Facebook: America's newest fad

Facebook: America’s newest fad

 

Facebook is America’s newest childish obsession similar to the Hula Hoop and Frisbee. As a low mentality exercise anyone can partake in the few requirements to be successful. To be part of the Facebook billion one must sign up and provide a profile of his or her life. Though this information is supposed to be private, the owners of this social network believe otherwise. Once the participant is within the system he or she can post pictures of children, friends, dogs or whatever comes to mind. Commentary by most on the Facebook pages is usually limited to a sentence or two. Few debate or post something of significance. Other social mediums draw people with a wider range of thought processes, such as LinkedIn. Measurement of success on Facebook pages comes with the number of people who follow and or befriend you in this medium. Perhaps these numbers play well for advertisers, but for the average user they are meaningless. How many people would want to know the last time you had a Big Mac or when your dog was in heat? Very few! Recently the owners of Facebook went public with a stock offering. Those with diminished capacity bought into the company’s propaganda that it was a worthy investment. In the aftermath of the offering thousands took a literal financial bath when its share value fell to nearly half of its initial price. Since then the stock value has been creeping back, yet continues in a very negative range.  Mark Zuckerberg, the young billionaire who brought Facebook to life has decided to allow his social network to be part of the government’s strategic information pool. He has developed a close relationship with the Obama Administration, allowing them quick access to personal information you have posted in your profile or stated in commentary. Zuckerberg’s reward was an amazing tax break ranging into the billions. To the average user his actions are a betrayal of trust. Facebook has become a fad for tens of millions, for others an obsession. Facebook has reinvented social interaction, no doubt. What is missing from this equation is the human element that no cyber bulletin board can replace. Facebook may be around for many years to come but its value to humanity will diminish with time, as a good fad always does. Mark Davis, MD, President of Healthnets Review Services, www.healthnetsreviewservices.com, platomd@gmail.com  Author of Demons of Democracy and the forthcoming book, Obamacare: Dead on Arrival, A Prescription for Disaster. Manager of the LinkedIn group, Government in Transition, join, comment and debate with some of the best minds on LinkedIn.