Week #6 Discussion: Social Media

In this day and age technology is the epicenter.  Likewise, social media and networking has gained dominance as a quintessential communication outlet.  Emerging as the popular networks are Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Tumblr.  It has gotten to the point where it would be considered odd for someone to not have an account on either site.  For this reason businesses are beginning to use these social networks as their top means of advertising and attracting business.
I too have a Facebook account, and since day one I have been hooked.  Personally, I have not had to use Facebook to accomplish any goals in particular--unless keeping in touch with friends counts as one.  After graduation I made a promise to myself that would make every effort to stay close with my friends and not lose touch with them; Facebook makes this possible.  I check my account daily and am obsessed with the ability to keep in touch with all of my friends, and even find friends that I have not seen for a long time.  Especially now that I am away at college and all of my classmates and friends have gone their separate ways, Facebook makes it possible for us to keep our relationships.  With Facebook I am able to keep up with what my friends are up to as well as what is going on at home.
I also like how Facebook brings the world closer together.  I can become a fan of pages and keep up with the latest information.  For example, I can be among the first to know about a sale at my favorite store, notified when my favorite bands will be in concert near me, or that my favorite celebrity got a new hairdo; the possibilities are endless.  A new fad is that people are now making pages to showcase their talents (i.e. singing, dancing, photography, etc.).  I can better use these facilities for inspiration.  Whether it be a writing topic for a class assignment, subject for a documentary, a subject to draw, to learn on photography techniques, or get new ideas for a photo shoot.  The Internet is an never ending giver, to fail to utilize it at its full potential would be a waste. ~~~RL