Facebook Ramblings

I just got back from seeing The Social Network.

The film focuses mainly on the business logistics of Facebook from the perspectives of those involved in the creation process, but it definitely makes one think about how much of our lives are consumed by this social networking website. Through this online tool, we can store memories through various media outlets, play games, learn more about what makes other people tick, keep in touch with friends, share links, make plans, or let people know where we are and what we're doing at any given time.

As much as Facebook is useful for establishing connections with the outside world, it is not without its disadvantages. In the social networking vortex, people often stumble upon information that they would be better off holding in oblivion because it distorts their idealizations of certain Facebook friends. Of course, this isn't so much a website-based issue as it is a human nature issue that has no feasible resolution. When our inherent curiosity about our peers collides with negligence (in this case, the failure to privatize information), both external and internal conflict are inevitable.

I wonder - obviously, Facebook is more advanced than Myspace and Friendster in terms of functionality and is constantly being updated, but will it become a thing of the past in a few years?