I agree with you about Twitter but I would like you to cite the source of this "study" of which you speak. My guess about your Facebook experience is that you became friends with everyone who was suggested or had requested to be your friend. Certainly there are people out there who post absolutely insignificant updates about themselves. As far as the info about me on Facebook, I choose what I put out there. Also, the news may be of great importance to you and what other people are doing is not, that's fine but to me the news is of little importance, but my friends and family are of great importance. I too have no television and I have also given up on paying attention to what the world calls "news" and my life is better for it. I do check out human interest stories, like this one, though.

How would I be "in the way" for having a negative opinion of facebook, myspace, twitter, etc? I don't need to adapt these things to fit me, I have no interest in them.

I think forums are a little different than sites that allow you to have profiles all about you. Forums facilitate discussion and intellectualism. Social networking sites are just that...they focus on the mundane details of everyone's lives. Did I want to know that John is constipated and has the flu? No. Do I want to read the news? Yes.

We don't need to update everyone on every second of our lives. It simply isn't that important. Facebook, twitter, and myspace all emphasize this. Let people know what you're doing! Tell them the details, who are you dating, where have you worked, what color your past bowel movement was, and we'll suggest people you might know, and even people you may have a negative past with.

Sure, it is efficient to share information over the internet in general, that's been happening for decades. We don't need facebook and myspace to do it.

I've used facebook, for several months, before I deleted it because it isn't practical and promotes time wasting.

Sure it may have some valid uses, but the negatives seem to outweigh the positives. I have seen people update from work, people have been fired for nasty comments, and sadly, it teaches people to focus mostly on the here and now. You think this isn't having an effect? Studies have noted that people's attention spans have decreased with using twitter and all these instant, brief updates that give them barely a glimpse of what is really happening. At least I still have the patience to read more than 140 characters.

Suggesting volunteerism is not invalid because of the medium I am using. Reading the news is a little more important than reading about Joe brushing his teeth or Jane's relationship status being "complicated."

And it hardly takes a few minutes of my time to read the news here, since I don't have a television.

"not as much of a personal connection but more of a look at me, i'm so important egotism that all of these sites are feeding and increasing." That's coming from someone who's posting on a message board. In essence there is no difference between Facebook/Myspace and commenting on message boards.

I have tried MySpace and MyYearbook. For me, they were a neat novelty which lasted about 1 week. The neatness/newness of them wore off quickly. I found myself on them everyday............but for what reason? In the hopes I would get a new "friend" or that I would find family, co-worker or play games? Maybe it was because I did not have alot of "friends" on them or maybe I just did not want to take the time to give my sites new looks etc like most people do? I think it was all of the above. One person looked at my site and told me I had no content about myself. I told him "people don't need know about me". He said that is the point, to have people get to know you. He said we are a global society, one collective group. I said, "no, I am a citizen of the United States, not the world". I cancelled both networking sites and I am better off for it. It just was not for me. We as a society have become a "instant gratification" nation......needing info NOW, needing answers NOW, needing the newest technology NOW! The only information that is needed in real-time is NEWS INFORMATION. We do not need to know that a friend went to a restaurant on 3rd street yesterday or that another aquaintence's favorite movie is Die Hard 2! That is silly useless information in my opinion. We get mad when our privacy is invaded(patriot act) yet we are ok with putting everything about ourselves on these social networks.
Also, I knew somebody would say that emailing was to slow! What is next? Do we want microwaves that heat a cup of coffee in 30 sec instead of 60 sec or cook a hot dog in 5 sec?
NOBODY is that important to be "in the know" 24 hours a day.......except again for MAJOR news information only!!

It is obvious that X Z has used a social network very little if at all. Facebook has been a wonderful thing for me to keep in touch with all of the people I used to exchange email with. Email is slow and cumbersome when compared to Facebook. For me and my friends it has nothing to do with "look at me, I'm so important" as X Z says. it has everything to do with being able to let everyone know what is happening with one simple post. I find it funny that X Z tells people they should get out and volunteer instead of sitting at a computer. How did X Z post a message to this board? Sitting at a computer while volunteering, perhaps.

You're in the minority. But yet, look at you. You're here commenting in one of the most popular social media arenas out there. Open your mind. This stuff can be adapted to fit you. You don't have to conform to it. It's not just a popularity contest. It's the most efficient way to share information and make it interactive.

not as much of a "personal connection" but more of a "look at me, i'm so important" egotism that all of these sites are feeding and increasing.

everybody wants attention and to think that others care, this just doesn't seem to be a healthy way to go about it. why not go out and volunteer instead of sit in front of your computer?

not to mention all the time/productivity that is wasted at school and work as a result of people checking these sites.

I was also on myspace and on twitter, but I joined Facebook due to my children begging me to get into it. I'm glad I did, because as I did, I ran into classmates of mine whom I haven't seen since 1981, including my childhood best friend, family members I knew about but have never met, photos of grandparents whom I never have seen, and Friends from Upper Michigan who have moved away. My best childhood friend and I haven't seen each other since December 6, 1981, and now we are chatting like we used to when we lived near each other in Lower Michigan. I also found out her and her spouse come up to this area for vacations, and I never knew it, so I'm thrilled about Facebook, as now we can get together again. I'll keep it. If you don't want to facebook, that's your issue, but I like it.