Is Social Networking the New Intimacy?

[Shirawilliam]

I've often wondered about this,Social Network for Branding Your Businessas I do have a myspace, and I have found that I actually prefer my myspace friends ( most of whom, come from all over the world ) to the people in my own geographical area. But what I can not decide upon, is whether or not this is a good or a bad thing?Sure, I wish that we could all meet and physically interact, and this is a huge negative! But, in many respects, it has helped me discover who I am. I have found my niche, and I don't think that this would have been possible if it were not for myspace. I have found people who are much more like 'me'. And if you are at all confined by living in the wrong city, or by living in the wrong country, or are stuck in a career that is not meant for your type of personality -- then this global village can become quite a breath of fresh air for you. This freedom to express ourselves on a website can be as uniquely 'you' as a thumb print. And it can, for some, become a window into our souls.

Ironically, to your immediate family or friends, one look into your myspace can be something of a shocker! But isn't it the truth of who we really are? Sure, some people can say anything, and become literally anything or anyone by simply lying about everything. These sites allow us to be the person who we want to be, and that person is very often, very different from the person we allow to be revealed in real life. But isn't the person who we want to be, indeed, who we truly are deep down? Can these sites be actually therapeutic for the repressed?

Social networking sites have become so widespread and popular, that one has to wonder about its sociological significance. Should we put a name on this new generation? Why do we love it so much? Is it really just pure exhibitionist, or something deeper? And if it is something deeper, what does that say about society before its invention? Were we all repressed? Has myspace changed your identity, or merely exposed it?

I believe that it has given us a sort of psychological freedom. We are tired of living the normal life. We want to reach out to one another. We want to learn from each other, and my bet is on that how you express yourself on these sites: what friends you choose, what music you play, what layout you design, what blogs you write, and to whose blogs you respond to; says more about 'you' than any personality test on the market. Your myspace is you! Shock or no shock! And I do not think that this should be underestimated. In fact, I think it is fantastic and liberating.

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