The Many Sides To Facebook

Back in 2004, a Harvard University student had an idea that would revolutionize the world in less than a decade and introduced the global population to another form of socialization. Facebook was originated with the intention of connecting college kids online so that they are in constant contact with one another. But what was meant to be a small website turned into an online phenomenon that helped kick start the social media frenzy we live in today.

Facebook still serves its initial purpose of connecting people online whether they’re right around the corner or halfway across the world. Sharing photos, videos, articles, statuses and so much more. Soon enough people of all ages created accounts and joined the hype as society projects the idea of Facebook as one of the “must-haves” in life.

Facebook does all sorts of good. From reconnecting family members and friends to being a great engine for social and political change in the Middle East by initializing the Arab revolutions. It’s accessible to anyone at any time with no restrictions and that type of freedom appeals to the public, but unfortunately that freedom could come with serious consequences. These include concerns such as cyber bullying, online predators, lack of face-to-face interaction and the fact that Facebook can be extremely distracting.

Cyber bullying is one of the very serious issues that is regularly overlooked by society, the fact that it happens online makes it seem less serious than real life bullying. Mainly affecting teenagers, Facebook has been known to cause drama among peers and make it very easy for someone to be targeted. This can be extremely emotionally traumatizing for anyone who experiences cyber bullying, as they feel trapped since all of it is happening right under the noses of the public.

Lack of face-to-face interaction has also become a habit among the younger generation today. Basically thinking ‘why leave my house to see my friends when I can talk to them from the comfort of my own home?’ In turn, people stay indoors the majority of the time, which could also lead to improper use of that time. For students in particular, myself included, Facebook is a major tool for procrastination that can distract you from doing homework, running errands, etc...

I would be the first to admit that social networking changed the way people perceive life as a whole, the world is becoming smaller day by day thanks to the technology available but all its advantages tend to overshadow its disadvantages which should be reflected seriously by everyone before giving into peer pressure and immediately creating an account just because everybody else has one.

It's Fryyy-day Fryyy-day

It's Friday, Friday. You know you love it. And apparently the world agrees. 13-year-old Rebecca Black has come out of absolutely nowhere to become the biggest YouTube sensation of the moment, demonstrating the power of social media. She's already got more hits than Lady Gaga's latest song.

I can't decide if I love this or hate it. The inane lyrics ("gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal"), the cheesy video production values, the overuse of Auto-Tune (for "singers" who can't sing in pitch), the earnest performance, and even the way Black sings the words "Friday."

Sure, it's grating and annoying, but it's also goofy and winning. It's easy to hate and hard to hate, all at the same time. To quote Black, it's fun, fun, fun, fun. Sociologically, you can go in a million directions with this. It certainly demonstrates the democratic use of the Internet, the power of social media (the song went viral in less than a week), the sexualization of young girls, the media's ongoing fascination with youth culture, cyberbullying, the infectious thrill of corny-yet-awesome pop music, the explosion of the prosumer, and the fact that industry manufactured stars like Beyonce may not be offering what people really want. Opinions are decidedly mixed, but you have to admit, this is a darn catchy song. Play it once, you'll probably play it again -- whether you want to or not.

Like all viral videos, "Friday" immediately spawned a host of parodies, covers, tributes, and other hilarious responses. This one is particularly great.


And if you hate that, there's always the super slowed-down version that sounds like some art-rock madness cooked up by Radiohead.


Or the chipmunk, fast version. Aw yeah!