Really Real Life!

Do you do Facebook?
What about MySpace page? Do you have one of those?

I often wonder about the draw of social networking. Just what is it that’s make the whole thing so popular?
I mean, sure, there’s the “social” part of it...seeing what your friends are up to, communicating easily with them (even over long distance). You feel connected and like you’re part of...well, a network of friends.
But I also think part of the appeal is the opportunity to define you. These spaces are all about personalizing: you get to choose your friends, decide what you want to display, being honest, but as you consider yourself to be.
Because that’s what it is in the end! These are all true things about you, but they are not everything,they are selective.
So you choose what to put up there based on an idea you have of yourself. And an image you want to project.
That’s what I worry about sometimes on social networking sites, blogs, and the rest...that we use them as places to construct ourselves, and that is a good thing also.
But what can be so frightening about social networking is that it’s such a public place. Some of the friends are people we may or may not ever see. We don’t have to prove our character to them. They can’t test this construction of us against the reality of our daily living. This is Who I am to them!

Where is the line between real reality and virtual reality? Are you willing to be transparent...even when it chips away at your image?
I always try to be “authentic” on this...but it’s impossible to be completely true in those spaces. They aren’t real life! They can’t test me, or counter on me, or force discussion, or prompt actions. For that I must go to my real-life friends.

However, it’s great that men and women can be good friends these days...and I really value my real and virtual friends.