Written Analysis  #1

Mona J. Barnes

Popular Culture – Facebook

Instructor – Jenifer Garey

April 10, 2015























Facebook

It is of popular belief that Facebook is going to be passé’ soon as the younger users find other ways to send and share information.  Facebook was initially something originally for the younger generation as a way of keeping in touch and sharing information.  Once the concept caught on, parents of those school age children started signing up just to watch what their children were doing.  Once initiated into this application, older generations started seeing the ease with which they could keep in touch with not only their children but also their family members, especially ones that were not nearby, as well as their own friends from college and other periods in their life.  Facebook began to take on a life of its own.
This being the reason that now many of the younger generation are moving away from it and using other applications such as snap chat.  They don’t want their parents so involved in everything they want to post and rant about.  If they use snap chat, it will appear and disappear in minutes, therefore, maintaining privacy.
Much like myths, Facebook has become universal.  It is known worldwide whether by name only or by supported usage.   It is used in many countries and is a great way to make contacts with people of other cultures and ways of life that we may never experience physically.  Anytime anyone sees the little blue f, they know that icon stands for Facebook worldwide.
The theories that apply to my topic is that, as mentioned previously, that this would be a great way for college age students to communicate.  It appears through many interviews that that this original theory was proven wrong as more and more people come to Facebook to make contact, to rant, to express views, to share family pictures and happenings, and Facebook has turned the old fashioned hand written invite into something of a relic for gatherings.  It is and has changed the way many people communicate with each other when a face-to-face is not possible.  Most people will respond a lot faster to their Facebook messages than they will to phone or even e-mails.
I have certainly learned that sometimes a small idea can have much a much larger impact than what was originally intended.  It appears that Facebook is changing the method and the speed with which we now communicate with each other and about each other.  I have also learned that this can either be good or bad, like everything, depending on how it is utilized.  It makes me think about how something created for fun turned out to be something that has changed the rules of etiquette when it comes to communication.