I'm Not Drinking the Facebook Koolaid

I noted with interest a blog commenter's recent statement that everyone has stopped blogging due to Facebook.

Now. This is plainly not the case. First, might I point out? Said commenter actually read, then commented, ON A BLOG. Second, there are--what?--like three gazillion active blogs. And that's in Knoxville alone. It's waaaaaaay too soon to call the Blog-Facebook race.

But the comment is food for thought. A lot of folks have turned to Facebook as a way to keep in touch and revive old connections. And that's admirable. But after you've made all those connections with friends, and friends of friends, and friends of your friends' friends, well, then what? Who has the time and interest to maintain relationships with all those people? Facebook's not going to help you with that. In fact, all that relationship-tending may end up driving you back to your core group. And then, what's the use of Facebook?

And, hello? Does everyone know that employers and prospective employers search Facebook to see what kind of pictures you're posting and what secrets you're spilling? Just imagine sharing all your personal thoughts and information with the company HR manager--NO THANK YOU I'D RATHER NOT.

I think the Facebook flame is going to fizzle. At least it has for me. I like blogs because they allow for more measured and considered positions. I like the semi-anonymity a blog affords. And--no offense--if I'm not currently in touch with people from my past or the friends of my friends' friends, I'm just not that interested.

But I was about five years late to the cell phone game, and I still don't own a Blackberry. Maybe I'll get more interested in Facebook when my children are posting their minute-by-minute thoughts on a Facebook wall. Maybe I'll get to wondering what happened to my college roommate's cute boyfriend (what was his name again?). Maybe one day I'll want to know what my sixteen year-old niece ate for lunch.

Facebook could be seriously useful then.