Face to face

All right now, gang. Today I am hoping we are going to talk about Facebook.

I am very conflicted about the site. There are things about it that I really like. Finding old friends is at the top of the list, as I have moved many times in my life, and never knew what some of my junior high and high school friends grew up to be. Or where they are. Through Facebook, I have reconnected with several folks I have not seen since 1965 in Paris. Or 1968 in Andover. I also have made the cyber acquaintance of some very lovely people, some long-time fans whose support means a great deal to me. And I certainly know what a lot of people are doing at any given moment.

But...

I am not a fan of applications, of green plants in computer art form, of digital ponies. Of being hounded by people who invite me over and over to join something I don't want to join. Of seeing how many of my friends are Facebook-obsessed. Of finding so many emails from friends (who already had my email address) coming to me now through Facebook. And most importantly, I am not comfortable with Facebook's ownership of what is posted to its site, which is why I am no longer feeding my blog directly to my Facebook page, at least for the moment.

Those of you who are performing artists: have you seen an increase in your audience, your bookings and your income because of your Facebook page? Is there enough gain to offset the world domination aspect? Am I just being too 20th century, or is Facebook really devouring everything?

Comments

[Charles E. Martin]

Sometimes it's just all too orwellian for me. My job dictates that I sit for 8 to 10 hours a day in front of a desktop and a laptop computer, scanning back and forth, gathering data, researching and verifying sheaves of information, all while being incessantly bombarded by insistent instant messages from coworkers and bosses--some of whom don't recognize the difference between a job and socializing. It can all be dehumanizing. Yet, what is "human" now and what is "cyber?" It all melts together after awhile. I heard a stand-up comic once comment, regarding Facebook, "I didn't like you in high school; why would I want to find you now?" It is to laugh, but often too true.

You asked, in the entry preceding this one, if you would ever receive another handwritten letter. Talk about twentieth century . . . I'm a bit like Mark Twain, who said (and I paraphrase), "I was so much more at home in my century." Patience, I fear, is not a virtue in today's society. Good luck and blessings, as always.

[Elissa Weiss]

In the last couple of months, I got gigs through Facebook, because organists thought of me after seeing one of my updates.

I, too, do not do applications, quizzes, causes, etc. I read and write updates, and I post performances.

[Philip Wissbeck]

Maybe Facebook control will mean a renewal of the art of conversation on the telephone.

[PeteFergie]

I think the layout of Facebook pages are awful, as is the constant bombardment of applications, I always assumed they were used by teenagers or even pre-teens (don't they go out and play anymore) but now find they are used by fully grown adult(?) men and women. I much prefer MySpace, which if used correctly can be just as instant as Facebook.