Facebook Personality

"I am not good enough" "I am tired" "I am in bed" "depressed" these are the posts came across on my friends Facebook wall. Every human person needs a platform to shore and express one's feelings and sentiments. In the classic age people had several opportunities to express their thoughts both personal and general. They had platforms like a market square, newspapers, cafeterias etc. That more of in the context of physical presence whilst expression of one's ideas and feelings. It was always one on one. It was largely because of the lack of development in technology. They had to be physically present to express their feelings and sentiments; of course they had post mails.

The Facebook account have crossed than a billion mark today, and India is the second after the USA to have largest number of Facebook accounts. Facebook has made access easier through an email account to which their account will be linked to. Let me not discuss the technicalities of Facebook but rather concentrate on Facebook as platform to express one’s feelings and thus lose or gain a personality.

When I meet young people today, conversation ends with asking for Facebook friendship; worse still Facebook itself suggests friends who you might have met for a second or seen from distance because that friend is hooked to your friends friend. Therefore, it’s all about friendship. Initially, when I knew nothing about Facebook, I used to post about my goings; where I am and where I am going and so on. This by and large made my friends to know where exactly I am.

Someone told me that Facebook had given that person a personality, which anteriorly he did not have. What does this mean? I was trying to unpack the statement, ‘Facebook had given personality back’. It is true, probably the person was posting his depressing life on the wall, and in return person’s friends replied and liked to his post and encouraged him to start a new. Or probably person feels that Facebook is a kind of online psychotherapy. Is it true? Facebook has its advantages and disadvantages. I don’t have to elaborate this, since we hear about it in the media.

Privacy is sacred for a person; meaning to say, every one of us needs privacy, whether it’s physical or psychological. I think the Facebook has revolutionized the concept of privacy, in regards to one’s life. When one expresses his feelings on the Facebook, he loses his privacy obviously, but in return the person might feel free and relieved. This has reduced the work of going to the psychologist! Therefore everyone know everyone, everyone knows everyone’s privacy, no more private. One becomes a public figure. I am not judging here, whether it is good or not, rather want to reflect with you all.

The Facebook has reduced a physical contact with each other, since we don’t have to be present physically to converse or express. One can sit in Brazil and express his feelings to one who in Australia in a matter of seconds and another person in India can complement or like the conversation or feelings expressed. Does human person needs a physical contact in life? Most of us would say, YES, we need a physical touch of another person to express one’s love towards the other. Every human being needs warmth in the form of a hug or a mere handshake or an eye contact. This is significant for us because we are social animals.

The Facebook elevates human personality or depreciates human personality? This is the crucial question for me. If it does, well cheers to you but if it doesn’t then we are missing a slither in our lives.