Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Dashboard Questessionals

Sometimes we'll be sitting there in the car at a light and Wally will bust out a line from nowhere, like:

9/11 was an inside job.

They murdered that princess.

John Lennon was killed by a Manchurian Candidate.

Facebook is a CIA-controlled experiment.

I gotta wonder about that 4th one, it's getting nearly impossible to quit Facebook, about a year ago I read that 22 percent of all computer users have a Facebook profile and just this week I came across this map on my e-friend Julie's blog:


Click it for a huge interesting closeup view.

...which really puts into perspective HOW MUCH the internetally inclined use FB, where they spend their time. And then today Prophecy Girl posted this non-Gylls related post about the pervasive nature of Facebook, touching a bit on what a dink Mike Zuckerberg is (I've read some dickheaded quotes attributed to him before, reflecting a callous disregard for people's privacy) and I'm wondering if the movie The Social Network---if it's not some sort of government smokescreen to deliver misinformation about what is really going on. I know smart, concerned people who have left Facebook over the privacy issues and encouraged Friends to follow them over to Twitter...only to see them back on FB six months later. Facebook has become unavoidable, and we've all been warned over its seemingly unreasonable privacy issues, something peculiar is definitely happening in front of our faces, what do you think about Facebook? I'm curious!

And WTF are all these people doing on Farmville, gawd!

5 comments:

Adam W. said...

OK, here's the thing about FB: there are no privacy issues if you a) set your profile to friends only, b) don't let random people become your friends, and c) don't post anything you wouldn't want on the front page of a newspaper.

That last one, I follow that rule always on the Internet, even in private email. That's why when people freak out every month or two about some "PRIVACY!" issue that I just laugh at them. Anything to get their panties in a bunch. People like to be "wronged".

FB can be a wonderful thing. It's a tool. It's just how you use that tool. For example, we don't work together anymore (/cry!), but I know I'll still stay in touch via FB, where normally we may have exchanged email but who knows how often we'd actually remember and keep up with that. It's just like a car is a wonderful tool - it can help you get where you want to go. It can also kill you if you don't use that tool properly.

My fear, though, is people that don't know any better - and kids growing up with this being the "norm". Too many kids are doing stupid things and posting statuses and pictures they shouldn't, and it's a real easy way to get into trouble. Then again, the Internet itself is like that. I don't envy anyone trying to raise kids right now and trying to impart to them the responsibility of Internet use, when for a lot of adults it's tough for them to even understand themselves.

Libbytown said...

(/Cry!) (/Lawl!) So true, Dr. Phil tries to drive the point home that "you can't unring that bell" when you upload something to the internet, nowadays it seems like there's a heavier grooming to expect to get what you pay for...staying in touch on FB is wwwaaaaaaay easier and freeeeee, but at the same time there are all these messages being sent out about how corporations can use Jimmy's image in their ad campaign, and my own dummyness by posting his MMN in ever post I make...sorry, son! Hopefully credit card verifications will be different by the time he's old enough for (to never have) a credit card.

There does seem to be a subversive interest in Facebook and the human need to connect, we're all just products of our own environment. =}

Chipper Jules said...

I agree there was a bit too much farmville and happy farm, really?
I see FB as the "new community" when we grow and move - we are too lazy to make new friends and get to know your neighbors, etc. How many people can name all the families on their street anymore? However, I am able to better connect with family that I hadn't talked to in years - cousins/etc. that without our grandparents (and parents) we just wouldn't still have that contact. As for privacy -- if you look at is as a community - whether you choose to be small town (private) or big city (hey world, look at all my posts!) I figure your neighbors are going to know and share your business -- I'm a small town girl - and everybody knows everything, and if one of my friends happens to work for the government, I guess they do too...

oh, and thanks for the blog shout out ;)

Anonymous said...

Well as someone who doesn't have a FB account (yes I'm strange and one of the very few) nor do I know what Farmville or Happy Farm is, I think it's about adults being adults and watching out for yourselves and our kids. Don't put anything out there that you don't want anyone to know about. Also I think that Zukerburg might have a form of autism that causes him to be socially awkward and say some really out there things. Just a thought

Libbytown said...

Something larger is going other than just watching what we say on FB, and you are very wise to not have an account. I don't know a lot about Zuckerberg, but I got that same impression from reading the article that I referenced, that he may be on the autism spectrum. Not that there's anything wrong with that, haha, I just wonder if he's also a scapegoat.

Post a Comment