At any given moment in our lives, we will meet and sometimes befriend interesting people. Sometimes the people we meet become our oldest and dearest friends. Some become good networking contacts for business and education, and others for future endeavors.
Other times, the people we meet are only meant to be acquaintances or for the occasional hook-up. We all have a story or two about how and where we met our friends.
Sometimes it doesn’t really matter when, where or even how one meets his or her friends, because friends always seem to come and go like the wind.
Meeting new people face to face, however, is now almost a thing of the past. Because of Web sites such as MySpace, you never really have to leave the comfort of your home.
Of course, before MySpace came along, there were chat rooms and online dating Web sites such as Match.com that were perfect for meeting new people.
But that was so ’90s and 20th century. Now we’re in the 21st century; MySpace and Facebook are the face of the future, as far as social Web sites go.
These Web sites tend to promote socialization and networking between different types of people who may or may not have known each other before logging on. In fact, almost everyone from celebrities to UH students and organizations have a MySpace profile.
However, while it seems that everyone is on MySpace, just as many people log onto its largest competitor, Facebook. According to a Forbes.com article, some teenagers are fleeing from MySpace and flocking to Facebook.
Almost anyone can ask to be your friend and no one knows who is really telling the truth. Like most seasonal fads and new trends, MySpace is the "in" thing to do, as if all the "cool kids" have a MySpace page.
But at the same time, a person can virtually be anyone he or she chooses without anyone knowing one’s true appearance, age, location, gender, etc.
For some, the idea of having a MySpace profile is a game or a way to meet new people without making an embarrassing effort. There is also the risk of finding someone whose intentions don’t line up with your own. There are all kinds of people (i.e. sexual predators) that prey on another person’s kind and trusting personality.
Because people like this exist without detection, the Web site has gotten more than its fair share of bad publicity. With that said, is there really any reason more and more people wouldn’t move to Facebook?
While the concepts of Facebook and MySpace are virtually the same, it is the atmosphere and ambience of the two Web sites that make them different.
Being a member of Facebook almost feels as if you are a part of an exclusive society or club. On the Web site, one can exist in an atmosphere that is conducive to their personality. One doesn’t have to worry about being hit on by a stranger nor does one see the naked pictures posted by others.
Of course, not everyone is into Facebook because it isn’t as carefree as MySpace. For example, you can’t really deviate from the standard layout of the profile because not every item is made to fit anywhere on the page.
Regardless of the argument, there are pros and cons to both Web sites. You either love them or hate them, but they can satisfy one’s networking and/or socializing needs equally.
But at the same time, why limit yourself to the Internet when there is a whole world to explore?
Latimer, a post-baccalaureate student in English, can be reached via [email protected]
