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MySpace and Facebook are the larger of the now commonly used social networking websites.  Many people praise both for allowing them to connect with, and keep up to date with their family and friends.  Sure, that makes sense.  It’s nice to see pictures of your friends and family often, and see what’s going on in their lives.  It surely is a different way to keep in touch and stay tuned into other people’s lives. 

However, one has to wonder if it’s really worth it….

Digging up from my own personal experience, MySpace was really becoming “the thing” when I was in high school.  I graduated in 2006, and it was between 2005 and 2006 that MySpace was getting a lot of use by myself and my peers.  It was addicting and kills many hours of boredom.  But that seemed to backfire quickly.  It’s easy to add anyone as your friend, and as anyone can tell, MySpace is basically a popularity contest.  If you have less than 1,000 friends, you’re a loser!  This is simply unrealistic.  Who really is good friends with 1,000 people?  MySpace and Facebook may not be about being close friends but it looks a little ridiculous when a person has so many “friends”.  It’s actually quite sad.

To go back to my personal reflection, Myspace started sucking up my own life, and that of my friends.  We become obsessed with adding people, checking out other profiles, updating our own profiles, and of course, taking great pictures to put on the site.  MySpace especially allows people to get a great deal of attention.  People will comment on your stuff simply to get comments for themselves.  But this gets ridiculous and out of control!  People start liking the attention, and this becomes a vicious cycle which eventually gets to be too much. 

Most people seem to quit MySpace and Facebook when drama, fights, and arguments come up.  This was true for me.  Relationships (which may I add, were not worth it) were getting ruined and friends were getting hurt.  Everything that could go wrong, did.  I soon made the decision to leave MySpace, and I have not made one since.

THe computer is a scary thing.  It allows people to be as mean and “honest’ as they want, since they’re virtually protected.  People cross the line though because sure enough this stuff will make its way into reality; it will affect your actual life.  No matter what it will happen.  You may think your “online persona” is safe but it never really is.  Your best bet is to think worst-case senario and make decisions from that.  The online world is not a protected one. 

MySpace is pretty much based around people you don’t really know.  For the most part, it’s easy on that site to add people you don’t know; no one seems to care if it’s odd that a random person wants to be friends.

Facebook on the other hand can be a little different.  It’s turning out to be more like MySpace but it’s not that bad yet; at least in my opinion.  However, Fcaebook can get you into just as much trouble.  Chances are Facebook revolves more around your personal life, so when issues come up, it’s probably really going to hurt you in some way. 

While I do have Facebook, I am careful about who I add as a friend and what I say on there.  It is possible to be a member of these websites without having to deal with any problems.  Caution is key.  If you find problems keep coming up though, and your life is really getting affecting, it may be time to start considered getting off of those social networking sites, at least for a little while.  Maturity is just as important as caution.