What, if it were a country, would be the third largest country, only behind China and India? Ok, I guess the giant title above probably gives the answer away a little too obviously, but would you have known if the title and Zuckerberg's name wasn’t there, that facebook would be the 3rd largest country in the world, due to how many members have joined? As of December 2010, facebook, the social networking phenomenon has mustered 550 million users since its inception in 2004. 550 MILLION. We are talking a friggin’ empire here, people.
As we wrap us the end of another year, I thought it would be fun to jump off-topic for this blog, and highlight someone and something a little bit different than my typical casting posts. Clearly, facebook has changed the world over the last 6 years. The world will never be the same because of this networking tool, courtesy of Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: Mark Zuckerberg: founder and creator of facebook.
Controversial as he may be, I am incredibly grateful for this man and this terribly addicting and time-sucking device. Yes, I probably spend WAY too much on facebook, and ignoring either my schoolwork, or cleaning my house, but there is just somethin’ about this thing. In just over 4 years, from the time I joined facebook in 2006, I have connected with hundreds of friends, close and not-so-close; I have seen pictures of former classmates children, read countless status updates, written countless status updates, shared my favorites Hulu or Youtube videos, to name a few. I honestly can’t remember life pre-facebook. It’s just like the cell phone; what did we ever do without it? And though there are many positives to facebook, there have also been reported negative affects. This excerpt from the Time article gives an insight into all the mayhem taking place:
“Facebook is supposed to build empathy, but since 2000, Americans have scored higher and higher on psychological tests designed to detect narcissism, and psychologists have suggested a link to social networking. According to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 81% of its members have seen a rise in the number of divorce cases involving social networking; 66% cite Facebook as the primary source for online divorce evidence.”
So, either you way you look at it, facebook has made quite a splash in our present world. As with any good thing, there comes the risk of overdoing it, or abusing it, in which case moderation is always an option. In an attempt to apply moderation to my facebook life, I pledge in this new year, to check my facebook only 4 times an hour, rather 62…now THAT’s moderate. :-) Just kidding…settle down friends…I don’t have a facebook problem. Right?
And with that, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year; and may you all take a break from your facebook updates and stalking to spend some much needed time with the ones you love, celebrating the reason for the season, which in MY opinion is... the birth of Jesus!!!
Gotta run…gotta check my fb.
This is article and the facts presented were based of of this Time article: http://www.time.com /time/specials/packages/article/0,28 804,2036683_2037183,00.html
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