Facebook: A Sociological Evaluation

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This paper will explore the effect Facebook has had on society. By comparing groups today to groups fifty years ago, and by looking at personal experiences, recent political events, and interactive games, I will evaluate how Facebook has affected society’s perception of groups.

There is no denying that social networking is an integral part of modern society. We spend all day updating our statuses about the latest episode of True Blood, or liking our friends’ photographs from their recent trips abroad. Our language has evolved to include words like “vlogging” and “tweeting” (which mean video blogging and posting to Twitter, respectively). Our “feeds” are linked to our cell phones, so they become available at the touch of a button. Social networking websites such as Facebook enable the world to constantly be connected; making the old ideas of groups (book clubs and tea parties, anyone?) seem vintage and obsolete.

Fifty years ago, clubs and groups were much more formal. Many even had initiation procedures or rites of passage. There were definitive hierarchies and scheduled meetings. Leaders had to choose meeting times at which the majority of the members could be present. People often had to choose the groups in which they most wanted to take part, due to the time commitment involved with being in various clubs.

Today, however, Facebook has eliminated those time constraints. People can be part of as many groups as they want, because it takes mere minutes to stay updated on new information, and those few minutes can be the ones usually wasted while waiting in line at McDonald’s or riding the bus to work.

Facebook groups have many different purposes. There are groups dedicated to celebrities, groups dedicated to clever sayi...

... middle of paper ...

...2011, November 11). Occupy Wall Street's message? Try checking Facebook. FOX Business. Retrieved from http://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/2011/11/10/social-media-inflaming-passions-spreading-message-occupy-protests/

Brandtzæg, P., Luders, M., & Skjetne, J. (2010). Too Many Facebook 'Friends'? Content Sharing and Sociability Versus the Need for Privacy in Social Network Sites. International Journal Of Human-Computer Interaction, 26(11/12), 1006-1030. doi:10.1080/ 10447318.2010.516719

Katz-Hernandez, L. (2011, November 10). The canary in the coal mine. Deaf Echo. Retrieved from http://deafecho.com/2011/11/ the-canary-in-the-coal-mine/

Sutter, J. (2011, February 21). The faces of Egypt's 'revolution 2.0'. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/02/21/ egypt.internet.revolution/index.html

Zynga, Inc. (Designer). (2011). Farmville. [Web Game].

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