So far, I love love love reading the book, The Facebook Effect, by David Kirkpatrick. I think that because Facebook is such a recent technology and because it has such a direct impact on my life being that I have a Facebook account, it makes the read that much more enjoyable and relatable. I find that after both viewing the movie, "The Social Network" and reading the first part of the book, I am always left thinking about how this social network grew so quickly from what it was and what kinds of implications Facebook creates for the world.
Surprisingly, I find that the movie is actually pretty close to the book, although the book does cover the development of Facebook in a lot more vivid detail. The book cracks me up because although Mark Zuckerberg and his partners are portrayed to be very serious about the creation of Facebook and the business aspects behind it, it is also evident, judging from their partying and dirty house, that deep down inside they were truely just a bunch of guys from college. Harvard undergraduates they may be, but college kids nonetheless. This is something that is not only very comical to me, but it's also something that makes the story of Facebook even more amazing. Facebook wasn't created by powerful and experienced men, it was created by a college student who knew exactly what other college students and younger generations desired. Facebook was created to be clean cut, authentic, and private in a sense that one would actually feel comfortable revealing their true selves. Facebook was meant to be a true social connection where networking would not only be possible to help people expand, but where people's networks would also be clearly illustrated for others.
I believe that Facebook grew so quickly not only because of its ease to use, but also because of its emphasis on un-anonymity and networking/mutual friends. If everyone was anonymous, then no one would know who anybody was or if they really knew the person or not, thus preventing a network. By being anonymous, one can choose to portray himself however he chooses and that is not real. I think after a decade or more of remaining mostly unidentified on the internet, people were craving the sense of feeling like a real person again, especially because we all spend more and more time on a computer now a days and this may be our only method of communication. Facebook was successful because it was created for a generation of college students who were used to multitasking and completing everything on a computer. It was also successful because unlike Friendster or MySpace, it was one of the only social sites that required an .edu address and a real name, which helped to create a sense of real community.
I remember when I first signed up for a Facebook account and it still required an .edu email address and verification from someone else in that network to join. Boy, have we come a long way from that.. Now, Facebook is open for everyone, which I think was inevitable. People graduate college, make more friends and connections on the job and before you know it, everyone is demanding Facebook. It's such a great way to connect with long lost friends and family members without having to leave your living room or buy a plane ticket. I recently "met" my cousins from California and Florida, whom I've never met in my life, on Facebook. Now, thanks to Facebook, I feel like I've known them all my life.
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