Does anyone remember My Space? How about that ancient Xanga? I bet a precious handful do remember. BUT, I'll bet everyone from 7 to at lest 75 years old could tell you what Facebook is regardless if they had an account or not.  What is it about Facebook that's SO intriguing? How does Facebook do such a thorough job sucking 845 million active users in? 

Let's begin with telling you WHAT Facebook is. Facebook is a social networking site. It's a place to chat with friends, plays games, and/or creates an identity. A three-in-one, you could say! Everything thing you normally do in your spare time in one place, on any computer, anytime, anywhere. Let's just think about the first two things: friends and games. You can wall post, chat, and inbox your friend, and play games from anything complicated to action! But, the most dangerous thing about Facebook is that it's, wait for it, FREE. You don't have to call up anyone, drive anywhere, or spend money to be entertained. Facebook provides ENDLESS social and mind-relaxing options at the tips of our fingers! (Literally, actually.) Anybody can use it! Facebook has become a mandatory thing in life, like using the restroom or eating. Like I said before, Facebook is a place to create your identity. We check it so often to see if anyone has noticed our status update, or new profile picture. Facebook, to some extent, has become a verifying tool for who we are, or, dare I say, who we wished be perceived as. This is why Facebook is intriguing and why people flock in the millions to its "pearly" gates, as Mathias' essay stated. 

My personal and humble views on Facebook would lead me to say it's a little dangerous. I understand not everyone is a Facebookholic, but I think it would be save to say that more then half are. Facebook can easily replace human social with cyberspace social. As humans I think we NEED that natural social atmosphere. And not just at school where everyone has a class to get to and everyone has practice to get to, but an active "lets go have fun at the bowling ally or pool!" For humans, I think its health. You can't go actively bowl, or get physically wet on Facebook, now can you? Now, to be fair, I do have a Facebook account, which I use regularly. I mostly use it for communication with friends who live in other states and countries--people I don't get to see. On occasion you will see me play Snake or Pac-man, but more then likely I'll be working on a puzzle or baking treats. On the other hand, I don't know whether to be proud or saddened, but my parents both use Facebook more then I do. They play memory games and chat away with college or high-school buddies quite a bit. I don't mind them on Facebook at all. It's cool seeing the older generation enjoying the same pleasure we do! It's a great way to connect. But would it be better to connect with them on the bowling ally? 

Facebook has its pro and cons. I do think it's a great tool. But I also think it's a great tool that can be abused. We should all know are limitations and not forget to live in the real world outside of cyberspace.