I think of Facebook and MySpace as places very immature teenagers go to hook up and be ephemeral. Now I keep hearing that sober, responsible, exemplary adults have pages there. Phil does! Kim does! Obviously my image of these places is incomplete in some way.
Somebody explain this to me.
And does anybody know about that page WOTM shills for? I can never remember the name. Or is it as bad as that news page they also sell?
Enlighten me.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
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Just because Facebook or Myspace can be used, even are mostly used for immature teenagers to hook up and be ephemeral, that doesn't mean these internet sites may not admit of other uses by other sorts of people.
I, too, had suspicions. I got a Facebook page, and now it's serving an important function: to provide me a way to keep in touch with family around the world with casual ease. I am on the net a lot in my work; so are many of my extended family. Instead of visiting the water cooler, I visit my Facebook page, where at a glance I can see what my kids, my siblings, my professional peers have to say -- much as I would at the water cooler encounters.
Some companies are Very Serious about deploying Facebook for what amounts to private corporate networks useful for all sorts of routine communications and/or collabarative efforts.
In my case, however, it's just a dandy way to hear from, and speak to, a circle of loved ones with ease.
I like hisholyspace.com if a space is important. I have had to combat the myspace nightmare.
His Holy Space. That's the one whose name I keep forgetting; I keep wanting to make it God's Holy Space, and then I can't find it in Google.
Why do you like it, though? What do you use it for? Are you older than 13?
Well, for me, we got Facebook because our kids were using it, and in order to monitor what kind of stuff was going on, we had to join. I'm glad we did. There have been times when I have asked my children to remove profane comments from some of their "friends."
Also, I work with teenagers in my church. They all added me as a friend before I ever asked them. I send notes to them, check in with them, and it is a good way to get into their world.
It's also a good way to keep in touch with some of the young people who are away at school. There are three young people with whom I am quite close who are away at school, and I can peek into what they are doing via Facebook.
Personally, I don't think the kids make the best ue of the Facebooks. It could be an amazing way to share one's faith on a daily basis, but unfortunately, a lot of the stuff out there is fairly self-indulgent. I have an e-mail on its way to you sharing something only you will understand. :-)
Short answers
1.)They try to keep it clean.
2.)no short answer but would be a good place to keep up with long distance friends if I had any but I guess I could make some but with 6 children how has time. I'm checking it out far my children that have the "need".
3.)I'll be 44 Nov 6th if you want to send me a card.(40 was awful but I think I will be ok this year).:-)
Me no understand. I think I'm just too old, because I much prefer blog and forum communication. Having said that, Ant is older than me, and in touch with his inner-teenager, keeping in touch with his very wide circle of friendship, so maybe it's not age. Maybe I'm just boring and have no friends...
Inconceivable. You are internationally loved.
PS - maybe it should be the 26th thing a man needs to know how to do just creat his own space.lol
I have never used My Space, but I am impressed by how my kids, 20, 24 and 27 keep up with their old high school and youth group friends, while I, on the other hand, lost touch with all mine within a couple of years.
What's WOTM? (I'm new here! 8-) )
Way of the Master radio. They do podcasts. Phil likes it, they like Pyro, so I listen sometimes.
My wife and I run the young adult/college ministry at our church. I started using it to keep in touch with them while they're away at school. And since they ALL use it, it's a nice way for me to be a part of their world.
It has also turned into a nice way to keep in touch with old friends, especially from college.
I didn't want to have anything to do with Facebook, but I had to sign up so that I could shamelessly plug my blog to Phil. Since then, I've discovered that it is an excellent way to "network" with people I already know in the real world—i.e., fellow church members, pastors, et al. I keep my activity there to a minimum, however.
Hi Dan
I think there's a big difference between Facebook, MySpace and Bebo. There are definitely more adults using Facebook than the other applications, and it is a great way to get back in touch with old acquaintances and to join discussion forums on good topics.
You really should give it a try!!
...And I'm writing as an old-fashioned guy. I'd still be using a manual typewriter if (a) one could still buy ribbon easily for it; and (b) there was no risk that it would drive my wife (and downstairs neighbours!) bonkers.
It lets me keep up with what my kids are up to...and occasionally I use it to keep in touch with an overseas missionary who also has a Facebook!
Of course, I also got a message in my inbox one day from someone I didn't know who said...and I quote...
"ur 2 old 2b on facebook"
I initially thought of responding with something about her complete lack of education, especially in terms of spelling...but discretion got the better of me.
I didn't respond....
Charley
Get Serious Blog
HomeDiscipling Dad Blog
I'm not a Myspacer, but I've had a Xanga site for several years now (same thing, just not as big as Myspace or Facebook). I originally started as a way to challenge some of my college-age son's friends who were on Xanga to think Biblically. We have a whole group of people in and close to our local church that are Xangans and we use it as a blog of sorts. Keep up with what God's doing in each other's lives, that kind of stuff.
Oh BTW - I'm 50. Yeah, 2nd childhood kind of thing...
Facebook has been a great way to keep track of existing friends, and I've also got in touch with a few old friends as well.
Facebook also has an excellent event organisation function. Most of our church social events are now organised using it.
Hi, long time no read!! I have a facebook and myspace. Both is to keep in touch with my family mainly. I have 2 cousins that I have not seen in over 10 years on my space and sisters, and my 2 nieces and sister in law on facebook. It is the only way that I communicate with most of them. It is nice to see their pics. and read about what they are up to. I also have a blog that hardly any of them know about, and if they do they do not visit it often. Anyway, I am younger than most of your commenters, 28, 29 in December, but I am no teenie bopper. It is not so bad, I did have a small mishap on my myspace where someone hacked my sisters page or something and left me grotesque movie things in my comments, but I just deleted them and that was that. So all and all it is not to bad.
Hey Dan, I do not know the answers to your questions. But you can checkout Josh Harris' facebook foray at http://www.joshharris.com/2007/08/facebook_survey.php and http://www.joshharris.com/2007/08/my_one_and_only_week_on_facebo_1.php and http://www.joshharris.com/2007/08/facebook_followup.php.
You may learn something there.
Yeah, what Kim said. But sorry I haven't read anyone else's comments.
It has assisted in building relationships with youth in our church, which builds their trust in us as teachers and leaders.
Facebook is just another incarnation of cyberspace, and can be used in a manner similar to blogger. If I sneer at facebook, then why am I okay with blogger?
I have facebook so I can keep in contact with my family - and it is really fun!
All the biz folks and techies tout facebook as a networking tool to rival linked-in. It's a lazy mans blog, I tell you!
Funny thing that you mention this. I just got a Facebook account two days ago. I cringed the entire time. I'm 28, after all, and promised to be the last man (or woman) standing in this whole MySpace/social-networking game. At the time I caved, I was in the running against a handful of Amish. But I digress.
It was a pride thing, really, when it all was said and done. The college group I associate with makes their events known through that forum, and I like the one-stop-shop aspect of knowing what's going on when. I had to swallow my pride and get an account and so far, it hasn't been an intrusion in my life whatsoever (it's only been 2 days, I realize). I still use my blog for my thoughts, and link my blog from my facebook account and if any of the young ones has anything to say about the blog posts, well, the comments are always open for them :)
Hi, my name is Mike (Hi Mike), and I am a Facebooker. (gaaaasssp) I am a 38 year old missionary who has friends all over the world. Facebook helps me keep in touch with my friends. Yeah, I could just use e-mail, Vonage, and video conferencing, but, Facebook gives me the chance to do all those on one page.
Here is the worst part Dan...my Facebook bookmark is only two away from my Biblical Christianity bookmark....ick, Facebook coodies.
Facebook, MySpace, etc., fall into the "just because many do it doesn't mean they all do" category. Yes, teens, scumbags, and pervs use Facebook. But, not all using Facebook are teens, scumbags and pervs. I tightly control the content and guests to my Facebook account.
Dan, let me know when you get your facebook set up. I'll consider adding you to my TOP FRIENDS (tm), and I'll subject you to a ZOMBIE ATTACK (tm), and I'll poke you too.
Dan have you seen Rhett and Link's face book song yet? I have yet to find anyone sum it up so perfectly.
See http://rhettandlink.com/videos/facebook-song#
Dan,
Not sure whether I'm an exemplary adult, but I do have a page on Facebook. I would agree that mostly immature teenagers and college students still dominate the profiles. In my opinion though, there is no better way to stay in touch with friends. This is especially true after we moved our college bible study group down to Davis. I would agree with earlier posters that email would be simply, but no other site offers this level of one-stop access. You can post videos, import your blog, set up discussion groups and calendars, post from your PDA, and meditate on Scripture thanks to the "Daily Bible Scripture" application. You can also quickly send out notes and articles to all your friends without the fear they will "bounce back."
Of course, as a Christian, I understand clearly that even a good thing can be used for evil. I really do have to guard myself lest I fall into temptation and sin. Therefore, I stringently control who I allow my friends to be. Facebook also aids this process by providing some fairly stringent content controls, as well as policing the site carefully and checking for objectionable content. They are not perfect, obviously, but do a far better job then Myspace which I abhor and is so scandalous that it grieves my heart. Just my two cents..
David Wolfe
Thanks, everyone.
But... what if you don't have any friends? Wouldn't a Facebook page kind of, you know, make it official?
That made me chuckle. I had/have the same concern about the official and public nature of having NO friends on my page ;)...I'm on facebook, and felt much more wierd BEFORE joining than I do now. I have sincerely enjoyed (which suprised even me) all the opps. it's given me to interact with the girls I teach at church.
DJP? Not having any friends? Well, get rid of the sword in your profile, and maybe sane people (unlike me) will stop running away from you in terror... :-)
As others have said, it's a great way to keep up with friends and family, have a little fun, and to post pictures, videos and whatnot on there. I have one. Mike Ratliff over at CRN has one, and I can ask him questions about his posts that others can read and comment on...without jerks or imbeciles train-wrecking the thought. It's a message-board to the hilt.
MySpace also lets you have songs that play automatically. Yes, it can be abused, just light lights, sound, video at a church, and even the Bible, of course...or it can all be used for God's glory.
Trust me, you are blog-savvy...you will like Facebook. MySpace tends to get bogged down and the security on the site isn't as good as as MySpace, IMO.
Whoops, last two words in my last post should have been "Facebook, IMO".
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