Facebook Fascination

I am fascinated with Facebook and all of the things that go along with it. It's relationships, communication, voyeurism, narcissism and networking all rolled into one big, crazy, internet ball.

I have some really close friends on Facebook, my husband, work colleagues, people I see on a regular basis, even my hairdresser. I love that.

Now, I don't know if your Facebook friends are anything like mine, but I also have Facebook friends who are people I worked with thirteen years ago. I have Facebook friends who are people I went to high school with and never spoke with in the four years that I attended that institution. I have Facebook friends who are people I met--once. I am Facebook friends with the girl who sat behind me in 9th grade General Business class and that is probably the only time we ever spoke.

Through Facebook, I have developed these strange relationships with that latter group, that can only really be described as "Facebook Relationships".

I'm fascinated by the fact that I have this dialog, this random communication, with people I probably wouldn't recognize if I passed on the street because their Facebook profile picture is of their kids, their favorite Family Guy character, their pet or they just look so darn different I simply wouldn't recognize them--and mind you, some I never knew all that well to begin with.

However, it is with this group that I find communication the most fascinating. They know details about me. I know details about them. One girl knew I was starting a business and sent me a message to tell me she would keep us in her prayers. Another guy found out I was trying to learn bass and he sent me an adorable picture of his 2 year old daughter "playing" his bass. I discovered I had this kinship with someone else over Police music and someone else with Beatles music. Another girl thinks we should hang out because we both like wine, cute hats (I almost bought another cute hat a Target today, but I digress), pickles and the same TV shows.

There is also that strange cross-section of comments that you might get on your status. I could mention that I am on my way to a particular location or doing a particular thing and I could get a comment from my best friend, from someone I never actually spoke to in person before, from someone I used to work with in another state and my husband. And somehow, this seems normal.

Another cool thing about these Facebook relationships is that people start to feel comfortable with you--which can work to your advantage. They know when you shop for groceries. They know what restaurants you eat at. They know where you just went on vacation. Just as you know these very same things about them.

So, when our new business officially opens it's doors and I update my status to promote this fact, I am hoping that I have a little bit more of a "foot in the door" with some of these people than I would have had if we weren't Facebook friends. When I lost my job, and my Facebook status reflected that, I had some great information and leads sent my way. It seems to be a networking heaven.

So I say, let's embrace Facebook and these strange Facebook relationships. Communicate with that person you were introduced to at lunch that one time. Find out what their top 5 Favorite CDs are. Find out which Beatle they are most like. Find out what their score was on Seinfeld trivia. Read their "25 Random Things About Me". It's such a small world and you just never know when your paths may cross again and they could be in a position to hire you for your dream job. Luckily, you'll have the Facebook edge over the other candidates since during the interview you were able to cleverly discuss your shared interest in chocolate milk, comedians with moustaches and jelly beans.