The damning effects of Facebook

By: Kristi Relaz

Posted: 1/30/08

Facebook has gotten out of control with vampire bites, top friends, bumper stickers and countless other applications.

When Facebook came out in 2004, I first thought the idea was stupid but justified opening an account because it served as a great networking tool (or I just caved because "everyone is doing it"). I, like millions, was fascinated by this phenomenon when it debuted.

However, due to my conclusion that Facebook is absolutely ridiculous, especially in terms of how much it influences people - and with the help of posting my resume on the Internet - I have de-activated my account.

It was fun to see pictures of old friends, but Facebook is used mostly for absurd reasons like "poking" as a means of flirting. Soon everyone was utterly possessed by it.

People obsessed over having the most "friends," posting the hottest pictures and scoring points to upgrade your werewolf.

If you think about the concept of Facebook as a whole, it is entirely narcissistic. You have a public profile where you can talk yourself up beyond extreme exaggeration and, better yet, you can post as many sexy pictures of yourself as humanly possible.

As many soon found out, Facebook has drawbacks. For example, I overheard a girl expressing her frustrations with not being on a "top friends" list. I thought, what happened to being concerned with real friends?

I don't care how popular you are, there is no way you have more than 500 "friends," and there is no reason why someone should feel emotionally distraught over not being someone's "top friend."

It blows my mind when I think about how seriously people take Facebook, especially when a friend request isn't granted or someone writes something nasty on your sacred Wall.

Another downfall is the stalking aspect, and in some respect, all Facebook users are "stalkers." I cannot believe some people list their contact information (phone number, address, screen name, etc.) and complain that someone is "stalking" them because that person found their screen name on Facebook.

Hmm, then why did you put it on there?

What continues to fascinate me most is the pictures people post, especially those that should have never been taken and attract the wrong kind of attention. I do understand wanting nice pictures of yourself available for your friends (not stalkers), and maybe possible suitors to see, but I don't understand why people post pictures of themselves passed out next to a toilet.

I sometimes think people who publicly highlight how drunk they get on Facebook have that confused as a sort of right of passage to being "cool." College is universally associated with drinking, so having hundreds of pictures of yourself doing awesome beer bongs or passed out with penises drawn on your face doesn't make you "cool."

In addition, posting pictures of yourself looking hot in a bathing suit doesn't make you look sexy. It makes you look conceited and/or insecure.

On the contrary, perhaps you just like the way you look and want to show off your hot, sexy bod. If you truly are that confident and secure about yourself, then there should be no need to prove it to others by making albums entitled, "Playboy - Here I Come!" or "Portfolio Pics" and filling them with soft-core amateur porn.

Now ask yourself, will you be one of those people who tag pictures of their weddings and/or the birth of their children? If so, it is safe to say you're addicted. I suppose Facebook is one of the safer online communities to belong to, but it is not something that should take over your emotions or life.

Still, Facebook can be a good tool to stay connected; however, it should not influence your emotions or be used as a means of publicly exploiting yourself.