Living in a Facebook World.

The magical confluence of information, communication, and personalization. That is my description of Facebook and social networking in general. Creations such as Facebook have opened up a new paradigm for our generation and has completely altered the idea of what is expected from us as individuals. Firstly, the mass amount of information that social networking has brought upon us is quite amazing. Users are able to not only place their whole life for others to see, but also are allowed to view others lives--friends and enemies alike. There was a time when talking to strangers was not the best idea, however in today's world as long as it stays within the realm of social networking it's seen as an advantage--you meet new people, make new connections, and find out more information than you really ever needed to know. Our society today is driven by information--what people know, what they want to know, and how it benefits them. We live in a 24 hour news cycle society, touch screen communication devices, constant e-mail/texting, blogging, wireless/web communications, and a complete link to our international counterparts that was unforeseen even 10 years ago.

I will not even attempt to argue if this is good or bad--I think with anything, especially technology, it lies in the eye of the beholder. Secondly, social networking has brought about a new means of communication--to go along with our cell phones, crackberries, e-mail, IM'ing, and whatever else is out there. The fact that I can communicate with someone in Japan, just as fast as I can with a classmate across the room, is quite astonishing. Communication today is the direct result of a powerful need--mostly due to globalization--for consistent creative discussions back and forth between companies, entrepreneurs, government, and the like. We as a people, are lucky enough to see innovation at its best made for civilian use so we too can partake in this unique and 21st century journey. Many of us fret when we misplace our cell phone or lose Internet due to a storm--as if its the end of the world. We have been so spoiled by the new technologies of our generation, many of us clearly could not live without. However, we see our grandparents and even our parents living gracefully and peacefully without them.

And Finally, social networking has brought about personalization of our own identities, likes & dislikes, personal beliefs/philosophies, and has allowed us to share them with the rest of the world quite freely. If you have the right tools and knowledge you could quite possibly find out everything you ever wanted to know about an individual just by looking at their Facebook profile or their Myspace, or Friendster, or any of the other myriad of social networking sites. This personalization has quite amazingly cut done the fist question most of us ask when we meet someone for the first time either subconsciously or out loud: who are you? We can figure that out before the first hand shake and dive right into the fun stuff. It is especially quite useful for employers in the 21st Century--they can determine if you are a right fit for their company and its long-term vision just by looking at your online profile. And most importantly you can to--so in a way it cuts out the middle man and connects both user and employer simultaneously.

In conclusion, living in a Facebook world clearly has its benefits-the ability to link up with friends old and new, to communicate with a far away world, to show society who you are and what are your own hopes, dreams, and fears, and the ability to bring change from your desk. If used for good, this new found congruence of networking can usher in a new era of innovators, social entrepreneurs, thinkers, and inventors all from your own personal workspace. I would challenge you to take advantage of this unique time in our history and use it to make a positive difference in the lives of others--find out what makes you churn creatively, your own talents and gifts, and to meet others who share those same faiths, ideas, and indebted values to change the world, so a future generation can live in a cleaner, safer, and even more innovative society than we do today.