More on Facebook

First thing I did this morning was check status updates on Facebook. Before I take a sip from my first cup of coffee. Before I get dressed. Before I go to the bathroom even. But it goes in phases with me. Sometimes I'll check every 20 minutes (when I'm home); other times I'll go for days. This week, we've all been particularly active, especially when I posted a VERY short list of music I'd selected for our halloween party mix. That got people's attention, and down memory lane we all went. So I just can't wait to see what the next person may have commented. It doesn't hurt that I'm off work till January next year. I do have a bit of extra time that I never had before to do this. (So warning to everyone: when I start work again in January, I'm pretty sure the regular postings throughout the day will drop to periodic postings throughout the month.)

So I'm reading through these comments and following other threads and comments and it hit me why facebook is so addicting. It's the cyber window to a person's soul. For those who don't blog and spill their mind's trappings that way, facebook creates the medium where you can see what makes a person tick. And it's fascinating. You learn about your old friends and new based on what they post, and how others comment on those posts. For instance, when I posted part of my music mix includes the Bee Gees, the comments opened wide. And one of my friends from ELEMENTARY/JR HIGH school (after 9th grade we went to different high schools and I never saw her again) commented how the Bee Gees always reminded her of ME in 5th grade! 5th grade! Another friend listed a panacea of early 80's not-so-mainstream hits and some very popular ones...revealing to the world his eclectic taste and deep knowledge of all things music.

The desire to connect and for companionship - a sense of belonging - is as great a human need as food and water. And that is why Facebook is so addicting. It's one avenue that fills that great need, with simplicity and very low risk. And it's fun.