Facebook turns 7 years old today. Yes, it was out of Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard dorm (probably wearing jeans and a sweatshirt), February 4, 2004 when it all started. Here are my top 7 thoughts on how it has revolutionized the world:
1. Gets your Grandparents using the internet. The fastest growing sector on Facebook is those 65+. How, I ask myself, is this possible when I’ve tried to explain the concept of the internet to my grandparents for years, to no real avail, never mind get them to jump on? Answer? Grandbabies. You give my 85 yr old grandmother a place to see her grandchildren dressed up in different outfits and she is in like flynn (and, probably, a superuser).
2. Connects you with people you would 99% otherwise never run into again. In your life. And not only connects you – – gives you scary amounts of information such that when you attend your highschool reunion, there is nothing new to share.
3. Rules out the crazies. Upon uttering the sweet and simple words “Friend me on Facebook” – – you now have 6000X more information about a new contact than you would otherwise have. Ie; with our new technologies, you can now figure out stat if this new person is crazy and if so, nip that problem right in the bud (sidenote: I always thought this phrase was “nip it in the butt” until I googled it and found the origin.
4. It develops new neurosis (see this video) and very strange habits. This post is not specifically about Facebook, but it is funny as hell.
5. Share button. Enough said.
6. Provides an amazing platform for small businesses and government organizations. I am a HUGE believer in small and local businesses and government making the world a better place. From my favorite local coffee shop, to bread store, to government agency I am passionate about, I will happily “LIKE” them all and engage till the cows come home. Facebook makes this happen in a way, previously 100% not possible.
7. Makes us, more us! Since we’re human, and need to connect, converse, feel loved, appreciated, be narcissistic, view and hear about (and gossip) about the lives of others, Facebook generally makes us, MORE US!
Not too shabby for a 2nd grader…
If I had only thought of this in 1989. But we didn’t have the Internet and no one had a computer in their room, so it might have been difficult. We had to go to the library basement to access a computer, write our papers, and then print them on a dot matrix printer. No cell phones, either.
@ Tom 1989???? We had access to dumb terminals in 79. By 85 I was using a 386 with an amazing 512 K disk drive.
Been on Facebook since 2007. Still seem like the Netscape or AOL of the millenial generation. Mind blowingly impressive until the IPO or major sale and then…………………………………
“Lozenging” information…LOL