed toward you, and had a bad day because of it? Would the person who posted that status have said those words to you if you'd been face to face? Doubtful. Facebook has evolved from a great place to post digital information to share with people far away, into a place where people can bully and pry without having any repercussions.

The saddest part is, after all of this, even though I really think that what Facebook has become, is more often hurtful than not, I still check it all the time. I get excited when someone comments on something. Likes something. Posts something for me. It's a dependency on this site for human interaction. It fulfills some base need that I seem to have to be reassured that the life I'm living is okay. That the way I look is okay. That my ideas and beliefs are okay. I know how silly that sounds, but whether it's silly or not, it's the way things have become, at least in my life. I can't speak for anyone else.

I posted this blog because I want to hear ideas. I want to know what people think about Facebook, about Twitter, Instagram, Google+, texting, Klout, all of those sites where we go to communicate, to have social interaction instead of going to a store and talking to people, or picking up a phone and calling them. We hide behind screens with text and photos. What do you think about all this? Maybe, if you're confused too, we can help each other understand.