How much of a difference is there really between what people used to do (and still do) with email before the invention of social networks like Facebook, and what people do now with Facebook.  I’ve been using Facebook now for nearly four months now.  I’ve started noticing a lot of similarities between what email was and Facebook now is.

Back in the day, email was the thing and people got angry if they couldn’t get to their emails.  I should know, as I’m the guy who took the calls when customers had issues.  However, if they couldn’t get their daily fix of whatever content they were looking for, they got hostile.

Not a lot has changed really only the method.  Now I don’t take so many calls for email as I do for Facebook.  If a customer’s internet is down, they don’t really even notice it, but if they can’t get to Facebook because of it, they get down right nasty about it.  It’s their world.  They cannot live without it.

As someone who has relented to using social media, all I see is the same regurgatated crap I’ve already seen in mass forwarded emails years ago.  The only real difference is instead of sharing a bunch of email addresses of people I don’t really know, is that now it’s all shared with people I don’t know but have on some list.

* With the exception of relatives in either method.

Back when folks used email to keep in touch, they would send the following items:  (including but not limited too)

• Pictures
• Touching messages or images of spiritual and non spiritual of hope
• Videos and Video Clips
• Links to websites
• Links to great shopping deals they’ve found
• Long diatribes of a bad experience they’ve had
• Information about places they have visited
• Warnings about viruses and scams that never existed
• Warnings about viruses and scams that do exist
• Protests to stop abuse of one form or another
• Chain emails
• Information about online games such as Pogo and the like

The list goes on and on.

Now when I log on to Facebook, I see: (including but not limited too)

• Pictures
• Touching messages or images of spiritual and non spiritual of hope
• Videos and Video Clips
• Links to websites
• Links to great shopping deals they’ve found
• Long diatribes of a bad experience they’ve had
• Information about places they have visited or are currently at
• Warnings about viruses and scams that never existed
• Warnings about viruses and scams that do exist
• Protests to stop abuse of one form or another
• Shared posts that insist you share them further (Chain Shares?)
• A bazillion and one posts about people on your list who did something nearly useless in a game such as Mafia Wars, Farmville, etc.. (that list is friggin endless!)

That list goes on and on.  And on… And on…  {eyes are beginning to bleed}

Ironic huh?  Different methods but essentially it’s the same thing it has always been.  At least from my point of view it is.

Honestly I don’t really see the big fuss about social networks/media.  Then again, I’m just not into having 400 people be my “friend” especially when I have no earthly clue who they are.  But that’s me.  I’ve never been one to want a lot of friends.  I’m more comfortable with a close circle of real honest to goodness friends and of course my family.

But that’s me.