Facebook is America’s
newest childish obsession similar to the Hula Hoop and Frisbee. As a low
mentality exercise anyone can partake in the few requirements to be successful.
To be part of the Facebook billion one must sign up and provide a profile of
his or her life. Though this information is supposed to be private, the owners
of this social network believe otherwise. Once the participant is within the
system he or she can post pictures of children, friends, dogs or whatever comes
to mind. Commentary by most on the Facebook pages is usually limited to a
sentence or two. Few debate or post something of significance. Other social
mediums draw people with a wider range of thought processes, such as LinkedIn.
Measurement of success on Facebook pages comes with the number of people who
follow and or befriend you in this medium. Perhaps these numbers play well for
advertisers, but for the average user they are meaningless. How many people
would want to know the last time you had a Big Mac or when your dog was in
heat? Very few! Recently the owners of Facebook went public with a stock
offering. Those with diminished capacity bought into the company’s propaganda
that it was a worthy investment. In the aftermath of the offering thousands
took a literal financial bath when its share value fell to nearly half of its
initial price. Since then the stock value has been creeping back, yet continues
in a very negative range. Mark
Zuckerberg, the young billionaire who brought Facebook to life has decided to
allow his social network to be part of the government’s strategic information
pool. He has developed a close relationship with the Obama Administration,
allowing them quick access to personal information you have posted in your
profile or stated in commentary. Zuckerberg’s reward was an amazing tax break
ranging into the billions. To the average user his actions are a betrayal of
trust. Facebook has become a fad for tens of millions, for others an obsession.
Facebook has reinvented social interaction, no doubt. What is missing from this
equation is the human element that no cyber bulletin board can replace. Facebook
may be around for many years to come but its value to humanity will diminish
with time, as a good fad always does. Mark Davis, MD, President of Healthnets
Review Services, www.healthnetsreviewservices.com, platomd@gmail.com Author of Demons of Democracy
and the forthcoming book, Obamacare: Dead on Arrival, A Prescription for
Disaster. Manager of the LinkedIn group, Government in Transition, join,
comment and debate with some of the best minds on LinkedIn.
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