Can’t say I’ve ever been remotely tempted to get involved with “social networking” sites like MySpace or Facebook. It’s probably something to do with being fundamentally anti-social, sometimes even bordering on misanthropic. But it’s also an instinctive aesthetic aversion; it would be as pathetically undignified as Mark Vaile riding a skateboard with his cap worn backwards, or Ben Cousins “tooling” around at Schoolies Week. Better to age semi-gracefully. This cartoon (via David at Sarsaparilla) captures it well:
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My dad got on board facebook. It was the easiest way for the parents to keep track of the diaspora – especially since we all started putting photos on it.
In addition, there are a number of more-or-less knowledge-based applications like ‘World Traveller’ which enable him to highlight the fact that he still knows his geography better than just about any of us or our friends.
Not a bad deal it seems to me :)
I can identify with being your classic ‘grumpy old man’, Ken. However, I do have a facebook page. Mind you, only because one of my children told me I should so I created one to keep her quiet. It is a curiosity though. I can see and understand how & why it’s become such a phenomenon amongst Gen Y. I’ve even found a couple of old work mates from years long past on there, which is vaguely disturbing to say the least, considering I had a somewhat inebriated youth. A friend in her early thirties is fascinated by facebook, but I’m afraid it bores me silly after poking this person and hitting that one with a snowball, doing a movie quiz and writing on some total unknown’s whiteboard. Basically, facebook is an enormous time-waster and my time is far too precious to waste.
That’s pretty ageist, Ken.
And what if your dad’s band is the Rolling Stones?
No, you were right, it’s undignified. I think I saw Ben Cousins tooling at schoolies the last time I was there.
I’ve got a Facebook page and I am no longer in my 30s. I don’t do much with it. Don’t really know what to do with it. I noticed that a friend of mine (a friend from the real world) has added a thingmy that lets you know who your most “important” friends are. This is based on how many “friends” they have, and there names appear in really big text.
I can’t even see my name. Tee hee.
It’s interesting because I’ve met some blogging types who I’ve become real-life friends with, but you don’t get the sense that you could become real-life friends with a Facebook pal.
Anyway, I will keep the page and update it every so often. For example, “Darlene is currently writing a comment on Club Troppo….rockin’ dude”.
Do you have those naked pictures of yourself on your page Niall?
It was mighty generous of you to gift us enough of it to write that comment, Niall!
No, Sam, I don’t, but I do have an absolute cracker of a brown-eye shot if you’d like a copy.
People over 40 shouldn’t network online?? Are you banishing us to the bingo halls and senior citizens centres, Ken? Aren’t we allowed access to technology? Facebook is great for maintaining family and friend networks and for sharing photos. At 52, I’m not interested in “poking” or snowball fights, but I still like to communicate with friends quickly, and in interesting ways. The “I Like” music videos are also great for sharing music from my youth in the 70s. How is this ageing ungracefully? Learning new skills is not reserved for the young.