Facebook, a phenomenon that has a changed the way we live. Well not quite the way ‘we’ live. My husband and I have tried hard to keep away from the world of social networking. Yes as shocking as it sounds, “we are not on Facebook”.  I wonder though how long we can hold up. The world, over 700 million people,   seem to (increasingly) be using Facebook as the preferred if not the only form of communication.

But what is it about Facebook that makes it so appealing?  Social networking sites existed long before Facebook, however none has been as successful, or as far reaching. None has been able to captivate such a diverse audience and hold their attention on a daily, hourly and in some cases minute by minute basis.

I think the reason for it is the “FACE” part of the equation. Facebook caters to the voyeur inside all of us. In a world of reality television, 24 hours news, and real time reporting, ‘Facebook’ allows us to peek into people’s  lives ‘real time’.

Not long ago you had to open page 3 in a newspaper or pick up one of those glossy magazines to get news, gossip and see photos of celebrities. Now Facebook allows us all to become page 3 celebrities.Just through a click, we can upload our life and download others’.

As I hear people share their Facebook experiences, I realise that an average Facebook user falls into two distinct categories. Those who you will find endlessly posting pictures, comments and news about themselves on Facebook.  They are not really living life, but  busy capturing it for Facebook. Then you have those who claim they do not post pictures or comments, however they log into Facebook several times a day to see others’ pictures, comments and updates. They are busy living vicariously through others.

For most people today Facebook is really  just a daily soap…..except the characters are friends, family and acquaintances. It is an addiction, crossing boundaries, gender, race, social strata and age. It truly is connecting the world……whether it is a positive or negative connection time will tell.