Online Communities
Xanga, facebook, and myspace are all blogging/web-based community sites familiar to most teenagers. Why am I also swept up by the internet communities and what do I gain and lose compared to relationships built outside the internet?
Reasons I Use Internet Communities:
1. Convienient
2. Easy way to keep in touch
3. No need to go through the formalities
4. Avoids the awkwardness of being called by someone not very high on my priority list for keeping in touch
5. Fast
However I quickly realized online communities work for me only when I know some of the members from outside experiences and especially when it is with people I met through retreats. On the complete opposite spectrum however, it is a simple way to almost brush off those annoying people who stalkernet you. I can always say "brb" or completely ignore them whereas the same is not possible when you have a face-to-face encounter full of awkwardness and a sense of urgency to get out of the situation.
I am personally an active user of both xanga AND facebook. Facebook in many ways has saved friendships otherwise lost and rekindled many friendships. Because I have moved nearly every 3 years of my life, I have always made close friends only to say goodbye to them again. My best friend from when I was 4 recently contacted me and we agreed to meet up this coming winterbreak. After all those years apart, a phonecall may have been awkward. However facebook allowed her to simply ask "Are you Andrea from Drew?" without going through the long process of familiarizing ourselves again. Also, we would have never found each other otherwise or seen what the other looked like after 15 years.
It's interesting how both websites offer online interest groups themed by everything from hobbies to strange mannerisms. Do these have any special meanings to me?
My Xanga Groups:
1. Music is my boyfriend <3 (expresses my obsession)
2. SFC East (a truly intimate and meaningful group of Students For Christ retreat attendees from all over the East Coast who constantly watch out, pray for, and keep in touch with each other)
3. My handbag is worth more than your life <3 (shallow materialist snobs who appreciate ridiculously)
4. I grew up in upper middle class white surbubia (expressing how i dont approve of asian cliches)
5. Ohio Koreans (so people can find me)
My Facebook Groups:
1. Chipotle Appreciation Society
2. Alpha Phi
3. Sushi Eaters anonymous
4. Missing the East Coast
5. Sex and the City -it's an Obsession!
6. David Palmer for Pres
7. I drink Soda... not Pop!
8. Case can be enjoyable if you stop bitching about it and find stuff to do
9. Girls who refuse to lower their standards for Case guys
10. Why is Jamba Juice not in Ohio?!
11. Bush Won, Stop Bitching, and Get over it! and Yes, He is your pres
12. Flip Flops are Hot
13. Moco MD pride
14. I'm probably napping right now
15. Wootang Clan
16. I've Seen Bob's Penis (willing or Not)
17. Kim Sullivan for Queen!!!!
18. Boston for Homecoming Queen
(all of the above are essentially meaningless in terms of "communities" except for the Alpha Phi group is a online representation of an actual community outside the internet world)
Nearly all of you belong to groups on facebook as well and most of you probably fellow members of many of the groups I belong to... but does this change your perception of me, make us closer in any aspect, or even make any impact at all?
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