What is it that makes the ever so popular website facebook so addicting? According to Dictionary.com facebook is “a publication for an organization, such as a school or business, which helps members identify each other; also, an online version of this, with profiles including a picture, name, birthdates, interests, etc.” But facebook is much more than that. It can turn, very quickly, from a profile that gets checked every now and then to a serious addiction. I find myself checking my facebook web page whenever I am near a computer, and I know I am not alone. Facebook is a great tool for networking, but when people start doing more living online that off it that is when problems and possible addictions arise. I sometimes catch myself thinking about facebook even when I am not on a computer. Facebook is also a serious distraction, which sometimes becomes more time consuming that important things like homework. Facebook allows you to know personal things about complete strangers. Just by clicking through pictures, reading walls posts, or skimming ones status updates it is possible to know so much about a person you have never formally met. In some ways I believe that things like facebook are crippling our social skills. When you can learn so much about a person through an online data base what is the point of going out of you way to actually meet new people? I think that some people feel comfort with the shield of their computer screen. In my personal opinion, everyone (including myself) needs to take a break from their online lives and go outside and really start living!
